For a brief time, I found myself under the roof of my aunt. The reasons for this arrangement are far too complicated to drag you through, suffice to say, the pain of explanation is best avoided, and I shall stick to the essentials. Staying at my aunt's was not my first choice, but choices were … Continue reading Part Polished…

Up the lane, past the wheat fields that swayed like golden seas, beyond the schoolyard where laughter had long since been scrubbed from the walls, and past the witch’s hut - an ominous place we barely dared to whisper about - lay the golf course drive. A sharp turn to the right, a plunge down … Continue reading Something Fishy

Back in the age of cassette tapes and pencil toppers, when pocket money meant just that - ten pence if you were lucky - there were no such luxuries as ten-penny mix-ups. You had to be strategic. Frugal. Devout, even. So how did a young suitor impress his beloved in a world devoid of Haribo … Continue reading Dance there.. A Sherbet Dip and the Lord of the Damp Settee

Dashing home from school was my daily ritual, as predictable as the sunrise. Every afternoon, I'd bolt through the streets like a greyhound after a rabbit, hell-bent on shedding the stiff, starchy school uniform and slipping into my ragged jeans, a worn-out jumper, and a pair of black gym shoes so full of holes they … Continue reading Pigeon Pie

I don’t suppose it’s an easy life being a milkman. Up at the crack of sparrows, trudging through the biting dawn chill, lugging clinking bottles of milk, cartons of juice, and trays of eggs, all while the rest of the world snores in blissful ignorance. A thankless, monotonous grind for most - especially for those … Continue reading Lotta Bottle!