On The Move

Mum picked up five year old
Michael after school daily, also
next door’s five year old Peter.
At home she gave them plain
sandwiches to last them till
dinnertime not tempt them
to extra, though young Peter
strangely ate a lot. Then
the boys played till Peter’s
sister came for him. their
parents were home from work.

One day a FOR SALE sign stood
on Peter’s front lawn, soon after
covered by SOLD. His parents
were set to move by themselves
so Mum helped, her children
at Grandma’s for the day.

Going through town Peter’s Dad
picked up a rental key, Mum’s heart
sank as she saw that shabby rental
home after packing sparse contents,
sparse larder at their previous house.

Late afternoon she made sausage
and egg pie in her roasting dish,
took it to the new rental home.
She stared as two parents, three
children stuffed hot pieces of
pie in theri mouths as she put
the dish on the kitchen bench.

For the working poor starve too.
The 1980’s boom bust cycle
scattered them by the wayside.


Previously posted August 2018.

School Days

At the teachers’ daytime course
Miss Jones saw a familiar face
gradually recalled a little girl
in a classroom twenty years ago.
Bright alert, assertive, learning
easily, surely she would have
moved on beyond conventional
fields such as primary teaching.

Surprised at Miss Jones’ greeting
the young teacher did not remember
a school term in Miss Jones’
six year olds’ class. Why did
Miss Jones remember her ?
Some children stay in a teacher’s
mind for their abilities, behaviour,
personality. This young woman’s
abilities, personality, stayed
in Miss Jones’ memory.

“Where did it all go ?” the
young teacher wondered
to a stunned Miss Jones ?

The young teacher recalled her
high school years, a sarcastic
maths teacher needling pupils
daily, overshadowing the rest
of the high school day …….

…… quenching energy and self
belief, enthusiasm and confidence.


Previously posted August 2018.

At the Library

Saturday morning
in library foyer
newspaper shelves on
a long wall overlook
reading tables. On
Saturday breakfast
table – toaster, bread
spreads, tea coffeeSaturday library
milk, sugar teaspoons
knives, electric kettle.
Happy people.

Computers at other
end people tapping
keyboards, internet
printing out posts
for WordPress blogs.

Comfortable armchairs
along a wall under the
windows ………. cosy.
Middle aged man
leans back, head back
jaw dropped, arms limp.
SNORES LOUDLY !


Previously posted July 2018.

Motorbike

Little brother says it is a
motorbike. He shows his mother,
pointing to the markings on its
sides, outlining the mouldings,
the parts of a motorbike.

On lengthening legs he flies
off down the drive at top speed.
His sisters’ little pink tricycle
is now a fearsome motorbike !

Brm Brm ! Brm Brm ! Brm Brm !


Previously posted July 2018.

Mowing The Lawns

For little brother’s second birthday
Nana remembered uncle’s joy with
his second birthday gift of a toy
lawn mower. She gave little
brother a lawn mower too.

As Mum grappled to detach its
parts from its box, assemble then,
little brother struggled to wrestle
it out of her hands. At last the
lawn mower was assembled, little
brother walked off, slowly and
steadily, just like Dad, mowing lawns.

Brm Brm ! Brm Brm ! Brm Brm !

Little brother has the Brm Brm !
gene on his Y chromosomes.


Previously posted July 2018.

Flying Starfish

Fast forward horizontal flying
starfish leap on to the giant
bean bag at the foot of the wall.

OOPS ! BANG ! ROAR !

Crashed into the wall, nearly
through the wall to see Mum in
the next room trying to rest.

His sisters play different games
on the giant bean bag but little
brother wants to do big
high flying jumps on to it.
In time he will learn to judge
the distances, avoid the wall.

Little brother has the belly flop
gene on his Y chromosomes.


Previously posted July 2018.

Morning News

A sociable time at Friday morning’s
junior assembly as the five and six
year olds sing songs, show their
best work, receive awards for
best of the week, report special
news to the children, to parents,
babies, toddlers, sitting at the back.

One Friday Morning Grandma brought
in Tessa, telling the teacher
she would collect her after school as
her new baby sister was born yesterday.

What special news ! Giving Tessa
her award, the teacher beamed,
said “Tessa has important news !”

Tessa was indeed excited, reported
“Mummy had the baby on the
wash house floor !” The children
looked puzzled as their mothers
shrieked, laughed, finally recovered.

It does help for the teacher to get
the back story behind the news.


Previously posted July 2018.

Neighbours

An ominous sign on our fence
“Flat To Let. (Number three).”.
“Oh no !” said number four.
“Who will be our new neighbours ?”
She had heard stories of previous
tenants’ upheavals on our quiet
little block on our private driveway.

Tales of cigarette butts all over
a flat’s garden strip, a large circle
of young men smoking who
knew what on the driveway
contemptuous of us around them.

Tales of smoke pouring out from
a plastic plate sizzling on a stove
element. I called the fire service
then the property manager who
ordered steam cleaned carpet and
curtains which meant moving
possessions out to the carport,
then back inside again.

These occurrences ceased after
visits from the police. We heard
the laddish tenant was detained
inside walls at Her Majesty’s will.

My calls to the property manager
made me most unpopular. Let’s
hope my reputation preserves
us from further such neighbours.


Previously posted July 2018.