I was in a red phone booth
in Rockingham Street
looking for coins left behind
in the little cups
in the phone machine
my old man knocked
on the glass window
of the booth
I looked at him standing there
his deep set eyes
his Errol Flynn moustache
I came out of the booth
and let the door shut
behind me
what are you
doing in there?
he asked
looking for coins
left behind
I said
were there any?
no none at all
he nodded
and looked in the booth
shame
sometimes punters do
he said
I looked at him
he had a hollow look
about him
sunken cheeks
just as well
it was me
and not your mother
who saw you in there
he said
yes guess so
I said
well got to go to work
he said
how about
going to see a film
this weekend?
sure be good
I said
John Wayne film
cowboy film?
no war movie
Pork Chop Hill
I think it's called
he said
ok be good
I said
he nodded and left
I watched him go
and out of sight
I opened my hand
and looked at the coins
I found in the cup
of the phone machine
I pocketed them
and walked to Baldy's shop
and bought
some bubblegum
and a drink of pop
and walked back to the flat
I ought to have shown
my old man the coins
but I didn't
and that was that.