WONDER WHY?

A 8 YEAR OLD BOY AND GIRL IN LONDON IN 1950S

Soft toffee
in wrappers
in a bag
in my hand

just take one

Ingrid looks
at the bag
then at me

they are yours

I can share
no problem
I tell her

she takes one
and untwists
the wrapper
on the sweet
takes it out
and eats it

I watch her
her slightly
protruding
teeth bite through
soft toffee
quite easy

I eat mine
put the bag
of toffees
in my coat

my uncle
gives me sweets
she tells me
if I’m good
and do things

I study
her brown hair
pinned with grips
her brown eyes
looking sad

do what things?
I ask her

she looks down
at her shoes

I can't say
Uncle says
it's secret
between us

the uncle
visits her
at weekends
her old man's
big brother

gormless git
Jimmy says
who's seen him
in the Square

why secret?
I inquire

cross my heart
hope to die
she replies

wonder why?

Author's Note

PHOTO BY COLIN O'BRIEN