BEFORE THE PUNCH AND JUDY MAN 1956

A BOY AND GIRL IN LONDON IN 1956

The Punch and Judy man
is in Jail park
Janice said
she we go see him?

we were sitting
on the grass
in front of Banks House
it was a Tuesday
of the Spring holidays
and she'd come for me
early that morning

is it for free?
I asked

sure it is
the council pay for it
Gran said last night
Janice said

ok when shall we go?
I asked

after lunch
shall we go then?

ok
I said

she watched the coal men
loading their lorries
across the way
at the coal wharf
by Rockingham Street
one or two were
still horse drawn wagons
and the horses stood there
waiting with nose bags
eating

they must be strong
those coal men
she said
they have to carry
those big sacks of coal
up all those stairs
of the flats
and sometimes
they have many bags
to one place

I looked over
at the coal men

yes I guess they must
I said
hey did I tell you
about the time
one of those guys
stamped on a rat
that was running along
the balcony of our flats once?

no
she said
how horrible

yes blood and guts
after he stamped on it

ah no more
she said
I’ll be sick otherwise
and you watched?
she said

well sure
didn't know he'd
get it though
but he did
and wow did he get it

no more Benny
she said
I don't want to hear

so I said no more
and passed her
the Tizer bottle
and she had a swig
and passed it
back to me
and I had a swig too

and I watched her
sitting there
with her fair hair
and red beret
and smiled
but didn't know
what else to say.