EYES THAT GLOW 1957

A BOY AND GIRL IN LONDON IN 1957 AND A CHANGED FATHER

I come out
of the fish and chip shop
with 6d of chips
and Enid's crying

what's up?
I say
someone touched you?
she shakes her head

and wipes her eyes
no just don't know
how my dad'll be anymore
once I knew

what to expect
now I don't
just take each day
as it comes

I say
he'll be back
to his old horrible ways
soon or he may

always be bloody nice
and there you are
she looks at me
it unnerves me though

she says
like being out now
once he would have
belted me

for coming home
this hour
now he'll say nothing
or say something nice

and I'll be
out of step with him
here have a chip
I say

opening the newspaper
and putting
the chip bag
before her

the steam rising up
be careful
they're hot
she takes one

between finger and thumb
and gingerly puts it
in her mouth
I take one too

and we eat away
he even spoke to me
the other evening
on his way home from work

and I was on
the balcony
and normally
he just stares daggers

at me but he actually
spoke to me and smiled
and I thought
he was quite a nice guy

and maybe he's had
some religious conversion
and been saved
I say

chips are nice and salty
she says
licking her
finger and thumb

yes they are good
and vinegar
put some of that on too
she nods

take him as he comes?
she says
yes as he comes
if he's ok then

that's good
if he's as he was
then that's him being him
I say

we finish the chips
and walk back
across the road
and down Meadow Row together

and she talks about
going some place else
another day
I look at her

walking there
her big eyes
behind the thick lens glasses
her hair bit messy

and over the place
then we cross Rockingham Street
and up the slope
and into the Square

and walk towards
our block of flats
and up the concrete stairs
and just as we get

to my landing
her dad's coming
down the stairs
and I see she's frozen

and wide eyed
he looks at us
and smiles
and says

get changed Enid
we're going out tonight
to the flicks
my treat

and hello Benny boy
how are you?
I'm all right
I say

well I'll be back later
and he is gone
down stairs
and she watches

him go
with a smile
and eyes
that glow.