SUNDAY MORNING FUN 1955

KIDS IN LONDON IN 1955 AND TALK OF DOLLS AND GUNS

Helen and I
were sitting on
the grass in front
of Banks House

it was a Sunday morning
bright and warm

she had her hair
in 2 plaits
and her thick lens glasses
enlarged her eyes
which were
peering at me

so he shot you?
she said
looking concerned

yes the creep shot me
in the back while
I wasn't looking
I said

so who
was it again?
she said

Pat Garrett
he's sheriff
or something
like that
I said

and you
were Billy the Kid?
she said
flicking one
of her plaits of hair
behind her shoulder

yes but I had
a good life while I did
I said

she nodded

I saw him in a film
at the flicks
I said
Robert Taylor
was him in it
my old man took me

she looked at the 6
shooter gun
in my holster
on the grass

how many guns
have you got?
she asked

I have 3
I said
and a rifle
sometimes I have
2 guns on me
in holster
sometime I have 1

why 2?
she said

so I can shoot 2
bad guys at once
or if I'm the baddie
then 2 marshals

she frowned
which do you
like best to be?
she said

I like playing Wyatt Earp
if I'm a good guy
or Billy the Kid
if I'm a bad guy

she passed me
a sherbet lemon sweet
from a white paper bag
and I sucked it

she talked of her doll
Battered Betty
who lost an arm
when her little brother
smashed her against
a wall but her dad
fixed it
and it has 2 arms
now again

I picked up
my 6 shooter
and took it out
of the holster
and began to polish it

she talked on
about her dolls' shoes
white ones but one
had gone missing
and she thought
her brother may
have stolen it

I sucked another
sherbet lemon
cleaning my gun
part of my Sunday
morning fun.