The days lengthened. Soon Michael was going to school and back in broad daylight. He was anxious to lose the tag of 'Mummy's Boy' and persuaded Margaret to let him walk on his own. Reluctantly, she agreed, but looked out for him from the parlour window. One afternoon, he was excited when he saw men working on what had been the empty site opposite his house in Edward Street.
In a matter of days, they put a new surface on the rough ground and erected a slide, some swings and a roundabout. The playing area was bigger than the school playground. All was ready, by the middle of March. It was exciting. He was looking forward to going over there.
The Saturday after it was opened to the kids of the neighbourhood, he went to his old look-out, watching events from the parlour window. He looked to see if the bigger boys who worried him at school were using the playground. He hated the taunts that he had been enduring at playtime. If they were there, there was no way he was going to join them.
By mid-morning, there were lots of children playing. Maybe forty or fifty, aged from about four to fourteen. The place was a new attraction. There was a lot of loud yelling and shouting going on, more than was allowed at school! The situation definitely looked a bit dodgy to Michael. Disappointed, he went into the living-room to play with his sister.
Margaret suggested, "I'll tell you what, when it's twelve o'clock, most of the children will go home for their dinners. I'll take you and Gwyn. How about that?"
"No Mam! They'll only call me 'Mummy's Boy' all the more."
"Please yourself! But for heaven's sake, straighten your face and amuse yourself with something. I'm fed up with you mooning about and it's only the first day of the holidays!"
Luckily, Joan came to the rescue. She knocked on the door and came in. "Can I take Michael to the playground, Margaret?"
Of course she could. Michael was happy because Joan would look out for him. In any case, the rough kids from school would probably have gone by now.
Joan had to stop the roundabout before he'd jump on it and it was the same when he wanted to come off. She pushed it and when it was going fast she jumped on. Round they went. It was really good.
Next she gave him a go on a swing. He enjoyed that too.
Joan climbed the steps to the slide and slid down. Michael waited until she returned to the foot of the ladder.
"Are you going to have a go?" she asked him. "I'll be right behind you. You'll be all right."
Michael plucked up courage and said, "Okay!"
She let him go in front of her. But he'd only gone up seven steps then he was too frightened to go any further. There were four other little kids behind Joan on the ladder. All had to turn round and go back to the ground to let him off the steps. Joan didn't mind. All of the other kids stared at Michael but they didn't moan at him. His failure made him feel like crying. He'd had enough of the playground. It wasn't that marvellous. Joan could see that he was upset.
"It was pretty good though wasn't it Michael? Come on, we'll go and tell your Mam."
He supposed it hadn't been too bad, but he hadn't enjoyed it as much as he'd expected. He wondered what Rob would do when he came that afternoon.
"Say thank-you to Joan for taking you!"
"Thank-you Joan!"
Off she went, skipping down the road to home.
That afternoon, Rob came with his mother and sister. Margaret went up-town to do her shopping. Sheila stayed to look after the children. Sheila was now five months pregnant. She had not wanted to come because she dreaded the walk back up the hill afterwards. But Rob had made her promise and reluctantly she'd brought him.
Michael was really pleased.
"Shall we go and try out the things over there?"asked Rob. There was lots of noise coming from the playground again, more than there had been in the morning. Michael was a bit reluctant but Rob was keen so he agreed to go.
Rob was taller and stronger than Michael. Rob tended to be the leader. He was the boss when there were just the two of them playing. It was the same when they were with their sisters. Michael had good ideas for things to do, but Rob was the one who excelled in carrying them out. On the playground, Rob went straight into the thick of things. He shouted at and jostled the other kids. Nobody and nothing worried Rob. He was as raucous and self-assertive as any of them. He led and Michael did his best to follow.
Soon, Rob was running and jumping on the roundabout when it was going round quickly. He waved to Michael, who hung back. Rob chose one of the swings for bigger kids and was soon standing on the seat and going high in the air. He was up the steps and down the slide as often as the slow-moving queue of children permitted.
Finally, after Rob had had six goes, Michael made up his mind. He would make himself go up all of those steps. He would go right to the dizzying top. He would launch himself down that slide. He followed Rob and watched him hurtle to the bottom. Michael stood on the platform at the top. He hesitated for a long time.
"Get a move on kid!" a big lad said from behind him.
"Hurry up! What's the hold-up?" called another voice.
Michael was between a rock and a hard place. He could either risk going down the slide or endure the ridicule of a crowd of kids.
It seemed a long way down. Gingerly he lowered his bottom onto the platform and then holding both sides of the slide he went down slowly.
"Leave go!" shouted Rob watching from the ground. Half-way down he did so and enjoyed the slide the rest of the way.
"It's good isn't it?" he said to Rob.
"Told you, didn't I? Come on, let's have another go!"
So he did. He didn't hold on at all that time.
When his mother returned, the boys were back in the house, playing Soldiers.
Michael sprang to his feet and proudly informed her, "I can do the slide can't I Rob? It's really good. Can I show you? You can see me from the parlour window."
"Why, there's lovely," said his Mam. "But not today! I'll watch you tomorrow.I'm busy now."
When Gordon came home, he was pleased to hear all about Michael's enthusiasm for the slide.
"I went down it as fast as Malcolm Campbell in Bluebird!" he cheerily told his Dad.
No comments:
Post a Comment