ANNE AND THE TASK.

A BOY AND GIRL IN A CHILDREN'S NURSING HOME IN THE 1950S

I stood in line

to be weighed

in the bathroom

of the nursing home

Anne crutched herself

behind me

you haven't

got a chance in hell

of winning

that chocolate bar Kid

she said

I've seen more meat

on a butcher's pencil

stuck behind his ear

might win

I said

might fly

she said

the kid in front of me

got on

the green metal scales

and the nun

moved the weight

along the top

not you Malcolm

she said

the kid got off sulkily

I got on the scales

and the nun

moved the weight

I looked at her

black and white

headdress

her pinched features

not you Benny

she said

I got off

and walked away

Anne awkwardly

got on the scales

holding herself

on her one leg

the stump

of the other

hanging there

best so far Anne

the nun said

told you Kid

you didn't

have a chance

guess not

I said

as she crutched herself

along side of me

not to worry

if I get the choco bar

I’ll give you

a quarter for being

a good friend

no other

in this f**k hole

gets a look in

we went along

to our rooms

come in Kid

she said

I hesitated

come in

I want to

ask you something

I stood swaying

uncertain

what if

one of the nuns

comes along?

what if I don't give you

quarter of the choc bar?

she said

I followed her in

to the girls dorm

no one else

was there

just she and me

she closed the door

with her backside

right Kid

I want you

to do me

a favour

favour?

I said

sensing uncertainty

hit my gut

yes I want you

to sneak along

to the kitchen tonight

and liberate

some biscuits

liberate?

I said

biscuits?

yes you know

what biscuits are

don't you

those hard things

with cream in the middle

or chocolate

on one side

I know what biscuits are

I said

but what do you mean

liberate?

take some

from the big tin

they have

on the shelf

in larder

take?

I said

you mean steal?

steal

take

liberate

whatever word

you want

to use Kid

what if I get caught?

don't get caught

but what if I do?

Anne sighed

sat on the edge

of her bed

I thought you

were someone

I could rely on Kid

not some cowardly custard

yellow belly

I looked

at her leg stump

sticking out

the other leg

reached to the floor

if you're really good

I’ll let you touch

my stump

she said

no need

I said

I'll try tonight

sneak down

after lights out

good Kid

she said

she took my right hand

and lay it

on the stump

and held it there

it felt warm

and soft

she let my hand go

good huh?

wish the rest

was there

she said

off you go

and don't get caught

I nodded

and backed out

of the room

seeing her cover

the stump

with her dress

and smile

see you

I said

you bet

she said

I walked away

thinking

of the big steal

of biscuits

unthought through

by my 10 year old brain

as yet.