SUNDAY TEA 1956

A BOY AND GIRL IN LONDON IN 1956 AND SUNDAY TEA.

Janice's grandmother
invited me to tea
and I went along
and knocked at the door

of the flat
and Janice opened the door
and said
glad you could come

and I walked along
the passage way
and into the sitting room
passed the kitchen

where her grandmother
was preparing things
and she had said
welcome Benny how are you

and how is your mother?  
O I'm OK and my mum's OK too
although her legs are bad
a bit swollen but they usually are

so I'm not sure as that is news
but otherwise she is Ok
I said
and your father

how is he?
she asked
I looked at her
she had a kind

but stern face
not the kind of woman
to get on the wrong side of
so I said

o he's ok
he made me
a metal sword
recently at work

it's blue
o I see
she said looking at me
as if she didn't approve

anyway go play with Janice
while I get tea ready
so Janice and I went
and sat down

on a white sofa
and Janice said
do you want to see my doll?
Gran bought me one recently  

and if you tip it
upside down it says Mama
I looked at her and thought
I'd rather not

but said
sure that'd be good
so she went and got the doll
from her bedroom

and holding it in her arms
she said
she's awake so you
can hold her

so I held out my arms gingerly
(not wanting to really but doing so)
and she placed the doll
in my arms and I rocked it

back and forth
as I'd seen my mother do
with my young brother  
if you tip her over

she'll say Mama
Janice said
so I tipped the doll
upside down

and it murmured Mama
doesn't it say anything else?
I said
no it just says that

she said
I looked at the doll
with its red lips and eyelashes
and blonde hair

and thought hope it
don't wee on me
and handed it back to her
and she hugged it

close to her chest
and said
I think she's going to sleep
I best lay her down again

ok
I said
and she went off
and I watched Roy Rogers

on the black and white
screened TV
waiting for
my Sunday tea.

Author's Note

PICTURE BY COLIN O'BRIEN