Underneath The Clock

I don't really know where this came from... it's just for fun really.  The children used to like it when they were younger.

As I walked and whistled

down Twistington High Street

two old men I happened for to meet,

on a bench by the bus-stop,

the 34 bus-stop,

waiting for a bus

to take them up to Hilltop.

And I stopped and I sat

and I listened while I whistled

and I heard they were talking

about how things were changing -

shops closing down,

shops rearranging,

how you never could find what you wanted when you looked...

And the more I listened

the more I was hooked

by the names they remembered

and some they forgot

as they sat there and nattered

with the old town clock

tick-tocking up above.

Susan Cox still sells

shoes and socks

in the Soft Shoe Shuffle

shoe and sock shop

by the chip shop ...

Which shop?

The old fish and chippie.

What Trisha Phipps’?

Ay, Trisha Phipps.

She makes fabulous

battered fish and chips.

Best in town!

I’d wolf  ‘em down,

with salt and vinegar

outside the cinema

with my mate Stanley.

Old Stan Hemmings?

That’s the one –

he used to sell curtains

and fancy cushion covers.

Used to have a warehouse

up the road from your house.

Oh ay, I remember,

Hemmings Trimmings Limited,

 now I recall.

I never went in though.

No?

Not at all!

He sold all sorts of things –

shirts,

skirts

and knickers.

Really?

Oh yes,

my best beloved

always bought them there –

her underwear.

I get mine from Vickers.

Knickers from Vickers –

I didn’t know they did ‘em!

Oh they do, they do

 ... but it’s new.

Oh I see.

Come on, bus, I want my tea.

-

They don’t come

as regular

as how they used to.

No not so often.

More expensive, too.

I remember when

you could catch a bus

from Hilltop,

down to town

and back again

for only ten pence.

That’s ten old pennies,

not quite a shilling.

 It’s more than a pound now.

It’s one blinking fifty.

Mind you the buses

are pretty nifty.

 The drivers are shifty!

Do you remember old Gus?

Used to drive the bus?

Yes him –

what a laugh –

He had us in stitches.

Got us all singing rounds in the back –

London’s Burning,

Frère Jacques

.

Wouldn’t happen now.

Not now –

 wouldn’t happen

 - they’re too afraid

of putting buses into ditches.

Well there’s lots more traffic.

All them cars ...

Vans and lorries

thundering past you,

blast you with their hooters

when you try to cross the road.

We don’t go as fast as you,

we’re not on scooters!

We’re not on wheels.

Noisy blinking tooters.

Everyone’s in such a rush ...

 Where is that bus?

Have you seen the park, though?  Oh it looks a treat.

 The flowers are looking lovely,

 the grass is trim …

It’s neat!

I saw them cut it yesterday

with a great big sit-on mower.

Same bloke who does

the library lawns.

Took him less than an hour.

Amazing!

Amazing.

And they’ve got that playground now with the swings

 and the slide

 and one of them things that goes round and round,

 you know –

The roundabout?

 The roundabout

 - that’s the one

 - you should have heard the kiddies shout.

 They love it.

Ay, it’s fun –

They do, they really do.

It wasn’t like that for us two.

No!

Maybe a swing –

A rope in a tree

that’s all we had

my friends and me,

and if you came off –

ooh –

you’d scrape your knee.

But you didn’t dare show it

you didn’t dare weep!

Huh! I’d holler and cry!

If I had a bad knee

I wouldn’t be shy.

I’d jump and I’d hop,

I’d shout and I’d curse!

Did it make you feel better?

 No, generally

worse.

Now have you seen the new skateboard shop?

 Next door to Copper Kettle?

Yes that one have you seen it?

I’ve been in it

 - but they play that heavy metal!

I went in for our Kevin

 - he wanted some new rollers.

It used to be a hat shop –

sold trilbies and bowlers.

I fancy a skateboard

for nipping about.

I could pop into town

and back out

without any fuss.

I mean,

I wouldn’t have to sit here

waiting for this bus.

    You on a skateboard

 - who are you kidding?

You’d fall straight off,

 you’d be sliding and skidding all

 over the street!

I’ll have you know

I’m very light on my feet.

I’ve a keen sense of balance -

Off balance, you mean

 - and here comes the bus in case you haven’t seen.

And with that the two men

stood up by the seat.

They rubbed their hands

and they stamped their feet.

And the bus drew up

and the door swished back

and one got on

“I’ll see you then, Jack.”

And Jack gave a wave

as the bus pulled away

and he strolled off

down the High Street

into the dimming day.

And I stood and I listened

to the noises of the town -

people walking home -

shop shutters sliding down.

And I rubbed my hands

and I found my other glove,

with the old town clock

tick-tocking

up above.

Here is a link to me reading Underneath The Clock