Where Les Dawson Were Taught

 

     Sometimes, pain is not to be mentioned,

even when young, when children – there is a

special notice inside that says…….

…… ‘don’t act dumb but don’t let on!’

 

     Humility, is something that gravitates to

wealth within human kind, and none know

more-so than those of northern quarters -

   (if not quartered themselves for abundance of intellect -

        never dared said upon a crowd of brow beaters).

 

     Me Dad weren’t just me step dad,

he were me dad, and our Susan’s, our Jacky’s

  and our kids – and our kid and I, would

venture the first days of working class toil -

   with three paper rounds each - but two pair of

       pants for school.

 

     Christmas, were a pain where big people

fall over and fall into each other with tears

and slurred speech,

  big people with an ole smell an

ole attitudes that seemed so alien to

my bro and I, our sisters too.

 

     ‘Three paper rounds each though,

three paper rounds and no more than a fiver,

  but we wanted a gift for dad.’

 

     Right there,

right there in a curio shop,

a pool cue in a small briefcase with

   not two, but six, six components of cue

      to screw together and highly varnished too.

 

     We bought it for our Dad,

and delighted he was with his cue as,

   a pool team player for the local pub,

      we hoped he’d show off a gift from sons.

 

     He put the cue together on Christmas Day,

and as he leaned across the chipboard kitchen table to

  pose a shot,

     ‘I noted the curve like a crescent moon and grimaced!’

 

     If not watching the Wheel Tappers and Shunters Club

at weekend he’d practise with the cue, and take it to the pub,

   and there again, match nights to the club with

      briefcase, - his tool to frequent the green stained

          carpet of a near perfect float meter.

 

     I didn’t want to go to Winkups Holiday Camp in Llandudno,

       that was far too poor for me,

          but Dad, as cunning and glinted he was,

             won a competition between a hundred Mancs and A-La’s,

                 and the holiday was free -

                     trophied by a five pound piece of wood,

                           shaped like a crescent moon!

 

             ‘My snobbery thought we should have bought him a tin watch,

                     but now smiling, so glad it was a boomerang he beat every competitor with.’

 

 

 

Michael J Waite 30th September 2024. Wish I could go with a beer with ya again, Dad.