03-03-2019, 05:51 PM
14020
Re: Leisurely Scribbles (part 5)
Ok...it's 1967,a Saturday morning-and I'm out with the coalman,doing my 'Saturday Job' [which all young teens had in those days]. It started with arriving at the coalyard,finding out who wanted what,filling all the sacks as required [ie,coal,coke,'best',sharpies,large,small-cut,etc] amnd loading them onto the truck. Then we used to go to Jim's Cafe,where a big brekkie was the order of the day [and in truth,the only meal of the week I'd eat]
This particular Saturday,the other coalmen were all perusing papers,looking at runners in the National. Slim asked me which one I fancied-he'd put a shilling on for me. I had NO [munch,munch] interest or [chomp,chomp] knowledge of such things,so I said [scoff,scoff] THAT one-and pointed at a rather nice name. Ok,yes,the other 'Saturday Boys' all laughed,scoffed,told me I was 'a tit'....and the coalmen weren't much better OR much less scornful.
Ok...fast-forward one week...
Done all the loading and stacking,got to the [drool] door of Jim's Cafe for that GLORIOUS meal I dreamed of all week.....Slim said "You go in,I'll just be a second". So I pushed the door open,walked in...and a MASSIVE round of applause and congratulations,back-slapping and "Howja do that,kid?!"-type greeting met me. I had NO idea what/what/what???....but it turhed out al the otyer horses had falen over,so MY choice,that name that I just liked-but my cooked breakfast was far more important-who was trundling along at the very back,sort of 'stepped over' them,then pootled off to the winning post! Yeah...1967. Foinavon. I,via Slim,got 100/1 odds,when my shilling was put on! So,for a shilling,I won £5...which was TEN Saturday Job days,all in one!
[money was a bit more valued in those days,children...]