THE EARLY YEARS(SCHOOLDAYS)........1962

   

One morning in September 1962 the 3 boys were sleeping in their shared
bed when they hear,"Right boys rise and shine,its time for School".
The Ma was standing at the end of their bed and Rick says,"Ah Ma ,do we have to?".
"Now,Rick,you know you have to go,remember we agreed last night ",she says.
Little Ger says,"Can i go too".
"Sorry,Ger,but you have to wait till next year when your 4",says Ma.
The boys climb out of bed and get dressed.
The 3 boys wore identical clothes and were always mistaken for triplets.
(Back then their were no uniforms in their local school in Our Lady of Good Counsel ).

The boys go down to the kitchen and there on the table are 3 bowls of piping hot
porridge ."This is very hot ",says little Ger.
"Just blow it till it cools",says the Ma..
They finally finish the porridge and the Ma puts a plate of toast in front of them.
"Who wants marmalade on their toast?",she says.
"I don't like it,its yeuch",says Ger.
"Yes,please",says Bem. "Me too",says Rick.
After they finished their Breakfast the boys went up to the Bathroom and
brushed their teeth.
"Now just to brush their hair",says the Ma.
The 3 boys line up beside each other and the Ma brushes Rick's hair then Bem's and
then little Ger ,who had a mop of thick bushy hair.
"Ah ,that hurts Ma ,"says little Ger.
"Your hair is full of knots,Ger,sorry if it hurts",says Ma.
"Its okay,Ma",he says.
"RAT-TAT-TAT",went the knocker on the front door.
"Answer that door,Rick,its probably Rita",says Ma.
(Rita was an neighbour and friend of the Ma).
"Morning",says Rita as she comes in.
"Are yous all set for school?",she says to Rick and Bem.
Rick just looks at her and shrugs.
"Yes",says Bem.
The boys throw their schoolbags on their back,even little Ger had one as the Ma did not want him to feel left out.
They head up the road with the baby Bob in his pram and the boys holding
each side of the handles.
They get to the entrance on Sperrin road where other kids and their Ma's
were going in to the school.
Rita takes control of the pram and holds little Ger's hand as Ma
prepares to take the 2 older boys in to School.

As they were walking through the gate entrance.Rick grabs onto the gate
like a cat and shouts,"I'M NOT GOING IN THERE".

Bem looks at Rick and thinks,"What is this place we're are going in to?".
"Is this some kind of prison?."
A Teacher comes over and helps to coax Rick of the gate after a few
minutes.She is so nice and friendly ,Bem is thinking of jumping onto the gate himself
for a bit of attention.
Miss Smith was the Teacher and we went into her class in room 3.
We both settled in fairly quickly and after a few weeks ,Rick was moved to a class his
own age.(Unknown to Bem ,Rick had been to School the year before but had
thrown a wobbler so they held him back for a year).

THE EARLY YEARS( HAPPY IN YOUR NAPPY)......1962

 

"Boys,yous have a new Baby brother",says Gerard to his 3 sons,Rick the eldest(5 years old)Bem number 2,(4 years old)
and up to then Baby Brother Ger(2 and a half years old)  The boys were playing with their dinky collection of cars on the ground.
Rick and Bem looked up ,Ger was busy rolling around the ground.
"Ah,when is Mammy coming back,i miss her",says Bem.
"He is smelly",says Rick holding his nose and pointing at little Ger.
"Oh-o",says Da,"Who needs their nappy changed?".
Back then nappies were not disposable and were cloth nappies
with large safety pins on the side holding them up.
There were no wipes then either so it was a nightmare to
change a nappy,especially for fathers
back then who were not used to and did not want to get used to it.
It took plenty of practice and if not done right you could have
stuff leaking out.
Lucky for the Da ,just as he was about to attempt to change the smelly nappy,in comes  his sister Lily O Dea,who was visiting that day.
"Oooooh you are a smelly boy",she says to little Ger as she balanced him on her on her lap.
"Okay,great stuff,Lily,I'll go and put the kettle on for a cuppa",says Gerry relieved he got away with that nappy.
Rick and Bem were in knots laughing at little Ger trying to
wriggle off her lap.
"Stay easy,you little lump",she says.
Next day the Ma comes home from hospital with a little bundle
in her arms.
"This is  Rob,your new little Brother",she says to the boys
who were gathered around her looking for attention.
In comes the Aunt lilo who was staying for a few hours
 to help out,"Now ,boys,your Mammy needs a rest,so I want
yous to go and play with your toys",she says.
Rick and Bem walk over to their toys to play,but little Ger held on to
the Ma's legs and would not let go.
"I want din-din",he cried.
"Jaysus ,Kitty ,that child is always hungry for food,
He can certainly fill a nappy",says Lilo to the Ma.
The Ma just looks at her and smiles.
"Right,kitty ,off you go to bed for a rest,I will look after the kids
till Gerard gets home from work",she says.
The Ma goes upstairs and the boys are rolling around the ground
while Lily is getting din-din ready for the boys.
The new Baby is asleep in a Moses basket in the corner when Bem
decides to go over and have a peek in at the Baby.
He holds on to the side of the basket and is on his tippy-toes
barely peeking in when a roar comes from behind him,
"What are you doing?",roars Lilo.
Poor Bem, he wished he was wearing a nappy, as he got such
a fright he shit in his jocks.
In walks Lily sniffing the air  and says,"Little Ger is that you again being smelly?".
Ger starts crying and mumbles,"It's Bem-Bem,he is smelly".
Lily says"I don't believe it ,one is bad enough,aah,right up to the bath for you, Bem, 'till i hose you down..

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