Cant remember what was playing on the great big bush radio record player cabinet in the bedroom .used to be in the front room in the old council house a great big piece of furniture, well made walnut, played 78 45 and 33.
I only used to see that once a week on Sundays lol when the front room was open for tea when aunties and uncles came quite posh for a pit house really, Think could have been the only one on the street…any way I diversify its now in my bedroom in the NEW private estate oh god how posh.
Held a stack of singles with a great metal arm like the disco music machines you had in the coffee shops and the bus station café. oh the bus station , many a meeting there at 12 mid day on a Saturday under the clock (cos dad always shopping and mum at the sewing machine shop) best time to meet a new girl oh god I diversify again more of that later see chapter 22 girls,
So could have been the supremes or temptations or 4 tops what ever ex juke box singles you had at the time , of course the plastic middle cost nearly as much as the record lol but who could afford new ones any way.
Had my falconry licence since 14 years old god knows how they gave me it but if you ever seen the film kes that’s me lol, although he was barnsley and me ponte not far
Always loved birds the feathered kind after 16 turned to anything in a pencil skirt and stockings lol see chapter 18
Doing a dance better than Travolta , he wasn’t even heard of then, in the bedroom and after a quick back flip and spin in front of the mirror i saw through the window ,over the railway lines……the main Sheffield york line was at the bottom of the garden see trains chapter 21, a glimpse in the sun
Flickering feathers just brown cos of the distance ,a bird on the tracks , surly dead.
A quick race downstairs and over the fence, up the banking and there, a male kestrel ,sitting its yellow eyes still full of life staring at me….. my heart stopped ,surely it will fly away . I gingerly approached and it never moved. I bent over and picked it up in my hands not a flinch from those eyes, ill never forget, not a grip from its talons to cut my skin, just a strong heartbeat .I could it feel it through the palms of my hands.
Its colours so pure , a male , if you know about birds most males are the prettiest colours ,females drab not like the human race lol
So pristine this bird of my dreams in my hands .Climbing back over the fence I went back into the house and knelt by the fire holding this precious in my hands…never forget those yellow eyes, normally so evil and hawk like ,staring at me…no visible damage , no blood ,no wounds, but after a few minutes its inner lids closed , opened, closed, getting slower and slower all the time. I felt the beat of that little heart get slower as well .the eyes lost that glint , outer lids closed for the last time, its head sagged……no heart beat.
I don’t remember the record.
Those eyes will stay with me forever.
I cried.