Just another day.
“Come on, let’s go and explore” Sandie shouted. We all stopped what we were doing and followed Sandie, who knew just where we were to explore. It was another warm sunny day and we didn’t want to be indoors on days like this. We turned a corner and started up the road that led to a very large bomb site. I don’t know if it was only one house, or more, that had been totally flattened by a bomb. It was, to us, a massive area with piles of rubble and bits of junk. Lots of kids played here, making little hideouts from sheets of corrugated iron and wood.
We rummaged around looking for anything that took our fancy. There were other kids there today, some boys that we were friendly with had made a hideout. “Come and sit in here” they shouted across. Tina ran over and joined one of the boys in his hideout. They sat and chatted for a while. The rest of us continued to find various bits of treasure, and generally ran around having great fun.
There was nothing of any value to be found, just bits of stone, bits of old rubbish, but we had great fun rummaging. Bomb sites were the 1950’s playgrounds.
Suddenly we heard a loud scream. We all spun around to see Tina, bent down holding her foot and screaming. “What’s the matter?” we cried, as we ran over to her. “Aghhhhh! Something has gone into my foot” Tina said, through her tears and screams.
One of the boys took a look. “It’s a nail” he said and promptly picked her up in his arms. “I’ll carry you home”. He carried her, crying, all the way to our house, with the rest of us trailing along trying to comfort her.
It was a large, rusty nail that had pierced through her shoe and gone into her foot. Dangerous places, these bomb sites. Still, kids were not kept out, or protected from the dangers of these places, in those days. None of the safety regulations of today existed. We all seemed to survive with no lasting damage though.
Just another day in the lives of our family.
Stumble it!
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weechuff | 23 April 2008 at 8:32
Long forgotten memories keep bouncing back each time I read one of your blogs:0)
Liudmila | 23 April 2008 at 9:32
When I was a little girl I loved a book of an american writer about boys that played indeans. There was written how to build a tipi, how to make mocasins and many other intreresting things. I wanted to do it too and it was my preferite game. Mostly dream, to say the truth.
Swubird | 24 April 2008 at 5:25
Beetle:
Interesting story from your past. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to live under the terror of falling bombs. It’s unthinkable.
About twenty-five years ago I worked with a young lady who had just come to the US from Vietnam. She old me a horrific story about running and playing around the dead bodies that were lying all over the ground. Like I said, unthinkable.
Always interesting to read you memorable stories.
have a nice day – No bombs!
Sassy Kat | 24 April 2008 at 16:00
I saw that you visited the other day and wasn’t sure you were auditioning. They I saw today that you were, I need to know which furry is auditioning for CCSI III and if it is a boy or girl and what kind of furry. Will put you on the list when I hear back from you. Sorry I had the mix up.
Babs (Beetle) | 24 April 2008 at 16:47
Yes swubird,
I am fortunate not to have been born until it was all over, but many of my siblings were born either before or during the war. The two eldest were evacuated.
Spider | 27 April 2008 at 22:29
Oh what memories Babs. What was it with me. I had glass in my head, ate poisonous berries and Auntie Minnie made me drink a tumbler of salty water :O) and now the nail!
Thank goodness I had a loving family of siblings around me ah.
Keep these memories coming.
Tina xx