Picture this – primary school mid 1950s when OD is aged about eight. Summoned to see headmaster and arrive at office to see boy who lives across the road and his mother sitting there with HM.
HM: ‘You are here because you hit Dennis M*&^s and I’m going to cane you as punishment’.
Me: ‘Not me Sir, I never hit him or anybody else’.
HM: ‘Mrs M*&^s and Dennis say you did and that’s good enough for me, so you will be caned’.
Me: ‘No Sir, I didn’t hit him and I’m not going to be caned for something I didn’t do’. At this point I flee the office and rush back to my class in tears and recount story to class teacher, who in turn sets off in t’other direction. That lunchtime, I also tell mother, who also sets off to school. Big bust up occurs and nomore said.
The short bit of this boring story is that Dennis M*&^s told his mother he had been hit by the boy across the road – which was true – but his mother took that to mean me. Even when I went to HM, Dennis didn’t say: ‘No Mum, not him the boy who hit me lives next door to OD’.
The little SHOneT would have let me get a caning and in the 50 odd years since, I’ve sometimes wondered about this. However, with computerised electoral rolls etc, I might look Dennis up and go to where he lives and give him the bl£$dy good kicking I was accused off in 1954!!
OD – in vindictive and vengeful mood!
Last edited by Old-Duffer; 31st Dec 2012 at 05:49.