Saffron Walden, my Home Town

I was born in Saffron Walden 57 years ago. I was a Mulcahy and went to St Mary's in Castle Street. It was reading about the paddling pool that prompted me into writing. I remember playing at that pool, oh so many years ago. We had such fun there and we could play so happily with no fear of being taken off or hurt like today. I could roam Saffron Walden and did freely from the age of 7. I seemed to know everyone in my surrounding area of the common and highfields. House doors were not locked, policemen walked the beat and we treated them with respect, to get told off by a copper meant your parents got told and then we got another telling off from Dad and a spanked bottom to go with it, it never did me any harm and I grew up knowing right from wrong. I still have a brother living in Walden. My mum used to work In Pennings the grocery shop in the market square. The phone box in said square was today's mobile phone to the boyfriend, the now husband. I still go 'home' every year and although I now live in Wales I still will always think of Walden as my home.