The Happy Days

A Memory of Lumphinnans.

To Mary Muir, I remember you very well. Those were the days. I started school then in February aged 4 and a half years old. I remember all my teachers. I wonder if these names ring a bell, Miss Todd, Miss Taylor, Miss Cuthbert, Mrs Watson, Mrs McCauly, she used to wet her breeks, and Miss Venters. Mckennas chip shop was where we got a poke of chips for some newspapers. I was too small to see over the counter, but these chips were awfly good. Do you remember the slacky hill and Chaws shop where if you asked for an apple she would spit on it to give it a shine? The smell of fire lighters in her shop, it was stinking. I even remember some of the neighbours down Mungall Street. Nowadays you're no safe to leave your door open and then your neighbour was your neighbour. Do you remember chappin some bricks to get money for the pictures, half crown a hundred. The police on the beat, if you did any wrong you got a skelp on the lug. The snow was good fun, no gloves just an old pair of socks. I often wondered how they got the claes dried. The tin bath ben the room for a bath. Halloween and Guy Fawkes was special, collecting for the bonfire. Our side in Mungall Street were in competition with Bert Sutherland's side to see who could have the biggest bonfire. These were magic times. Nice to hear from you Mary, perhaps we can share some more memories.