A Pinch and a Punch for the First of The Month! ( All together now, "White Rabbit, White Rabbit, White Rabbit!")
Is there anyone who still keeps these old childhood sayings?
When we were kids, the first of the month was routinely celebrated this way, a liberal pinch on the upper arm, swiftly followed by a solid punch on the opposite arm, and then an equally rapid "disclaimer" of "and NO returns!", shouted by your assailant as he hared off to attack some other poor unsuspecting urchin at the far end of the playground. Immunity from attack was claimed by crossing the large fingers of both hands over the forefinger next to it and shouting "I've got skinchers!" If the punching became a bit too enthusiastic, and was returned, then the cry of "Hook!" "Hook!" went up and a circle quickly formed around the struggling pair of blue blazered and grey shorts wearing combatants.
I was thumped a few times in this manner, but being used to this kind of rough play with my brothers, didn't take too much notice and rarely retaliated. One fine morning though, a particularly vigorous attack got to me and I turned "inside" his next swing and thumped him mightily on the end of his nose, producing a most satisfactory spray of blood . Immediately the cry of "Hook!" went up and we pair were surrounded by a cheering ring of our school mates all keen on seeing just how long we would provide them with this free entertainment. Heroically sniffing the dripping blood back up his nose, this lad then went for me and landed a good right on my left cheek, and knocked my specs flying into the crowd. The impact jarred me and the sudden loss of vision made me hesitate. My opponent seized the initiative and pressed forward, fists flying, all caution thrown to the winds. An odd calmness came over me, and probably for the first time ever, I controlled my temper, allowing this lad enough room to charge past me when I simply picked my target and landed a hefty thump onto his right ear,which sent him sprawling in to the open arms of our Form Master. A sudden deathly hush fell over the crowd and it began to melt away like ice cream in Summer. "You two! Head's office! Now!" The three commands rapped out like a sudden hailstorm on a tin roof, and we pair shuffled off to join the small bunch of other miscreants already "Tapping the boards" ( waiting for the Head Master's Punishment). The odd feeling of detachment was still gripping me, and knowing that our Head Master was a stickler for a smart turn out, I sauntered along to the washroom and scrubbed as much of the dirt off my flushed face as could be seen and replaced my specs. which had been caught by a friend and were miraculously undamaged, and casually sauntered back in time to face the music.
Time, nearly 60 years, has more or less obscured the rest of the day's happenings but I do recall the parting words of the Head....." Don't you ever let down your proud family names again, boys! "
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What happened to the young man you had the fight with. I had a fight in High School. My adversary and I became friends after the fight. When we see each other at class reunions we still have that friendship. Maybe its because neither of us won.
ReplyDeleteAt the time in England ('54) there was not the culture of class reunions, so I never heard of the young lad again. Nor have I ever heard of any of my classmates again. What has to be remembered of course, is that as a Roman Catholic attending a non-Catholic school, my friendships had to cease at the school gates. In those days in England, children were "streamed" at 11+ and both my brothers were clever enough to qualify for the RC Grammar school,whereas I, the "Thickie" of the family, had to be content with a secondary "Technical" education which ended at age 15. That actually suited my practical nature and has stood me in good stead throughout my life. My parents and grandparents, being Irish Catholics, were less than impressed at my meagre achievements and squashed any slight pride that I may have felt with the sentence " Oh! So that's what the Protestants are teaching you now!"
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