大象传媒

SCENES BY THE RIVER 1940 Mr. A. H. Napier

鈥淚t鈥檚 a Spitfire after an Me 110鈥�, Arthur enthused.

It was August 1940, and we were on summer holidays. Not that we鈥檇 spent much time at school in the year since war had been declared. We鈥檇 come back from being evacuated to find most schools closed. Now the bombing had started and we were treated to dog-fights in the skies above us. Everyone was obsessed with these air battles, and this had given rise to Arthur鈥檚 latest craze. The rest of us dutifully looked up with appropriate oohs and aahs, and then sidled off, leaving fifteen people craning their necks and searching the skies for a figment of Arthur鈥檚 imagination.

The four of us were still enjoying our deception as we passed the gasworks en route to a day spent on the nearby marshes. We crossed the river on our way. Just a collection of planks lay across a temporary structure. Beside it was the girder frame of a much superior bridge.

The war had come in time to prevent its completion. Now it stood in half-built splendour as a monument to peacetime.

鈥淚鈥檓 going to swing over.鈥� Henry Nicholson handed me his packed lunch 鈥� a brown bag wrapped with string.

鈥淪o am I鈥�, Arthur loaded his bag on to Peter Wood, a tall, thin boy with glasses.

Pete and I watched as they took one of the ropes hanging from the skeletal frame of the bridge.

They backed up the bank still holding ropes, then reaching as high up the rope as possible. Each of them swung themselves forward to be carried across the river bare inches below.

鈥淰ery good.鈥�

Henry had fared better than Arthur, who grinned ruefully. 鈥淚鈥檝e got a bootful.鈥�

He walked with us across the field making small squelching noises with his wet boot.

The next river was manmade 鈥� superior to its natural rival. It flowed through locks to join the Thames.

We deposited our shoes and socks beside our lunch boxes. We had with us two hessian potato sacks which had been cut open to make large sheets. These were our dragnets. Two boys operated a drag, each holding two corners of the sacking. They waded into the water until it came knee high then they stood as far apart as possible, putting one edge of the sacking along the river bottom. The top edge was held out of the water. The holders of the drag would move towards the bank, keeping the drag in position, finally bringing the bottom up when reaching the bank. This way we caught sticklebacks, stoney roach and sundry unpleasant looking water insects. Peter had brought with him a tin begged from the butcher鈥檚. It had once contained 14lbs of offal, but now it served as a receptacle in which we could watch our captives swim in a world of small roundness.

The day was warm, the dragging passably interesting. Above us a real aerial battle developed. We watched two planes shot down before the battle moved eastwards, towards Southend-on-Sea.

鈥淭ugger Wilson is coming.鈥�

Peter Wood pointed towards the skeleton bridge. Three cyclists could be seen coming across the park from one bridge to the next.

鈥淗e鈥檚 got All-off and Ray with him.鈥�

鈥淭he three Stooges.鈥� Henry, like the other three of us, would have been at the local grammar school, if it had been open. Tugger Wilson and his friends went to the ordinary elementary school. Despite our intellectual superiority 鈥� we made no issue of it 鈥� they were older and bigger than us. Tug Wilson was 14 and old enough to leave school, the other two were 13. Tugger came up; his big face grinned at us.

鈥淗ello swots; one of the pilots came down in the High Street.鈥�

鈥淓nglish or German?鈥�

Tugger looked surprised. 鈥淕erman of course. He鈥檚 got a broken arm.鈥�

鈥淰ery dangerous, jumping from a plane.鈥�

All-off Scot sneered, 鈥淭hat鈥檚 all you know, four eyes. He was OK until the butcher hit him with a pole for pulling down his blind.

Peter Wood debated insulting All-off in return but thought better of it. All-off was easy to insult. He was often close to being bald. His mother was of an economic turn of mind. When All-off needed a haircut, she would say, 鈥淕et a tuppenny all-off.鈥� The barber merely went over All-off鈥檚 head with clippers, leaving him like a shorn sheep, causing him to be known as All-off.

鈥淲e鈥檙e leaving our bikes here, going over to the factories. I think one is making ammo.鈥�

Henry nodded. He was the unofficial leader of our group. 鈥淥K, don鈥檛 get caught.鈥�

鈥淲e won鈥檛.鈥�

The three climbed the fence that gave some privacy to the group of factories on the Essex side of the river.

The four of us finished our sandwiches and spent some time trying to drop a half penny through the water onto the fish in the tin.

鈥淚 think I鈥檒l try Tugger鈥檚 bike.鈥�

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 do that Arthur.鈥� Peter Wood sounded a trifle worried.

鈥淗e won鈥檛 know.鈥� Arthur picked the bike up and began to ride. His singing was less than melodic. 鈥淭ugger鈥檚 got a bicycle all done up with string, a pair of wonky handle bars and a bell that doesn鈥檛 ring.鈥�

Arthur drove the bike along the top of the bank. He went over the edge onto the down slope to the river. 鈥淭he brake doesn鈥檛 work!鈥� His cry was pure agony. Whatever else he intended to say was lost as bike and rider went into the river. The three watched in disbelief. The bike went several yards into the water before Arthur fell off, to rise soaking wet. Arthur began to wade to the bank.

鈥淒on鈥檛 forget Tugger鈥檚 bike. He might notice if it鈥檚 missing.鈥�

Arthur turned to grab angrily at the almost submerged bike. His progress to the bank was slow, infinitely slower than the speed with which he had gone into the water. The bike and Arthur ran water as they stood together on the bank.

鈥淟ooks like a new kind of submarine.鈥�

鈥淪hut up, it鈥檚 not funny.鈥�

鈥淵ou thought everything was funny a few minutes ago.鈥�

鈥淲hat shall I do? My mother will kill me for going in the water, and Tugger will kill me for getting his bike wet.

鈥淚t only hurts the first time.鈥� Henry kept a straight face. 鈥淲e had better dry both of you. Lay your clothes over the railings.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 wet through.鈥�

鈥淲e don鈥檛 care, you can cover yourself with my towel if you like.鈥�

鈥淭hanks Henry.鈥� Arthur draped his meagre body in the towel 鈥� provided by Henry鈥檚 mother for drying feet. Arthur began to wring out the clothes. 鈥淚 hope they dry.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檝e got three hours before we need to go home for tea.鈥�

Barely half an hour had passed before they were joined by Tugger and his friends.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got 36 bullets and 3 magazines.鈥�

鈥淲here did you get them?鈥�

Ray Lockyer held up a magazine. 鈥淭his holds ten bullets for a 303 Lee Enfield.鈥�

鈥淎ny fool knows that,鈥� sneered Henry. He was quite right; we were all experts on the planes, guns and ships that were dealing death around the world. 鈥淪how us the bullets.鈥�

鈥淣辞.鈥�

鈥淚 bet they are only cartridge cases; no one would leave live bullets lying about,鈥� Henry pursued his logic.

鈥淵ou calling me a liar?鈥� Tugger rose to his full height of 5鈥�8鈥�. Everyone else 鈥� several inches shorter 鈥� avoided the question. Tugger looked around for a challenger, his eyes fell on Arthur. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the matter with you Skinny, you been swimming?鈥�

鈥淚 fell in.鈥�

The thought restored Tugger鈥檚 good humour. 鈥淟ucky you weren鈥檛 swallowed by a stickleback.鈥�

All-off and Ray laughed in appreciation of Tugger鈥檚 great wit. We others gave small sickly smiles. His authority unquestioned, Tugger stood up. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going down to Solly鈥檚 junkyard to read the old comics.

Solly鈥檚 place was well known by most people in the neighbourhood. He had a decrepit cart with an equally decrepit horse. Solly was to be seen and heard most days (though he had now stopped using his hand bell) shouting out 鈥渓umber, any old lumber.鈥� We boys often collected old newspapers and periodicals from our neighbours. A bundle might earn us a penny, or if large enough, two pence. Solly kept the comics separate, offering a reading section in exchange for some free labour moving stuff about in his yard.

鈥淟ook at my bike!鈥�

All-off and Ray obliged. They watched the liquid trickling through a hole left by an absent nut.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 not oil,鈥� Tugger snarled at his henchmen.

All-off touched it, then touched his lips. Spitting dramatically he made a pronouncement: 鈥淲ater.鈥�

Tugger鈥檚 small mind gave up the struggle of thinking. He sat on his bike. 鈥淪ee you later,鈥� he waved to the four of us, waiting for him to leave. The look of bonhomie faded; he got off the bike, his hands touching the large, wet patch on the back of his trousers. 鈥淢y seat鈥檚 wet.鈥�

Ray, the brightest of the three, laughed; 鈥淚 bet Arthur could tell you why.鈥�

Arthur left, his skinny body pounding across the grass, the small towel clutched in one hand.

Understanding dawned on Tugger. 鈥淗e was on my bike.鈥�

鈥淚t was an accident.鈥� Henry offered a very limited apology on behalf of Arthur.

鈥淲ho told him he could ride my bike?鈥� Fury began to mount in Tugger.

鈥淣o one.鈥�

Tugger could see Arthur鈥檚 clothes drying on the grass. He picked them up and threw them in the river.

鈥淚 said, it was an accident; Arthur will get in trouble if he loses his clothes.鈥�

鈥淗e鈥檒l be in trouble when I catch him; how would you like his punch in the mouth?鈥�

Henry kept discreetly silent, watching as we began to retrieve Arthur鈥檚 clothes, now having a second dip in the river.

鈥淕ive us your cap All-off.鈥�

鈥淲丑测?鈥�

鈥淛ust give it!鈥� Tugger snatched it from All-off鈥檚 head to cover the seat. He looked at us one by one. 鈥淚鈥檒l be back after Solly鈥檚. I expect you to raise some money to repay me for the damage to my new bike.鈥�

The murmurs failed to make it clear whether the demand for money, or the opinion that Tugger鈥檚 bike was new, were the cause of them.

鈥淚 wished Arthur hadn鈥檛 taken the bike.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 done now.鈥� Peter Wood shrugged. 鈥淚鈥檝e got 5 pence.鈥�

Between us, including three wet coins in Arthur鈥檚 pocket, we could raise one shilling.

鈥淗e鈥檚 coming back; his sister is with him.鈥�

Jemima was 14, a head taller than 12 year old brother Arthur. She was built like a weightlifter. May be that鈥檚 what Tugger liked about her, though the affection was rather one sided. Her friends were Mary Bennet and Norma Scott. Mary was a thirteen year old. Most of us were in love with her. She had blonde hair, blue eyes and looked like Ginger Rogers.

The youngest was Norma Scott, sister to All-off. She was in our class at school, seemingly having acquired 100% of the brains available for the numerous Scott children.

鈥淲hat happened? Why is Arthur snivelling?鈥�

Henry explained and pointed to the pile of wet clothes.

鈥淢other will send him to bed with no tea. Mind you, he deserves it.鈥� Jemima glared at Arthur; now clad respectably in the towel. 鈥淲e鈥檇 better dry those clothes.鈥�

鈥淗ow?鈥� asked Mary.

We all nodded, anything she said was fine by us.

Norma sighed, 鈥淲e wring them out and put them on a line. It鈥檚 warm and there鈥檚 a wind to dry them. Why don鈥檛 we all look for something to make a line.鈥� Everyone moved to look; the four of us following Mary. 鈥淪plit up!鈥� We obeyed Norma.

Some ten minutes later we produced two lengths of wood for posts and, failing to find rope or string, we made do with some thick rubber tubing to hang the clothes across.

The afternoon passed slowly as we talked and played games. There was another sky fight, though too high for us to see details. We went over to swing on the skeleton bridge. I got a boot full of water for not keeping my legs high enough as I swung across the dirty water. Norma had watched us as each tried to prove he was better than Tarzan.

鈥淗ow much do you have to give Tugger?鈥�

鈥淚 don鈥檛 know, he just wants money; we鈥檝e only got one and three pence between us.鈥�

鈥淗ave you? We girls have got two and three pence between us.鈥�

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to give that to Tugger.鈥�

We weren鈥檛 thinking of giving it to him, were we Jemima?鈥�

Jemima grinned hugely, 鈥淣ot exactly.鈥�

Peter Wood wiped his glasses. 鈥淚t鈥檚 our argument.鈥�

It鈥檚 my brother Arthur鈥檚 fault. Will you trust us girls to organise the meeting with Tugger?鈥�

鈥淥f course; here鈥檚 our money.鈥�

Henry handed our money to Jemima, pleased not to be the subject of Tugger鈥檚 wrath because they had so little.

Jemima took the money. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l do as we say, promise?鈥�

鈥淲e promise.鈥�

It was nearly 5 pm before Tugger, with All-off and Ray, rode up. We had moved our position from the canal to the old river with its skeleton bridge.

鈥淭hought we wouldn鈥檛 find you.鈥�

鈥淣o, we鈥檝e just been playing at swinging across.鈥�

Tugger caught sight of Arthur; his face darkened.

Jemina stepped forward. 鈥淒on鈥檛 you hit him,鈥� she smiled at Tugger. 鈥淗e鈥檒l get a real good hiding when I tell me mum.鈥�

Tugger was her slave, he nodded, his eyes on her face.

鈥沦尘补蝉丑颈苍驳.鈥�

鈥淭hey鈥檝e given me three and six. That鈥檚 all the money they had. I said you wouldn鈥檛 steal their money but you were the sort who would bet them.

Tugger looked bewildered, half turning towards his friends. Ray grinned. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the bet; is Tugger to fight Arthur?鈥�

鈥淭ugger is much too good for Arthur, he鈥檚 the strongest boy at Goodman Road School.鈥�

Tugger nodded, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e right Jemima.鈥�

鈥淚 thought we might make it 鈥� the river crossing.鈥�

鈥淪wing across. Furthest from the bank wins!鈥�

鈥淪omething like that. Three of them against three of you.鈥�

鈥淪ounds reasonable.鈥� Tugger and All-off were fourteen with Ray Lockyer a big thirteen.

鈥淭hey are bigger than us.鈥� Peter tried to make himself look small. 鈥淲e are only twelve and Arthur is positively undersized.鈥�

鈥淗ard luck.鈥� Tugger smiled in admiration of Jemima鈥檚 scheme. No one would be able to accuse him of extorting money; a bet was a bet.

鈥淲here鈥檚 your three and sixpence?鈥�

Tugger鈥檚 smile switched off. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 need it: we鈥檙e going to win.鈥�

鈥淵ou probably will but if I鈥檓 going to be the organiser I want both sides鈥� money. They鈥檝e given theirs, see!鈥� She indicated the open hands of Norma, which held the numerous pennies, ha鈥檖ennies and sixpences. 鈥淚f you haven鈥檛 got the money the bet鈥檚 off.鈥� Norma鈥檚 voice was flat and uncompromising.

Tugger fumble in his pockets. Now and again Solly went down the pub leaving Tugger in charge. Such times allowed Tugger to take a little from the box Solly thought he kept hidden. 鈥淚鈥檝e only got two and ten. How much have you got Ray?鈥� He didn鈥檛 bother to ask All-off who never had any money.

鈥淚鈥檝e got a shilling.鈥�

鈥淟end it to me.鈥�

鈥淵ou only need eight pence to make up to three and six.鈥�

鈥淥K, just eight pence then.鈥� Tugger took the money and passed the three and six over to Jemima.

鈥淭hanks; these seven shillings go to the team that can land the furthest on the bank. I鈥檓 the judge, Norma and Mary are my seconds, agreed?鈥�

鈥淎rthur doesn鈥檛 jump, 鈥� Henry indicated. 鈥淧eter and myself, we three will jump.鈥�

Tugger nodded, 鈥淥K, suckers.鈥�

The stage was set, with three ropes hanging from the skeleton bridge. A good run and a strong swing with knees up were necessary to cover the twenty foot wide river.

鈥淵ou go first.鈥� Jemima indicated Henry鈥檚 team.

We each took a rope to walk up the bank facing down on the filthy water; it was hardly flowing; full of factory waste.

鈥淕辞.鈥�

We ran down the bank, climbing up the ropes as we swung in an arc across the river. Peter got a wet foot from not keeping his legs high enough. We barely made the bank, the best amongst us being Henry with a mere 2 foot clearance.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a pushover,鈥� All-off grinned.

鈥淢ary鈥檚 been bit by a snake!鈥� Norma鈥檚 agonised voice came from beyond a small copse of trees.

Ray caught my eye; he was in love with Mary as I was. We all began to run towards the noise. Panting, we confronted Norma, holding up a staggering Mary.

鈥淲hat happened?鈥�

鈥淪he thinks she was bitten.鈥�

Ray looked anxious. 鈥淲here?鈥�

鈥淥ver there.鈥�

鈥淣o, I mean where on your body?鈥�

鈥淗aven鈥檛 you got any brains, Ray Lockyer?鈥� Norma鈥檚 voice was caustic. All-off tittered; he had six sisters. 鈥淪he鈥檚 been bitten on the bum.鈥�

Tugger Wilson grinned. 鈥淒oes it hurt?鈥�

Mary stared at him. 鈥淥nly when I laugh.鈥� Her large, blue eyes were totally innocent.

鈥淩eally?鈥� Tugger鈥檚 voice was full of disbelief.

Jemima looked across to Arthur standing on the bank. 鈥淚 think we can go back and finish the bet off.鈥�

鈥淩ight, you ready boys?鈥�

鈥淲ill you help me?鈥�

Ray and All-off took an arm each to lead Mary towards the skeleton bridge.

鈥淚鈥檒l help her if you like.鈥�

All-off regarded Henry sourly, 鈥淏uzz off.鈥�

Tugger, All-off and Ray took their ropes, waiting for the signal from across the river. 鈥淕o!鈥� The boys ran to the bank and swung, knees held high. Henry watched in disbelief as all three, still holding their respective ropes, disappeared under the water. His mind seemed to have missed something.

鈥淲hat happened?鈥� Peter looked at Norma standing next to him.

Arthur changed the ordinary ropes for lengths of that thick rubber tube while we were all thinking of Mary鈥檚 bum.鈥� Norma grinned broadly. 鈥淚t would seem that rubber stretches; perhaps you boys should go home before Tugger gets out of that water.鈥�

We ran steadily for about 200 yards until we were back on the road with passers-by. We hugged each other, laughing wildly. 鈥淒id you see Tugger鈥檚 face as the water came up to his chin?鈥�

鈥淎ll-off had his mouth open, screaming as he went under.鈥�

鈥淩ay went straight through that great blob of oil.鈥�

A woman stopped. 鈥淎re you boys alright?鈥�

鈥淵es, thank you, Mrs. Clements, it鈥檚 a wonderful day.鈥�

Arthur came round to see Peter Wood that evening. 鈥淛emima says this is your five pence.鈥�

鈥淲hat about my winnings?鈥�

鈥淏e thankful we got our money back. Without Jemima鈥檚 help we would have lost it and possibly have been punched about.鈥�

鈥淚t is all your fault.鈥�

Arthur grinned. 鈥淛emima gave me sixpence for swopping the ropes.鈥�

Peter could not withhold his grin. 鈥淲hat happened after we left?鈥�

鈥淚t seemed the water wasn鈥檛 too deep; they all got out after a while, unbelievably filthy and smelly. Ray was covered with oil.鈥�

Peter thought of him holding Mary鈥檚 arm. 鈥淕ood!鈥�

鈥淛emima, Mary and Norma all said that we had held the ropes much higher, we were pronounced the winners. The rubber looked like rope, they didn鈥檛 want to recross the river to examine it.鈥�

鈥淓ven so, Tugger will be out to get us.鈥�

鈥淣o, the girls said they would threaten us to keep us from telling.鈥�

鈥淐onsider me threatened. Let鈥檚 go tell the others.鈥�

It was three days later that someone told Peter Wood the alternative version of the event.

鈥淒o you know that big kid, Tugger Wilson?鈥�

鈥淵es,鈥� very cautiously.

鈥淗e and his two mates had a lucky escape.鈥�

鈥淭hey did?鈥� Still cautiously.

鈥淚t seems they were over the Marshes when a German plane machine gunned them.鈥�

鈥淣辞?鈥�

鈥淵es, I just said so. They had to dive in that old river full of muck. I call that brave.鈥�

鈥淚 call it something.鈥�

鈥淭hey picked up all the bullets.鈥�

鈥�36 I suppose.鈥�

鈥淪omeone told you! They鈥檝e been selling them for a shilling each.鈥�

鈥淛ust a wild guess on my part.鈥� Peter smiled grimly.

Peter told me of the conversation that afternoon as we walked home.

鈥淭here鈥檚 Ray over there coming out of the model shop.鈥�

鈥淲hat have you bought Ray?鈥�

鈥淗ello,鈥� he eyed us furtively. 鈥淛ust a model. It鈥檚 a Stuka Bomber.鈥�

鈥淩eally! Pity they didn鈥檛 drop a few bombs by the river. You could have sold those as well.鈥�

鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 our idea.鈥�

鈥淣orma鈥檚 I suppose.鈥�

鈥淲ell yes. She said she didn鈥檛 want All-off getting a bashing from one of his stepfathers.鈥�

鈥淵ou invented the attack and sold the bullets from the factory for thirty six bob.鈥�

鈥淲e didn鈥檛 get all the money and don鈥檛 forget you won money from us. I lost eight pence.鈥�

鈥淗ow much did you win?鈥�

鈥淔our bob. The girls had the idea of the plane and selling the bullets , so they took half. Of the eighteen bob left, Tugger got ten bob because he鈥檇 lost money. All-off and me got four bob each.鈥�

鈥淎ll鈥檚 well that ends well then.鈥�

鈥淵eah. We鈥檙e taking the girls to the flicks tonight.鈥�

鈥淟ucky stiffs. Who鈥檚 paying?鈥�

鈥淲e are, buying them chocolates as well.鈥�

Peter and I left him, feeling we boys had all been manipulated from the word go.

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