大象传媒

The war didnt affect me very much as I lived on a farm .
However i do recall one incident that went on for well over a week. Granny and I would wait until it was dark and then pick our way down the old farm track to Lunan Bay. We werent allowed torches and had to pick our way by moonlight towards the beach.
I was made to sit still in the shadow of a dune while she made of towards a pillbox on the beach It was scary. I would listen to the waves and rattle of the fence and then muffled voices . About 10 mins later Granny appeared with two sacks . Dirty sandy looking things they were. "Whats that?" I would ask .I was met with a stony look as she said angrily "No concern of yours!" Lets get hame"!
It was all very hush, hush .She would put the sacks in the outside coal cellar . Thats all I knew.
One morning I woke to the most foil smell and the clatter of metal. GRanny was bent over the fire,red faced and harassed. She looked every inch a witch as she stirred the big black pot and then poured it into buckets. "Get outside ! she ordered. " If anybody comes this way,just let me know" .No one appeared and after about 2 hours i was allowed inside the house . Every thing had dissappeared except the foul smell. Granny sat in her chair,hair straggly and greasy and a self satisfied look on her face.
Over the next few weeks a steady stream of folk called at our house. Corn flakes ,canned fruit, large cans of corn beef ,and a host of other goods appeared in our cupboard . I was sworn to secrecy.
One day two large parcels of wool sat on our bed . Granny was an avid knitter and i was soon the owner of a whole range of clothes . Vest ,pants ,skirt ,jumper and socks.They were all in white , except the jumper it had squares of navy blue to break up the white. it looked lovely and i couldnt wait to get to school to show them off.
I will never forget it . I scratched and itched all day ,My arms and legs bled and the teacher had the nerve to inspect me and ask if I had scabies. "You are very clean in your new clothes .Must be something you ate ", she mused .
Granny was none perturbed ,when I told her. "Its mabe that wool .Its wind and water tight, so youll be right cosy". "Its every day you get wool of that quality "Its used for seamens socks,she chuckled."Lovely white,wheeling wool."
It was years later before I found out what we had been carrying from the shore . It was dripping that had been washed up in the bay . Granny would melt it down ,let it set ,then cut the sandy bit off. She must have had about six buckets full. She had then bartered it for all the goodies at the back of our cupboard.
The wool wasnt quite so bad when it had been washed a few times . I was glad when i outgrew my rig out . It seemed as if years later that wheeling wool was around in tge shape of kettle holders,scarfs , gloves and finally as floor clothes.
However the smell of the rendered fat stays with me till this day .

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