大象传媒

At the outbreak of war I was 5 years old with 4 month old twin sisters.
I remember the first orange was given to me at a childrens party given by the local Fire Station, and I took it home to share.
I remember the first banana when I had to go to the home of a local tradesman, after it was dark and not to tell anyone.
My mother received milk allowance for us all, and when she could spare a little milk I would go to the elderly people living opposite and give them some of our milk. This also was done at night and not to tell anyone. They had two alsation days that had been trained by the R.A.F as guard dogs. Now they were never let off huge chain leads and would bark and growl threateningly. They were never to be pets again only guard dogs.
For Sunday lunch my only memories are of ox heart, which would stick to the roof of your mouth as thick fat. Or a chicken or rabbit that was a pet and that I had looked after for months before.
I remember carrying to school B U's (Bread units) and going into a bakery to buy mouth-watering bread rolls which I would put into my blazer pocket, breaking off small pieces to eat as I made my way to school.
I remember the sweet coupons and the excitement of sweets on a Sunday. One mars bar to be divided between us all and a bag of pear drops to suck for as long as possible.
I remember the nightmare of the Welfare food office where my mother sent me for bottles of concentrated orange juice and cod liver oil. By now I had a little brother and we all had the initial "B" - Barbara, Brenda, Beryl, Brian. The official would start shouting at me before I reached her desk; and as a ten year old I knew little of the confusion caused by our all having the same initial.
I remember clothing coupons because we had the coupons but little money to buy clothes. Instead I had piano lessons once a week and for payment I gave coupons to my music teacher. She was always nicely dressed and I never learnt to play the piano!

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