大象传媒

When I was born in 1943, my father had been posted to North Africa, and it was over 2 years before he returned home via Italy. My mother kept me aware of his presence in the family by frequently showing me a photo of 'my daddy', dressed in his Royal Engineers uniform, and wearing his side cap.

One evening we'd been to the shops on the bus, but she was struggling in the blackout to manage me (probably tired and fractious!) and the shopping. An airman in uniform offered to carry me, and my mother was impressed at how readily I took to him, chatting away in my baby talk.

He put me down at our gate, and we went indoors. As she unpacked the shopping, my mother noticed that I'd gone very quiet and thoughtful... and after a few minutes I said "Where's my daddy gone?"

She realised that in a black and white photo, a khaki Royal Engineers side cap looks very much like a blue RAF one. No wonder I'd been so chatty -- this was obviously 'my daddy' back home at last.

When he eventually arrived home, I was so jealous of his affection for my mum that I bit him on the bum!

GRAEME ALDOUS

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