Chapter 4

Shelfield, Secondary Modern. September 1957.

Danny’s mum stood proudly looking at her boy in his new school blazer and grey flannel trousers. She had tears in her eyes as she told him to be a good boy and not to get into any trouble. She then kissed him on his head before sending him on his way.

Flash stood waiting by the front gate for Danny. His clothes, though, you could see had been handed down from his older brother, showing signs of wear as the knees were patched and one pocket on his blazer was missing.

Just as they began to make their way to school Danny’s mum called to him, “Do not forget to give the teacher that note about your leg.”

Danny blushed before answering, “Okay Mum I will not forget.”

He hated any mention of his leg, wishing he could just be like all the other kids.

Flash could not help asking, “What did she mean about your leg?”

Danny now felt obliged to tell his friend, “I have a problem with my left leg, you must have noticed that I am not much good at running.”

Flash looked down at his friend’s legs then shook his head as if to say he had never noticed.

Danny, though, felt the need to explain more so added, “It’s because I have a steel plate in my foot that means I cannot wear plimsoles, so no plimsoles no P.E.”

Flash grinned, “Lucky you, I bloody hate P.E. and they say Gordon Hendy the P.E. master is a right Bastard.”

When he realised that his friend was not joking Danny groaned, “Great, that is all I need; some bully as sports teacher.”

They both now could hear the school bell sounding, telling them that they had only a few minutes to get into school. Flash prompted them to get a move on by saying, “Come on or we shall be late.”

As they walked quickly towards school, they noticed that on each side of the drive stood crab apple trees. Flash pointed out that these would be good for scrumping after school.

They entered the playground which to them seemed so large compared to what they had been used to at Junior school, with what looked like hundreds of boys and girls of all ages running around in it. The two boys now stood to one side looking around them appreciably when suddenly three older boys came walking towards them. On seeing these, Flash turned to his friend saying, “I think we have trouble heading our way, son.”

Having reached them, the tallest of the three boys poked Flash in the chest, then turned to his friend, a smaller greasy haired boy, who reminded Danny of a Weasel saying, “This is Mazza’s little brother, but he is not as tough as Mazza I bet. Are you tough, Flash, or are you a weakling?”

Danny was impressed as his friend boldly answered, “If our Ray was standing here, there would be shit coming out of your trouser bottoms, wouldn’t there, Scully?”

The little Weasel looking boy now egged his friend on by saying, “Smash him in the gob Scully, he is nothing but a little twat.”

Danny although feeling a little scared, was in a way pleased to be once more adding so many new words to his vocabulary, twat being the latest.

Just then a whistle sounded, as a teacher walked into the playground after which the whole place descended into silence. The teacher instructed all the new first year pupils to make their way into the main hall.

The three boys looked around, then informed both Danny and Flash that they would be seeing them at dinner time. Quite why he was included in this, puzzled Danny but he was determined if needed to help his friend.

They trooped into the hall which also doubled for the school gymnasium. Girls stood on one side of the room while boys stood on the other. On the stage sat all the teachers while centre stage was taken by the headmaster, a dapper, little man in a yellow waistcoat, called Mr Evans.

Suddenly an ancient piano to the left of the stage began to play as from the ceiling above the stage a long sheet dropped for all to see, with the words to the hymn ‘Jerusalem.’

After the children had finished stumbling through this, the headmaster announced that there would be five first year classes this year - 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d and 1e, informing them that ‘as a master called out your name, you would gather in a line to follow him to your classroom.’

Flash now whispered to Danny, “I shall be in 1 bloody E, what about you?”

Danny just shrugged his shoulders and told his friend, “If we are not in the same class, I will see you in the playground at break time, okay.”

The names for 1a were read out, but their names were not on this list. Next came 1b, this time Danny’s name was called out but not his friend’s, so after reminding Flash he would find him during the break he followed the teacher leaving his somewhat dejected friend behind.

Danny did not know anyone in his new class. On looking around once he had entered the classroom, he could see there was indeed only a couple of seats left.

The teacher, a stern looking man by the name of Mr Allcroft, called out, “Come on sit down boy, anywhere will do.”

Just then a lad named Jim Degville called to Danny, indicating that there was a seat next to him vacant. Danny sat down saying, “Thanks mate.”

Jimmy smiled and whispered, “It’s okay, I did not want one of those wenches sitting next to me.”

One girl named Mary Baker heard this, “As if we would want to, Jimmy Degville.”

At this point the teacher called out, “Silence, you are not in the junior school now, so behave, unless that is you wish to visit the headmaster’s office.”

Suddenly a voice at the back of the class called out, “I wonder if it is warmer in there than in here, I am bloody freezing.”

The whole class now burst out laughing. Mr Allcroft however did not, as his face turned red and spittle flew from his mouth as he spoke. He rushed to the rear of the class then returned clutching a boy by his ear before asking, “So, you wish to be the clown of the class do you boy?”

‘No Sir,’ was the boy’s reply.

Looking the boy up and down the teacher now sarcastically mimicked him, “No sir, he now answers, but still has a grin on his face. What is your name, boy?”

“Stephen Benyon,” the boy answered.

Mr Allcroft now released the boy who stood looking more than a little afraid, after which the teacher then reached across to his desk before picking up a wicked looking thin cane.

“Hold out your hand, boy,” he ordered.

The boy, although shaking, did as he was told. ‘Smack,’ the sound of the cane striking his hand caused the whole class to sit up rigid in their seats with no one making a sound. Stephen rubbing his hand returned to his seat as the teacher ignored him and once more began to call out the names from the registration book.

The rest of the morning went without further incident, until at last the bell sounded for the morning break.

Once out in the playground Danny looked around for his friend Flash. When at last he saw him, he noticed that he was standing over in one secluded corner of the playground surrounded by the same three boys that had pushed them around earlier.

Just as Danny arrived on the scene the tallest boy called Scully, hit Flash in the mouth, blood from a cut lip ran down his chin as his friend slumped to the floor.

Scully looked around before he lifted his foot and was about to kick Flash, when Danny jumped on his back. This caused both boys to fall to the floor. Danny landing on top quickly realised he must take advantage of this opportunity or Scully’s friends would fall on him like a pack of wolves. But now as the red mist descended before his eyes he did not seem to care as he grasped Scully by the hair and proceeded to pound his head on to the ground.

By this time all the kids in the playground had noticed a fight was in progress so a large group of them had gathered around, cheering.

Mr Baskerfield who was the teacher on playground duty that day was a huge man who came striding across the playground pushing boys out of the way like a rugby prop forward in possession of the ball running for a try, in a vain attempt to reach the disturbance.

When finally, he reached the scuffle, he saw Scully had managed to push Danny off and followed this up by punching him in the eye before calling out, “Are you mad, you little bastard, I am going to kill you.”

The teacher grabbed Scully by the shoulder. “No one is going to kill anyone Mister Scully. I might have known that you were involved, picking on someone smaller than yourself as usual.”

His face now a picture of innocence as Scully looked up at Mr Baskerfield, “It’s not true, Sir, he jumped on me.” Turning to his two friends he then added, “Ask Joiner or Bates Sir, they will tell you.”

The teacher looked less than convinced. “I am sure they will Scully, the two of them being your cronies.”

The teacher looked towards Flash who was holding his nose as blood ran down his face before asking, “And who hit you boy?”

Flash did not answer, he just lay on the floor looking daggers towards Scully.

Getting no nearer to an answer, the teacher now turned to face Scully. “I see, so this is yet another boy younger than yourself, who you have picked on, eh Scully.”

Scully rubbed the back of his head before answering, “He is Ray Mazzon’s brother, Sir.”

He said this as if this fact alone justified his treatment of him.

Mr Baskerfield looked down at Flash then turned once more to Scully, “I would bet anything in this world that you would not have touched him, if his brother had been present, would you, boy? I just hope for your sake that he does not catch up with you after your treatment of his younger brother. But then again it may do you some good. Now all of you scatter, back to your classrooms as the bell is about to go.”

In an instant the crowd dispersed leaving just the two friends together.

Flash turned to his friend with a concerned look on his face. “Are you okay, Danny? You scared the shit out of me when you clobbered Scully. He will not forget that so watch out.”

Danny grinned. After making sure his friend was okay, he made his way back towards his classroom. His left eye had by now begun to hurt and was beginning to close as he entered the classroom. Sitting down next to Jim Degville he tried his best to hide this with his hand.

But just then Mr Allcroft looked around the classroom and on noticing Danny shielding his eye he now came towards him asking, “What is wrong with your eye, Steel?”

Danny blushed as all the class looked towards him. “I hurt it during break time, Sir.”

Mr Allcroft now stood directly in front of Danny. “And how did you hurt it, boy?”

Danny stumbled to find the right words before Jimmy sitting next to him blurted out, “He had a fight with Scully, Sir, but it wasn’t his fault.”

The teacher’s face looked surprised at this. “Scully eh! And what made you want to fight with him? He is much bigger than you, boy, so I have to ask myself why indeed you did that?”

Danny looked up towards his teacher as he tried to explain, “Together with two of his friends he was picking on my friend, Sir, so I tried to stop him.”

Mr Allcroft now looked around the class and with more than a touch of sarcasm said, “Well children you must all remember this, that if you find yourselves in trouble just send for Danny Steel here and he will come to your rescue. All four feet ten inches of him, is that not right, Steel?”

Danny who by now was bright red and feeling very embarrassed just sat there looking straight ahead.

Mr Allcroft having finished his bout of sarcasm turned back towards the blackboard announcing that they would open their books and begin reading some poetry by William Wordsworth. Danny was relieved now not to be the centre of attention and just to get on with the lesson. When at long last the bell sounded, indicating that the lesson was finished, all the children stood up and rushed to leave the classroom. Danny, though, was one of the last to leave not wishing to draw any more attention to himself.

As the classroom emptied, a pretty girl whom he had seen around the estate, now came over towards him saying, “I think the teacher was horrible treating you that way, Danny. You were very brave taking on that beast, Scully.” And with that she skipped away leaving Danny with a broad grin on his face.

Once outside he found his friend Flash, after which they made their way home, thankfully not bumping into Scully or any of his friends on the way.

Once home, Danny had to explain his black eye to his Mum which was not easy.

That evening he overheard his Mum and Dad talking. His Mum was saying she could not understand how on earth her little boy came to be fighting on his first day at his new school.

His Dad answered her by saying, “I do not know why, but, mother, he has to stand up for himself, am I not right?”

On hearing him say this Danny smiled to himself, he knew his dad would stick up for him no matter what he had done. He loved him so much, knowing how lucky, compared to some kids he was, to have someone like him.

Later that week the sports lesson finally came around; something Danny had been silently dreading. While standing in the changing room waiting for the sports teacher Danny felt very uneasy, to say the least. All the boys except him had changed into their shorts waiting for the teacher to order them along to either the gym or the field.

Finally Gordon Hendy himself arrived. As Danny looked over towards him, he could see that he was a fairly short man with dark hair, in his middle to late thirties, who he also noticed looked superbly fit and was dressed in a dark blue track suit with a Royal Air Force badge stitched on to the pocket.

On noticing Danny was not in his P.E. kit the teacher called out, “Why are you not changed, boy?”

Danny swallowed hard and after holding out the note from his Mum, he tried to explain, “Please Sir, I am excused from P.E. this term, as I have a steel plate in my foot that stops me from being able to wear plimsoles.” Smiling, he added hopefully, “But I can still wear football boots, Sir.”

Gordon Hendy who did not like any boy to answer him back, looked down at Danny as if he was something you would scrap off the bottom of your shoe. After first crushing the note in his hand, he poked him hard in the chest before answering, “First and foremost, boy it is I who says who is excused from P.E. and who is not. Secondly if you do not do P.E. then you do not get to play football, understood? Your Mother also indicates that this may change next term, why is this?”

With the whole class of boys now looking on, Danny felt so embarrassed, he loathed to have to discuss his medical details in public. So, after taking a deep breath he tried once more to explain, “Because Sir, I am soon to have an operation to have the plate removed.”

The teacher, looking around at his school friends sarcastically answered, “Well, we shall, I am sure, all look forward to the day when you can demonstrate your football skills for us, but until then do not show up for any of my lessons, understood?”

Some boys giggled as Danny nodded his head, “Yes, Sir.”

As he walked out from the changing room one of his friends slapped Danny on the back before saying, “I told you what a bastard Gogga is.”

Autumn now gave way to winter as life both at school and home settled into the same routine. Danny and Flash spent most of their spare time exploring the vast housing estate on which they both lived. Meanwhile the remaining houses being built on the estate by the time spring came were now almost completed. Flash came up with the fact that most of the remaining empty ones were going to be given to overspill.

“What the bloody hell is overspill?” Danny asked his friend.

Flash shook his head at his friend’s apparent lack of knowledge before explaining, “Overspill means loads of Mick’s, you know Irish from Brum, them what had been bombed out during the war and the like. And now our council is giving them new houses. It is a fucking disgrace, that is what our old man says, as they are all thieving bastards.”

Danny looked somewhat perplexed before asking, “I wonder if the kids will go to our school?”

Flash once more frowned at his friend’s question, “Yes, they will, but I shall not speak to them though, how about you?” Flash now asked.

Danny just shook his head. “I don’t know Flash; I have never even met an Irish kid so who knows.”

April now saw the weather turn fine as the trees and bushes all came out in bud, adding, a however small, show of brilliant colour to the drab estate’s surroundings.

One day when walking home from school Flash suddenly asked his friend, “Do you want to come and see Henry Gibson cum an egg cup full, he will be doing it at five o’clock on the railway bank by the Donkey Bridge.”

Danny not knowing what the hell his friend was talking about just nodded. “Yes, I will come.” But although he had said ‘yes’, he in fact had no idea what he was about to witness.

As five o’clock came the two boys walked through the estate then climbed the grassy railway bank, where Danny looked on in total wonder as he saw Henry Gibson lying on his back in the long grass surrounded by about fifteen other boys. Henry had his todger in his hand and was frantically pumping this up and down, while a boy standing directly in front of him held up a book called, ‘Health and Efficiency’, which contained photos of nude women. Henry who was by now getting redder and redder as the sweat ran down his face, urgently called out, “Turn the page.”

Which when turned revealed another nude woman’s photo, after another minute he called out that he was ready. At this sudden command a boy held an egg cup by the end of Henry’s swollen todger.

Danny who had no prior knowledge of this procedure at all, looked on mesmerized, as suddenly a spurt of white liquid shot out of the end of Henry’s dick into the egg cup.

Seemingly now exhausted, Henry lay back on the grass panting, as the boy holding the egg cup proudly announced, “Half full, not bad for a second time, Henry?”

All the boys clapped and began cheering Henry, as if he was some kind of champion, which to them I suppose he was.

As they walked home Flash asked his friend, “What did you think of that, our kid?”

Danny did not know what to say, so he just told the truth, “Flash I feel a bloody fool, because I had never seen anything like that before. I did not even know such a thing like that happened.”

His friend who looked surprised at this smiled before answering, “Well, I am buggered, you are telling me that honestly that you have never seen someone have a wank before. Well, I am buggered, they say you learn something every day and what is more, tomorrow you can learn something else, if that is you have 3d to spare.”

Danny once more looked perplexed. “3d what do I need that for?”

Flash grinned. “Because for 3d each, we can go into the old air raid shelter where Dianne Lock will let us both have a feel of her tits.”

Danny was shocked, but also excited just at the thought of this, but then suddenly thought his friend was only joking, “You’re a bloody liar, Flash.”

Flash’s face once more burst into a grin as he answered his friend, “No honest, she told me today that we could. So, shall we? It would be worth 3d each, she has got a right pair of tits you must have noticed.”

Danny nodded. Thinking to himself, I have so much to learn, I know bloody nothing.

The next night at the arranged time and armed with a 3d bit each the two boys entered the dark interior of the old disused air raid shelter. Inside it was creepy and stank of urine and damp. Looking around the interior at first, they could not see a thing as both stood straining to see from the dim light that shone in from the entrance, if Dianne was indeed there.

Suddenly the darkness was broken as a match flared, then a voice called out from the far end of the shelter, “Come on then, I have not got all night.”

Looking across through the dim light of the shelter’s interior they saw Dianne stood leaning against the far wall with another girl as she lit a cigarette.

The two boys approached somewhat gingerly and Flash asked, “We thought you would be on your own?”

Pausing from her cigarette Dianne said. “You can sod off, if you think I am coming in here on my own with you two buggers. Masie will keep watch, so give her the money then come over here.” She, at this point, lifted her jumper to reveal two plump white tits with nipples like a Tommie’s tin hat, before she told them, “Five minutes, that is all you are getting.”

Danny felt both excited and embarrassed at the same time and was glad it was so dark in there, as taking his lead from his friend, he started touching her breasts.

She, meanwhile, just stood there smoking a cigarette while talking to her friend, as if the two boys were not even there.

Flash now getting excited tried to put his mouth on her nipple, but she pushed him off saying, “3d only gets you a feel, it’s a tanner if you want to suck my nipple.”

He moaned before he went back to feeling her breast, after another minute or so she suddenly pushed both boys off saying, ‘That it, you have had your five minutes.”

Pulling her jumper down she turned to her friend, Masie. ‘Come on Mas, let’s go to the Chip shop. I am bloody starving.”

Both boys now found themselves alone in the dark, dank shelter as Flash asked his friend, “Did you enjoy that, Danny?”

Danny grinned then could not stop laughing as he struggled to answer his friend before eventually saying, “I just cannot believe what we just did, my Mum would bloody kill me if she knew.”

Flash laughed. “She will never know; I have spent 2/- in the past month and my Mum has not found out.”

Danny looked at his friend in amazement on hearing this. Both boys were laughing as they came out of the shelter, when just as luck would have it Flash’s brother, Ray, was passing by, and on seeing them both he called them over and asked, “What have you pair of buggers been doing in there?”

Mazza had his friend Coggy with him who was a tall thin boy with a pimply face, who joked, “I saw two wenches just now come out of there, have you two been doing naughty things with them?”

Ray, on seeing both lads were now embarrassed, dug his friend in the ribs, “Shut the fuck up Coggy, they are only youngsters.” Then turning once more to face the boys he said, “Go on, bugger off home you two before you both get in trouble.”

Both lads grinned and ran off towards home. Danny confided in his friend how he wished that he had a big brother like Mazza. Flash agreed it was good, adding that when the old man hit him, Ray was the only one in the house brave enough to stand up to him.

Danny once more thought how lucky he was to have his life.

Just then as they reached the corner of their road a girl from Danny’s class, the same one who had spoken to him on his first day at school after he had the black eye came walking past them. She turned towards them, and totally ignoring Flash she looked at Danny,

“Hello Danny, how is your eye, okay I hope?”

Danny was lost for words until his friend dug him in the ribs, after which he answered,

“That was ages ago, but it is okay now, thanks.” Not knowing what to say next he just stood smiling at her.

Until she turned and walked away, but then after taking a few steps she stopped, calling back, “See you in school then, bye.”

Danny with a grin called back, “Bye.”

After she had gone his friend announced, “She bloody fancies you, Pam Arnold. You do know that all the boys in school fancy her, but she fancies you, Danny boy.”

Danny looked at his friend. “Is that her name, Pam Arnold, she is nice looking, isn’t she?”

And with that both boys ran home.

That night as Danny lay in his bed, he grinned to himself as he thought of Pam Arnold. After which he wished he had not gone into the shelter with Flash, it somehow did not seem right, but he was tired so thinking no more of this he soon drifted off to sleep.

Later that week his Mum informed Danny that they had to go to see his specialist at Walsall General hospital. Danny hated these hospital visits, being looked at by some stranger who never talked to you, only about you.

When the day to visit the Hospital finally arrived, black clouds blew across a stormy sky as rain fell heavily running down the gutters like small rivers, as he sat with his Mum on the big blue number 16, Walsall Corporation Bus heading into the town centre. Looking out of the window through the rain at the houses and factories that passed by he had a sick feeling as if a large stone was lodged in his stomach.

After leaving the bus they had to walk through the town and up the hill towards the General hospital. Once there, the dreaded sign which read Orthopaedic clinic now came into view. Here they sat in, what seemed to Danny a massive room full of men, women, boys and girls, all with some ailment or deformities.

You sat here for sometimes two hours until your name is finally called out, after which you are told to go into a cubicle behind some curtain. There once more you are told, not asked, to take off all your clothes and to put on some vile green dressing gown and to sit for what seemed another age waiting for the Doctor to arrive.

Suddenly the curtain parted as a tall man with grey hair entered, surrounded by what looked like some geeky student doctors. He looked at Danny’s notes, then without speaking to either him or his Mum proceeded to inform the students what treatment had been done in the past and what measure of success it had.

He then looked directly at Danny asking, “How has it been since I inserted a plate in your foot young man, better I trust?”

Danny who hated this place and these people more than anything else in his short life, looking up at Mr Barton, answered, “Better than what, Sir, I still cannot run any faster, my leg does not hurt any less, so I do not know how to answer you, Sir.”

His mother now red faced tried to apologise, but Mr Barton just held up his hand, saying, “So, I may as well take the plate out then, as we now must choose either to replace it with another permanent one or to give you a removeable support plate that you can wear in your shoe. Which do you want?”

Danny still looking directly up at Mr Barton asked, “If you take the plate out to replace it with the removable one to wear in my shoe, does this mean that after having this operation I would not need to come here again. I take it that is correct, is it not Sir?”

Mr Barton looking over the top of his glasses nodded his head. “Well yes, if that would indeed be your choice, young man.”

Danny knew this was what he had always wanted. “So yes, please sir, take it out.”

Mr Barton turned to his registrar who was standing next to him. “Book this young man down on my list for surgery as soon as you can.” Then without another word, he was gone with his little band of students following on behind him like the lost tribe of Israel.

Once they were alone Danny’s Mum chastised him, “That was very rude of you, Mr Barton is only trying his best for you, son.”

She had tears in her eyes as Danny looked towards her. He would not hurt his Mum for all the world, but now having made this decision he felt free. He explained to her that the doctors had never once said they could cure his condition, so he would now just have to make the best of it, after all it was his leg.

It was just one month later that they sent for him to attend the hospital to remove the plate. This meant that after having the operation he had to stay in hospital for three days. The only good thing about this was that all the children in the ward were given ice cream every day.

On leaving the hospital he was told he could not put his foot to the floor for three weeks, so he made his way to school on a pair of crutches, prompting all his friends to call him ‘Long John Silver’.

When the time finally came for him to try his foot on the floor, he was nervous in case he had made a mistake in having the plate removed. But after a while it did not feel much different, so soon he was back to how he had been, with the bonus of now, once he had taken the plate out of his shoe, he was able to wear plimsoles enabling him to do both P.E. and football. The fact that he was crap at both did not seem to matter, he was now just like all the other kids and to him that was all that mattered.

Now, taking part in the P.E. lessons was a mixed blessing for Danny as some exercises such as climbing the ropes up to the top the ceiling of the Gym, he found easy, being only six stone wringing wet, whereas some fat boys, he noticed, struggled with these. But other exercises, like running, then jumping the Buck he found hard.

Gordon Hendy the P.E. master watching his dismal effort at this one day, decided that he would demonstrate to him and all the class how this should be done.

The exercise, if you are tall and fit should be no problem at all; if you are however not in this category it can be a problem. The teacher instructed Danny plus another boy to stand each side of the Buck, then as he ran at this at full speed and vaulted over the Buck, their job was to grasp each of his arms to assist him in landing safely.

Danny, in a moment of madness, saw a chance of getting revenge on Gordon Hendy, so he decided that at the crucial moment he would fail to grasp his teacher’s arm as he vaulted over. The result of his doing this was that both the teacher and the other boy who was holding on to the teacher’s arm for grim death, fell somewhat spectacularly across the wooden Gym floor. The other boy as he now stood expecting to face Gordon’s wrath, wet himself, while all the class was now staring in fascination at the teacher sprawled on the floor and at the boy’s ever-increasing pool of yellow liquid that was by now spreading on the polished wooden floor.

When Gordon Hendy finally picked himself up from the floor, he looked all around but from the expression on his face it seemed as if he could not quite understand what had just transpired. His eyes like blue flints moved from Danny to the other boy, who was by now crying as well as having wet himself, as between sobs he kept repeating the words, “Sorry Sir.”

Danny stood motionless looking straight ahead, hoping no one would see how much he was shaking with fear as Gordon Hendy slowly moved towards him.

As the teacher attempted to speak it was almost as if the words were sticking in his throat, before at his second attempt, he finally shouted out, “Did you do that on purpose, Steel?”

Danny still looking straight ahead stuttered, “Me Sir, no Sir. You were just so fast that I could not hold on to you. You must be so fit, if you do not mind me saying so, Sir, to be able to jump so high and so incredibly fast.”

The teacher shook his head as if not knowing if his answer was sincere or not, and what, if any course of action, he should take next. Turning his gaze towards the other boy, who at this point looked petrified, he just waved his arm and pointing towards the changing rooms he shouted, “Go, all of you, just go, the lesson is over.”

On the days that it rained if you were due to have a P.E. lesson the gym could not be shared by boys and girls in P.E. kit, so both would have to do country dancing. This involved boys standing to one side of the Gym and the girls stood facing them on the other side, while the girls’ P.E. teacher, a lady by the name of Miss Dresson, took the class.

She would place a dance record on to a gramophone that was almost as old as herself, then as the music began to play, she would call out, “Take your partners.” After which the boys would rush across or not, in some cases, to pick out the better-looking girls to dance with. Those that were left the teacher would then pair up with each other.

Danny found himself at one of these lessons standing next to his friend Richie Merrick who was among one of the tallest of the boys in class, whereas Danny was one of the shortest. After a brief chat both decided to give the class a laugh as well as show off their ability at the Foxtrot, by Danny picking Annie Wilkes the largest girl in class as his dance partner while Ritchie picked Pat Hemming who was by far the smallest girl in the room.

After doing this as they moved around the room, Danny’s nose was placed firmly between Annie’s ample cleavage, meanwhile as Ritchie increased his speed around the room, swinging, poor little Pat’s legs now completely left the floor.

The effect this demonstration had on the rest of the class was to bring the dancing to a complete standstill, as all the kids were laughing so much that they were unable to continue.

Miss Dresson, meanwhile, stood tapping her wooden ruler on the edge of the stage while shouting, “Stop, stop, change partners you two boys, this minute.”

Soon the six weeks’ summer holidays were once more upon them. Danny with his friend, Flash, spent the seemingly endless time each day exploring the area all around Shelfield. The brick yards were a favourite of theirs to visit. They loved to go there in the evenings to see the outside of the kilns as they glowed red hot in the night sky.

The clay pits that were scattered around the villages nearby, were another favourite of theirs.

On some hot days they would join dozens of other kids off the estate, to go swimming in the cut or the canal giving it, its correct name. Canals were numerous as they ran like hundreds of blood vessels throughout the Black Country.

Another boy had now joined them, making it a gang of three, as Danny’s cousin, Tom Aston, had recently come to live on the estate. He was just ten months younger than Danny so would be starting at their school as a first year that coming term.

Two weeks into the school holidays, Flash’s brother Mazza asked the three boys if they would like to come with him rabbiting to the Coppice woods, to which all three did not hesitate in answering, “Yes please.”

So off they went in a gang of four plus Bruce the greyhound. Sadly, for Danny, Judy the bull terrier bitch, could not be allowed to come as Mazza explained she would in the unlikely event of her ever catching one, never let go of a rabbit until there was almost nothing left of it. To Danny being on a mission with Mazza, because that is how he looked upon it, was the greatest thing in the world. He idolized Mazza. Even the smallest compliment that came his way made him feel ten feet tall. After spending several hours sat in the woods waiting in anticipation of seeing Bruce take down a rabbit, the day unfortunately ended without them catching anything, so on their return Danny was sad it was over as he watched Mazza carefully place the two ferrets back in the cage, then put Bruce in his kennel.

The next day Mazza was on the day shift at the colliery where he worked, so around noon all three boys were kicking a football around being bored, while wondering what, if anything, to do, when suddenly Flash suggested, “Why don’t we go rabbiting?”

The other two looked at each other before replying, “But Mazza’s not here, is he?”

Flash eager to take charge of the day’s events answered, “But we can go ourselves and if we catch some rabbits then he will be pleased.”

Danny and Tom still did not look convinced at his suggestion.

Flash, sensing their reluctance, tried to put their doubts aside by saying, “Ray told me that we could, but only to take one ferret.” Then after hesitating, he added, “Honest.”

That was enough for them both to agree to accompany Flash on his mission.

Danny, stroking Judy’s head, said his friend, “It is a pity we cannot take Judy though.”

Flash, knowing how Danny loved the little dog, thought for a moment then told his friend,

“Okay you can bring her, but she must stay on the lead, so you will have to be the one who has to hold her.”

Danny was more than pleased to agree to this. They entered Mazza’s shed where hanging on the walls were Mazza’s personal things like his air rifle and his track cycle. Danny knew they should not be in his private place so after Flash picked out the smaller of Mazza’s two ferrets, a female polecat ferret, named Susie, he was more than happy to leave, as with her in a bag and armed with four nets the three boys, one ferret and two dogs set off through the estate towards the Coppice woods.

On route several local boys asked where they were going. But they did not want them along, so they just told them that they were going for a walk or made some other excuse. They had almost reached the far side of the estate from where a path led towards the woods when an older boy named Len Joiner came towards them. The boys had tangled with him before, so they tried their best to give him a wide berth, but to no avail.

Standing in their way with two of his cronies at his side, he asked, “Where do you think, you lot are going, these are our woods.”

One of his friends wiped his nose on his sleeve and backed his friend up, “Yes, that is right. So, fuck off.’

Tom not to be intimidated answered him, “Shut your gob Slug, how are you going to stop us.”

Slug now whistled and suddenly a large white dog appeared. Standing there, panting, it looked to be a Chow crossed with another large dog and it did indeed look fierce.

A grin now crossed Slug’s face as he patted the dog’s head before then turning towards his friend saying, “Max here will tear you apart if I tell him to. Ain’t that right Len?”

By this time Bruce the greyhound was looking at the big dog while wagging his tail, but Judy the Bull Terrier, had begun to slowly move forward, until Danny was having difficulty holding her back with the lead. The little Bull Terrier’s lips were curled back as she now began to growl softly.

Slug looked down at this little brindle coloured dog then with a grin on his face asked, “What do you think that little mutt is going to do?’”

But his dog did by now not look too sure, as it slowly moved back behind his master’s legs.

That was enough for Judy, as she leapt forward pulling the lead completely out of Danny’s hands. She then grabbed the large dog by the throat before pinning him to the ground. Her tail was by now wagging ten to the dozen, but all that could be heard from the large dog was a soft whine.

Slug looked around him as if this could not be happening, then called out, “Get it off my fucking dog.”

Flash now grinning like a Cheshire cat called out just one word, “Leave.”

And with that Judy immediately let go of the dog and came to stand next to Flash, looking up at him while still wagging her tail.

Slug’s dog now having been released from Judy’s vice like jaws did not wait for any more orders from its owner as it turned then ran away as fast as it could.

Tom could not resist saying, “What where you just saying, Slug?”

Slug and his two friends did not utter one word. But as they stepped back to let the boys pass, their eyes however were firmly on the little brindle bull terrier who still wagging her tail glanced up at them as she walked past.

Once they entered the woods which consisted mainly of Sycamore trees with a few old Ash and English Oak scattered amongst them, Danny turned to his friend. “Bloody hell, Flash, I could not hold Judy then, she was so strong.”

Flash patted the little dog’s head. “She is not afraid of anything. One day it may cost her dear, but not today, eh Jude.”

All three boys felt safe having Judy with them, although the woods were dark and just a little creepy. They now searched all around for rabbit holes, but after over one hour they had not been successful, so reluctantly as they were making their way back, Flash suddenly called out, “Look there is one.”

Looking up at a grassy bank they could see what looked like a solitary rabbit hole that stood in the shade of an old Twisted Hazel bush.

Tom commented that he thought that where rabbits lived it was like a colony with lots of holes not just one.

Flash, though, would not to be overruled. “No, you are wrong Tom, some rabbits live on their own, our kid told me.”

The boys did not argue with this pearl of knowledge, if it had indeed come from Mazza.

Flash, having picked her out of the bag, quickly popped Susie down the hole then placed a net covering the entrance. Turning to his two friends he announced, “Okay, lads we now wait.”

He then pulled out a battered old tin box from his pocket asking, “Anyone want a fag?”

Danny and Tom now stared at their friend as he took out what looked to be a not too clean piece of paper, into which he placed some very dark looking tobacco. Rolling this up he licked one edge before placing it in his mouth and lighting it. The first drag when he inhaled seemed to make him almost have a convulsion. After he had finally regained his breath, he explained, “It is dark shag, unfortunately it was the only bit of baccy that I could get, but it should really be smoked in a pipe.”

Tom bravely tried a puff after which he too almost choked. So much so that Danny declined the offer of a puff saying that he would rather suck a polo mint instead.

After around one hour, Flash ordered them to keep quiet as he placed his head by the hole, listening for any sound of movement. Unfortunately for him there was none to be heard. Another hour passed and by now the woods were beginning to get dark. The wind rustling the leaves, with the fading sunlight making patterns on the woods floor made the place even more spooky and Tom suggested that they should soon make tracks for home, but Flash shook his head insisting they could not leave without Susie.

All three boys called down the hole, but sadly no sign was there of the ferret. Just once for a moment they heard the distant sound of some movement and something did seem to be happening deep underground as Flash’s hopes were raised, but then Judy growled and stood looking straight at the hole which seemed strange. After that there was nothing.

Finally, minus Susie the little band reluctantly made their way home. On reaching his house Flash seemed to be relieved that Mazza had not yet arrived home from work as he put Bruce in his kennel and after saying goodbye to his friends went into the house for his tea.

As Danny and Tom walked home, Tom commented, “I bet he is in the shit, when Mazza comes home.”

Danny seemed puzzled at his comment. “But he said Mazza had told him he could go rabbiting.”

Looking at his cousin Tom shook his head. “I tell you what our kid, if you believe that, you will believe anything, he was lying just to try to impress us.”

Two hours later Tom’s words came true as both boys witnessed Mazza chasing Flash down an ally, while threatening when he caught him, to break his neck.

The next morning a mournful looking Flash came looking for them, to ask them to come across to his house, saying that Mazza would like a word.

Danny and Tom reluctantly went expecting a clip around the ear from Mazza at the very least. But were pleasantly surprised when they found him sitting calmly at the breakfast table drinking a cup of tea while eating a bacon roll. On seeing them he simply called out, “Come on in lads and take a seat.”

Looking at Flash who was standing motionless while looking down at the ground Ray continued, “Can you either of you lads take me to the exact hole that this nutter put my Susie down?”

Both boys nodded then answered in chorus, “Yes Mazza, I am sure we can.”

With that he jumped up from the table and looking at Flash said, “Flash, pick up the spade, and the three of you lead the way.”

On the way to the woods Mazza explained that it was not uncommon that sometimes you must dig a ferret out of a hole. Looking once more at Flash he added, “I hope though for your sake that she is still alive.”

When they came to the spot where they had lost Susie, Tom pointed up to the solitary hole on the grass covered bank. Mazza’s expression, they both noticed, changed. As he stood silently looking at the hole while shaking his head, at the same time they noticed that Flash had by now begun to move slowly backwards away from his brother. Faster than a cobra, Mazza turned, grabbing poor Flash by the scruff of his neck, after which he almost forced the whole of his head down the hole.

Still holding his trembling brother, he asked, “Do tell me, have you ever seen a rabbit hole all on its own and with feathers around its entrance? Have you? I think not.”

Flash shook his head as he bravely ventured to ask, “Why is that, our kid?”

Mazza once more turned in a fury towards Flash. “Because you are a fucking idiot, it was a stoat’s hole that you put my Susie down.”

Danny and Tom suddenly grasped the fact that Susie was no more.

At this point the boys now wished they themselves were somewhere far away. Mazza’s temper, they could see, was increasing, as he picked up the spade and began in some insane way to dig away at the stoat’s hole’s entrance, calling out more obscenities as he did so.

A strong smell now came from Flash’s direction and for a while they thought he had soiled his trousers, but this eventually passed confirming that he had only broken wind.

Danny felt he badly needed to take a leak, but he dared not move, as the sight of Mazza in such a rage rooted him to the spot.

Finally, realising he would be here all day before he reached the stoat’s nest, Mazza gave up. Turning, he threw the spade in Flash’s direction, “Carry that home and keep out of my way, you sporny eyed twat.”

And with that he was gone. All three boys just stood for a while not saying a word, until Tom finally broke the silence. “Has he always had a temper like that Flash? I thought for one moment he was going to hit us all with that fucking spade.”

Flash managed a weak grin as he answered Tom, “He has the same temper as the old man, so I try to keep out of both of their ways when they are in one. Believe me, it’s safer.”

Danny looked at the mess around the stoat’s hole. “A stoat’s hole, how could we have been so daft?”