The Four Seasons Chapter Nine ~ Spring's Exuberance
Like 2021, January and February 2010 were very cold months, with snow covering much of the country from John o’ Groats to Land’s End. Having taken several tumbles on ice, one - especially vicious - with the back of my head being the first to hit the pavement and my brief case spewing out its client files, I was very relieved when Spring arrived. Indeed, my exuberance was not an exaggeration!
Spring’s Exuberance
Easter Day in Blackpool
He is risen!
The clock has jumped an hour
Spring is here.
This great town of the North [i]
casts off her ghostly Winter
status, shop-fronts reopen
and neon vacancies
alight the streets again.
The chill wind
on the Promenade
threatens less
now that day is here.
Wind and Fury
have no hiding place.
How pleasant,
as Sun and horizon
take up their hazy liaison.
To sit, the windows open,
freshening air off the sea,
enjoying sausage and chips
from Seniors of Lytham …[ii]
‘that’s three pound thirty five
with a fanta thrown in for good measure
coz you’re a regular luvee.’
Great. Thanks!
‘Good day at the office luvee?’
Yes, thank you, and what a difference
with Spring’s arrival,
even office politics lessen!
‘You toddling back up the coastal road then?
Yep.
‘Righty-ho … let me put an extra wrapping;
my lad … he says … temporary traffic lights again
his reason, he says, for bein’ late again …
Do me a favour. Let me know.
Mother winks.
Son from across the deep pans
winks too.
He knows I won’t say nowt
Mam knows too …
And what a lovely way
to wrap the day
and open this glorious evening!
Now!
Where did I park you, Beauty?
*
Ten miles later
up the northern coastal road
This daylight again!
Down south, already street-lighted
dusk sets in,
but up here
the Morecombe skyline once more, [iii]
North Shore Pier’s
splendid backdrop,
and soon Mark will
prepare his Victorian Tea Rooms
tide crashing around the stilts below.
And Steve has rallied!
Spring, and soon, Summer,
their encouraging embrace,
and we hope he calls in for tea.
He deserves this.
It will do Mark good too.
They’ve had quite a winter
yet gave me that peace
and warmth of home
in 16 Lord Street
in the Parisian Room.
It is still cold though!
By Easter Monday
crowds skidaddle beneath
upturned hoods and snorkel coats,
huddling Blackpool’s sea defences,
tiny balls in smooth-curved
anti-tidal concrete corners
oblivious to bottoms exposed
‘and it’s now the fashion
to show a crack or more above
your belt ‘
… a peculiar gender-less development
‘Those builders and scaffolders
started all that!
No decency, that’s what I say!’
Granny insists she can be like
Twiggy on the M&S Hoarding Boards.[iv]
But Gran, you’re twice her size!’
‘Oh shut up and mind yer tongue
I’ll have you know I turned
every man’s eye!’
‘Aye, I bet you did’ too!!’
‘Jason! Don't speak to Gran like that!
Here. Take this cash and get us some
Ice creams and your Gran a cup of tea.
Go on. Oppitt!’
‘Ah, thanks luv. I know he doesn’t
mean bad.
He’s a chip off the old block
just like yer Dad, God rest his soul.
It’s a bit nippy
lend us your Scarf luv;
I reckon you’ll be
burying me this year.’
‘Oh Mum don't start that again.
Snap out of it!
Stop feeling sorry for yourself!!
Morning, noon and night
on and on you go,
but you’re stronger than all of us!!!
I swear, the moment I hear
you say that silly blessing
you’ll then be talking about burying!
‘Here Gran. Here’s your tea
and I got it right this time.
I put two sugars in with just
a dash of milk.’
‘Ah you’re a good lad Jason
even though you try my patience.
Yer Grandad woulda been
proud… … …
Gran eyes Mum
and for sheer devilment
… aye God rest ‘is soul!
MUM!
Jase, you just get those
GCSE things
and do us all proud.
You’ll be the first
int family
to go to University.
Make your Grandma proud!’
22 February 2021
All Rights Reserved
© Kenneth Thomas Webb 2022
Footnotes
[i] Blackpool, Lancashire
[ii] Lytham St Annes, Lancashire
[iii] Morecombe Bay
[iv] Marks & Spencer - what joy it was to see Twiggy return from 1971 to a lifetime on, once again bringing delight to millions
Chapter Eight Winter’s Reluctance is here
Chapter Ten will publish next Monday, 1 March 2021
Ken Webb is a writer and proofreader. His website, kennwebb.com, showcases his work as a writer, blogger and podcaster, resting on his successive careers as a police officer, progressing to a junior lawyer in succession and trusts as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives, a retired officer with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and latterly, for three years, the owner and editor of two lifestyle magazines in Liverpool.
He also just handed over a successful two year chairmanship in Gloucestershire with Cheltenham Regency Probus.
Pandemic aside, he spends his time equally between his city, Liverpool, and the county of his birth, Gloucestershire.
In this fast-paced present age, proof-reading is essential. And this skill also occasionally leads to copy-editing writers’ manuscripts for submission to publishers and also student and post graduate dissertations.
