Day Dreaming

I remember it like it was yesterday – It was at the new house, a council owned pre-fab built after the war and probably past it’s sell by date but it was a big three bedroom house, with a garden and it was ours. It had cold concrete floors, and big chunky radiators that didn’t work. Big windows in the living room, almost the hight of the room, they were draughty. There was were double doors between the living room and the dining room, it was huge compared to the house we used to live in and while probably not as grand as our Grandparents house, were we had been living for a short time, it was ours. Mums, Stavros and I. Our House.

We spent hours there until it was time to move in, I was the youngest and just like now I got bored rather easily. I was allowed toys to keep me occupied while Mum and our Grandparents decorated or laid carpet….as long as I didn’t get in the way.

I had a fire engine, it was a playmobil one. I loved it. It was red, had the little fireman with it and a fire hose coming from the side of it. It was brilliant. More Brilliant that the the fire station was close to Nan & Grandad’s house and every now and then we’d see the fire engine race past, it was great. We went on a trip to the fire station with playschool, we got to see the station, sit in the engines and use the fire hoses, I tried to get mum with the water – sorry mum!

Back to the house, Stavros must have been bored too – because he decided he wanted to play with me and the fire engine. Only Stavros had picked up some wire cutters Grandad was using and swiftly began to cut the hose off the fire engine.

The hose was in two pieces, Stavros thought it was funny – Mum didn’t – I was distraught.

I don’t think I’ve ever really gotten over that.