My Dad

All the shops in Grays had something military in the window, e.g. toy soldiers. We knew someone who worked at Woolworth’s; they had put pictures of the military in the window. My dad was in the Navy and my dad was in a photo right in the middle. I stood there looking at it, and this old man and women said “That’s a handsome sailor there!” I nearly said that it was my dad but didn’t (I was only 8 years old).
Mum worked at Thames Board Mills, so I stayed at my nans’ house most days. I was playing down the alley when mother came rushing up “Quick!” she said “Hurry up your father’s home!” and wiped my face with spit on a hanky. We rushed up the High Street and got to the railway crossing and saw dad walking towards us. I ran up to him and he grabbed me and threw me straight up high in the air.

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