Oct 15 2014
Rainy Day Blues…
‘Do you know, it’s days like this that remind me of the Da’ having to cycle to work and home again in all weathers. You see, he worked all the way over in Camden Street and didn’t like the idea of spending money on bus fares in case the Ma’ needed the money for something more important. He’d be up at about half six every morning if not earlier because he never like being late for anything, a bit like meself I suppose.
He’d arrive home of a dark winters evening just when the Angelus was ringing out in the church on Fassaugh Avenue. He had a big woolen overcoat on that was tied with a great big belt and of course he always wore his old cap to keep his head warm and dry. From the knees down he’d be soaked and his socks would be ringing from the rain. In through the kitchen he’d wheel his bike and bring it out to his shed for safe keeping. And he always smelled of the rain and cold when he’d come in.
He never took a day off work sick or complained about his station in life. He always wore a pair of Army Gloves, now don’t ask me where he got them from. And in the mornings when it was pitch black outside he’d shout up the stairs to the Ma’ to let her know that he was heading off to work. Sometimes she might get up with him and make sure he had a cup of tea and a bit of toast before heading off. Now his bike didn’t have any fancy gears or anything like that. It was a big old workhorse of a bike that he got on the HP from McHugh himself in Talbot Street.
So there you go…rainy day blues…’