Each week, my gran would take me into town.
It could be dull
from shop to shop we’d roam,
her chatter full of grown-up things
I couldn’t quite make sense of yet.
But then
the highlight of the day:
the newsagent’s.
She’d buy me a lucky bag,
lucky indeed!
Sweets, a mystery toy
(once a glove puppet, I thought it was a ball
just by feeling it),
puzzles and stories printed on the back.
They cost a penny then.
One day, beside the 1p ones,
a 2p bag appeared,
twice the size, twice the wonder!
“Can I have that one?” I asked, eyes wide.
“No,” said Gran, “you’ll have your usual one.”
“But I want that one!” burst out before I knew it.
“You’ll have the usual one, or nothing at all.”
The 2p bag gleamed on the shelf,
magnificent beside the small, plain one.
There seemed only one answer:
I wanted the 2p bag.
Gran took my hand,
led me firmly to the street.
“Then you won’t get anything.”
And suddenly I knew
the mistake I’d made.
“All right! I’ll have the 1p one!”
But it was too late.
“You’ve had your chance. It’s nothing now.”
Tears rolled down my face,
a deep, small shame I still recall.
I can’t remember what came after,
but I never asked Gran
for more than what was offered.
Oct 25, 2025
Oct 25, 2025 at 4:25 AM UTC
Each week, my gran would take me into town.
It could be dull
from shop to shop we’d roam,
her chatter full of grown-up things
I couldn’t quite make sense of yet.
But then
the highlight of the day:
the newsagent’s.
She’d buy me a lucky bag,
lucky indeed!
Sweets, a mystery toy
(once a glove puppet, I thought it was a ball
just by feeling it),
puzzles and stories printed on the back.
They cost a penny then.
One day, beside the 1p ones,
a 2p bag appeared,
twice the size, twice the wonder!
“Can I have that one?” I asked, eyes wide.
“No,” said Gran, “you’ll have your usual one.”
“But I want that one!” burst out before I knew it.
“You’ll have the usual one, or nothing at all.”
The 2p bag gleamed on the shelf,
magnificent beside the small, plain one.
There seemed only one answer:
I wanted the 2p bag.
Gran took my hand,
led me firmly to the street.
“Then you won’t get anything.”
And suddenly I knew
the mistake I’d made.
“All right! I’ll have the 1p one!”
But it was too late.
“You’ve had your chance. It’s nothing now.”
Tears rolled down my face,
a deep, small shame I still recall.
I can’t remember what came after,
but I never asked Gran
for more than what was offered.
The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
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