I walked Auntie's dog Dancer
across by the parade grounds
while Auntie did the washing
in the copper
the dog kept near me
as we walked
looking back at me
to make sure I hadn't got behind
we saw Auntie's friend Milly
with her 5 year old daughter Elsie
Dancer stopped and wagged its tail
and licked Milly's hand
and Elsie glared at me
hello Benny
Milly said
hello
I said
say hello to Benny Elsie
Milly said
Elsie stared at her mother
then at me
hello to Benny Elsie
she said stiffly
no you bad girl
say it properly
or I'll slap your backside
Milly said
hello Benny
Elsie said grumpily
hello Elsie
I said politely
as Auntie said I should
what's your auntie doing?
Milly said
she's doing the washing
I said
o I see
well do you want
to come to our place
and have a glass of milk
and a biscuit?
she said
Dancer too?
I said
yes Dancer too
she said
Elsie pulled a face
and we walked back
to Milly's place
the other side
of the parade ground
and we went up
some black metal stairs
and into her flat
Milly went off
to the kitchen
with Dancer following
to get him
a bowl of water
and us some
milk and biscuits
how are you?
I said to Elsie
she stared at me
like I was a bad smell
then said
hope you
don't stay long
I want to play
with my dolls
and don't want you
playing with them
boys don't play with dolls
I looked at her
trying to see
if there was a little bit
of a smile
but there wasn't
just her small lips
shut tight
and her eyes
looking at me
just come for milk
and biscuits
I said
Elsie put her hands
behind her back
and walked off
and sat on
a battered looking sofa
Milly brought us
milk and biscuits
and said to me
sit on the sofa
next to Elsie
and I'll go get
my cup of tea
off she went
and I sat next to Elsie
and she moved
along a bit
from me
and sipped her milk
and clutched her biscuits
in case Dancer came
and ate them
(which he would)
Milly came back
and sat down
in an old chair opposite
near the fireplace
with her cup of tea
well aren't
you two a pair
just like brother
and sister
Milly said smiling
don't want him
as a brother
Elsie said glumly
that's not nice Elsie
what's got into you
Milly said
Dancer came in
and sat opposite me
and wagged his tail
and looked at me
for a biscuit
I broke off a bit
and gave him some
and he took it gently
and it was gone
in the blink of an eye
then looked at Elsie
his head to one side
gazing at her
she broke off a bit
and gave it to me
to give to Dancer
and he took it gently
and then walked off
and sat down
by the fireplace
good dog
Elsie said
Milly talked
about her and Auntie
and about her husband
in Germany
and my uncle
in Korea
I sat a bit nearer
to Elsie as Milly talked
and Elsie looked at me
dark eyed and moody.
Feb 28, 2016
Feb 28, 2016 at 2:37 AM UTC
I walked Auntie's dog Dancer
across by the parade grounds
while Auntie did the washing
in the copper
the dog kept near me
as we walked
looking back at me
to make sure I hadn't got behind
we saw Auntie's friend Milly
with her 5 year old daughter Elsie
Dancer stopped and wagged its tail
and licked Milly's hand
and Elsie glared at me
hello Benny
Milly said
hello
I said
say hello to Benny Elsie
Milly said
Elsie stared at her mother
then at me
hello to Benny Elsie
she said stiffly
no you bad girl
say it properly
or I'll slap your backside
Milly said
hello Benny
Elsie said grumpily
hello Elsie
I said politely
as Auntie said I should
what's your auntie doing?
Milly said
she's doing the washing
I said
o I see
well do you want
to come to our place
and have a glass of milk
and a biscuit?
she said
Dancer too?
I said
yes Dancer too
she said
Elsie pulled a face
and we walked back
to Milly's place
the other side
of the parade ground
and we went up
some black metal stairs
and into her flat
Milly went off
to the kitchen
with Dancer following
to get him
a bowl of water
and us some
milk and biscuits
how are you?
I said to Elsie
she stared at me
like I was a bad smell
then said
hope you
don't stay long
I want to play
with my dolls
and don't want you
playing with them
boys don't play with dolls
I looked at her
trying to see
if there was a little bit
of a smile
but there wasn't
just her small lips
shut tight
and her eyes
looking at me
just come for milk
and biscuits
I said
Elsie put her hands
behind her back
and walked off
and sat on
a battered looking sofa
Milly brought us
milk and biscuits
and said to me
sit on the sofa
next to Elsie
and I'll go get
my cup of tea
off she went
and I sat next to Elsie
and she moved
along a bit
from me
and sipped her milk
and clutched her biscuits
in case Dancer came
and ate them
(which he would)
Milly came back
and sat down
in an old chair opposite
near the fireplace
with her cup of tea
well aren't
you two a pair
just like brother
and sister
Milly said smiling
don't want him
as a brother
Elsie said glumly
that's not nice Elsie
what's got into you
Milly said
Dancer came in
and sat opposite me
and wagged his tail
and looked at me
for a biscuit
I broke off a bit
and gave him some
and he took it gently
and it was gone
in the blink of an eye
then looked at Elsie
his head to one side
gazing at her
she broke off a bit
and gave it to me
to give to Dancer
and he took it gently
and then walked off
and sat down
by the fireplace
good dog
Elsie said
Milly talked
about her and Auntie
and about her husband
in Germany
and my uncle
in Korea
I sat a bit nearer
to Elsie as Milly talked
and Elsie looked at me
dark eyed and moody.
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