First day back at school

 

As I wake up with the alarm fiercely forcing me from sleep jangly and tuneful, And I get my son ready for school. He mostly does it himself, but I make him a sandwich to be sure he’s eating something nutritious and because of his type one diabetes I like to support him even though he is old enough to do it all himself

I watch him tie his shoes for the first time because until now he’s chosen Velcro or slip one.

And then my very heart walks down the street on legs longer than I have ever had or ever will have.

Walking in the rain towards the bus stop, which thankfully is just two minutes away given how fine we are cutting it this morning. But I knew this morning would be bad.

And I find myself contrasting it with my own mornings getting ready for school as a child.

At the age of seven, I’d get up and leave the house for 715, Walk the mile to the station and catch the 747 train. It doesn’t take half an hour for me to walk a mile these days, but at seven I had much shorter legs.

Then, when they train reached the town I’d walked another mile to arrive at school at 8:30. On the way I passed the shops that were just opening. At the bakers, I’d stop and buy myself a jam doughnut for breakfast. 10p every morning, 10 1/2 p with inflation. And sometimes on good days, 8 1/2p. There was a sweet stall on market days where I’d buy honeycomb. The stallholder used to call me strawberry. There were things I needed for School like pens and pencils. And these I would steal from the shops so that I’d have them for art class or English and not be in trouble with the teachers. I’d stand alone in the playground at 8:30 eating walnuts from the tree which I’d crack open with my teeth.

I was always desperate for a wee, but there was nowhere to go. I once tried to go into the school to use the toilet. But I was met by a teacher Who angrily threw me out.

The journey home could’ve been easier because I had a bus fare which was nearer than station. But more often than not my sister stole this from me so I had to walk back to the station again. Each way between school and the station I’d cross the dual carriageway which was full of fast cars, especially at 8:15 in the morning. But I found the subway too scary. I was seven after all.