The Long Path To Appledore

The Making Of An Eccentric?

One day
(when I was at a very tender age)
and struggling
to make some sense
of the undulating language
flying above my head,
I decided to try out
a few investigational expressions
of my own.
I needed to make my mark:
draw a line in the sand,
so to speak.

I waited for a lull
in the steely din
that continually clanged
from the pots and pans
in our steamy kitchen.

I made my entrance
and Mother turned towards me,
her arms now motionless
and her reddened elbows
quivered and waited for the off,
just above the soapsuds.
I smiled,
and determined to show off
my verbal skills,
began my tirade...

They were not
well-received words.
I was not allowed to continue
with my experiment.
My father hurriedly interjected
and promised
he would give me a thick ear...
in a minute.

I had no memory of him
giving me anything, before.
I was totally flabbergasted
when he said he'd give me something -
and so speedily too.
I so wanted him
to give me something.

I then pictured myself
with one thick ear...
and decided that it would look
quite daft.
I told him that I thought
it would look daft,
but he took no notice
and he up and gave me one anyway.

But, it wasn't within the minute. No!
He said he'd give me one...
in a minute.

It took much longer
than a minute.
By the time my thick ear arrived...
a good twenty minutes
or so had passed?

Eccentrically.
Colin.