MY PARENTS' FIRST DATE...

What’s Your Surname?

She had to be home by 10pm,

A rule to which she adhered,

To appease her recently widowed mother

Whose admonishment she truly feared.

He wanted to walk her home on the first date,

There was time before 10pm to spare;

Maybe a first kiss on her doorstep?

But only if he, then she, would dare…

He, knowing that she was Marjorie,

Alas had no idea of her surname

But what he didn’t expect was that he

Would soon be expected to partake in a game.

She teased him to guess her family name,

Victor replied: “I beg your pardon?”

She giggled and told him she’d give him one clue:

“It’s something that’s in the garden…”

He took the bait, despite his impatience

And began to make some suggestions:

“Fence? Soil? Lawn? Weed?”

She just laughed with frequent interjections…

He tried “Grass? Flowers? Plant? Dirt?

Shed? Coal-house? Bush? Branch? Is it Tree?”  

The Tree family had such good roots I believe

But in truth he was puzzled what it could be.

She had cleverly worked the clock until ten,

As his guesses became even more ridiculous;

She turned away, he pleaded desperately:

“WHAT’S YOUR NAME?” His expression incredulous…

She sniggered, she blushed, she reddened

With embarrassment, then quiet as a mouse

Stated “It’s HEDGES, Marjorie HEDGES!”

And timidly disappeared into her house…

Pete Ray

January 2017

NO FLASH FACILITIES ON MANY CAMERAS THEN, HENCE THE OUTDOOR IMAGES...

WARTIME DUTIES...

SERGEANT RAY...

OMG... LASTED ONLY A FEW DAYS THOUGH, BECAUSE OTHERS IN UNIFORM WERE SNOGGING IN WARD END PARK & MOM WASN'T IMPRESSED...

OUTDOORS AGAIN...

SOME COLOUR ADDED TO THIS IMAGE...

MY QUIET MOM ALWAYS STAYED ON THE FENCE...

MOM & HER BEST MATE...

This is a true story.

My mom’s humour wasn’t great but on this occasion she scuppered my dad and managed to avoid a kiss and cuddle too, I suppose…