Victoria Park
I learned to dive there although the water wasn't deep and many times I would scrape my forehead on the concrete bottom but it was all part of the day. I couldn't allow a scrape on my head to spoil the day.
Directly across from the park was a bakery. The smells would waft outside in the summertime because it was hot and the doors were open. My mouth would fill with saliva as I pictured the tarts, pies and cakes and turnovers. Raisin and apricot squares and other delicacies to tempt the palate. But we were poor and to buy a whole tart or even a slice of cake was impossible.
On the days when we were planning on going to the park, mom would give the oldest of us 5 cents to buy some scraps or "cuttings" as Mom insisted we call them but which we never did. At those times we hoped that Betty would be behind the counter that day because Betty was very kind and liked children and was very generous with the scraps.She made sure that some raisins stuck to the pastry and there was jam on the tarts so we liked Betty but then there was the chance that Marg might be working that day and if she was, we would be sure to get slim pickings. Marg had a face like a dried-up prune and she had no time for children. We all were a little afraid of Marg and tended to stay as close to the bakery door as possible while waiting for our purchase. We had often scared each other by saying that if Marg got you away from the door, you'd end up in one of the huge ovens.
We didn't drink much pop in those days because it was expensive and Freshie was cheaper and went a lot further so we would fill pop bottles with the Freshie and fill the baby's bottle with it as well, making sure that the nipple was secure on top.
By unspoken rule no one was permitted to eat until the swimming was over with and we all had had enough. We would seek out a grassy spot and plop ourselves down and partake of our feast. You would hear the oohs and aahs should one of us happen across an extra jammy square or turnover. Then you would hear cries of,"Not fair"! and maybe a few unkind words would be bandied about but for the most part, things went by without incident.
Once the food was gone we headed towards the swings and seesaws and the jungle-jim and secure in our own little world we'd swing like monkeys and try to reach the clouds on the swings. And as the shadows deepened, we'd gather together and start to walk home, tired but happy, wondering what Mom had for supper.
Eileen Power
Copyright 1999
