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I was sneaking ‘om early from school,
Making sure nobody had seen me.
Oppened gate and looked up,
There was mi’ fatha, doing summat to chimney.
An old knotted rope round his waist,
Reached all way down to the floor,
And hanging on for grim death,
Worris mate, the bloke from next door.
“Wot tha’ doing, fatha?” I shouted,
He said,"Tha’ll find out in a bit!
But don’t go telling thee mother,
‘Cos she’ll have a dicky fit!!”
I went in house—it was theer!!!
The bestest thing I’d ever seen!!
A great big wooden cabinet, wi’ knobs on,
And a massive big 10 inch screen!!
He weren’t a genius, mi fatha
But give credit where its due.
He'd made an aerial wi’ some pipe’
And stuck it to chimney wi’ horse’s hoof glue.
DAD!! DAD!! Thas gorrus a telly.
I was jumping up and down with glee.
“Aye. And don’t thee go touching it!
I’ll sort it out when I cum ‘om for me tea!”
He was on afters regular, mi fatha,
In factory where they made jam.
But he always found time to sneak ‘om,
And have his snap wi’ me and mi mam.
I couldn’t wait- I gobbled mi dinner’
And mi puddin’—jam roly-poly with custard.
Then in crept mi dad, all furtive,
And look on mi mam’s face – disgusted!
“How are tha gonner pay for it?”
Mi mam screamed at mi dad
“Money dunt cum into it”, he said,
“It's not for me or thee, it's for lad!”
“Don’t whittle, lass, and meckus a sandwich,
It's not like thee to fret.
Lets gerrit warmed up and
See what picture we can get!"
Well, he was twiddling knobs for ages,
Just pictures of snow — like a blizzard.
Then,like magic --- a picture appeared,
Mi fatha!! He worra Wizard!!
He gorrit tuned in perfectly,
First picture – and then sound’
We all sat there mesmerised,
Watching potter’s wheel going round!
Mi mam said "Tha should be gerring back”
“I’m all rate for another minute or two!
Anyway.There’s no gaffers theer’
And there's nowt for me to do!”
This went on for weeks,
And we made a lot of new friends,
Who would come with a shilling for the meter.
But, sadly, that’s not how this tale ends.
I came home from school---- It’d gone!!
Mi mam said “It had to go back”.
“It was ten bob a week – we can’t pay it ,
Now thi fatha’s gone and got sack!!”
“Long gone, but not forgotten”.
Are words that don’t often ring true.
But, to this day, there’s a testament to mi fatha.
Stuck to a chimney with horse’s hoof glue!!
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