Oxo ...

We set alight the rubbish bins in Mr Oxborough's class Richard said -

Oxo taught us chemistry -

He only taught the front two rows -  

I sat on the back row, with the bigger boys - 

I'd squash flies against the window with my ruler - 

The chemistry lab was long and narrow - 

He'd give us tests every week - come on boys, he'd say - swap your papers - he'd ask for our marks - 

We'd make them up - I only got six this week, sir - 

We never learnt anything - 

When he saw the bins on fire, he said - boys, boys, you're challenging my regime - 

*

Richard and I remembered classes we'd never mastered - 

It's the sense of powerlessness Richard said - I still have dreams about those classes - 

Poor Oxo, I thought - 

I imagined him sitting there, in front of the careless boys, longing for the bell to ring, afraid of tomorrow - 

13.00

Saturday 7 May 2016

Swyre Head 

Dorset