‘Pocket Culture’ – We take ‘pocketable items’ for granted nowadays – but as a young boy, they were the most valuable of items – they ranged from, a small magnifying glass, with which one could make a wood fire in the forests.  However, living at most times of my youth in grime urban environments, I never got to use it – but it was there – until replaced by something more valuable – like Money!

 

Pocket money never lasted more than 24 hours – what? - by the time I’d bought the ‘Dandy & Beano’ comics….. My elder brother, he also used a portion of his pocket money to buy comics and we reached an agreement.

 

I would buy the Dandy & Beano and he would buy two others – his weren’t called just ‘comics’ – but they were known as ‘comic magazines.’  They were bulkier than mine, the quality of the paper was better and they were in general brighter, they had more colours and featured pages of coloured images and, characters, scenes and so on - although mine had colours too!

 

I suppose – it all may have intimidated me – being a younger brother ‘ain’t easy!!!’

 

Well any way, despite the deal we had, the only option I took – was on his Superman comics – I mean even then…. You can’t blame me can you? - He’s still around you know! –

“Superman’s Superman!!!...”

 

I had a ‘Swiss army camping knife – there were forks, spoons and scissors on it – amazing technology!  There was even a thing, I never found out what it was called – for taking stones out of horse’s hooves! – I didn’t own a horse, but I always felt it would be useful when I became an adult – but none of the adults I knew had horses either, so I never got to see it work.  I still kept it though - in whatever pocket the magnifying glass – wasn’t in…..to stop the glass getting scratched – You see, I could only have soft objects in the pocket in which I kept the magnifying glass…..I often had dead leaves or plants or flowers, following sojourns in the park – which I would take home and examine – with my magnifying glass of course……. Or sometimes my handkerchief would hold stones which I had found – ‘Prospecting’…..these were treasured – especially when found following trips with my mother on buses and trains to other parts of………. London! –  wow! - Yes – can you believe it – ‘Travel was a joy!!!

 

Well, anyway - the stones weren’t stones – not ordinary stones anyway – but ‘Prospectors stones! – Schoolboys often found these ‘Prospectors stones’ – in these comic adventures I read - and in those adventures, every so often they would turn out not to be ordinary stones after all – I imagined that one day - I’d walk into a shop somewhere and then as I pulled out my handkerchief - they would fall out – onto the floor  - and someone would recognize them for what they were ‘Precious stones’ – because that is what they were  - Not ‘Prospectors’ stones!

 

I’d be rich!

New House for Mum,

New car for Dad

Of course.

 

NO MORE SCHOOL!!!

 

I never found that ‘precious stone’ – now don’t laugh – I’m sure most of you have - PLAYED THE LOTTERY AT SOME TIME!!!

 

But my favourite ‘Pocket Technology’ – were ‘Pocket Books!’ – Books – small enough to fit in the pocket of a schoolboy’s short legged trousers. 

 

Some had been gifts from considerate family and relatives, birthday presents, Christmas presents, occasionally as a ’supplement’ – In one of my elder brother’s comics - never mine.

 

Man! –

What you could do with those –

‘Pocket Books!

The knowledge they ‘CONTAINED’

The learning that could be ‘EXTRACTED’

‘WISDOM’ – ‘GENERATED.’

 

I don’t have much time, but you’ll get it from this.

 

Alright – let’s take the Church

Church services, Sunday school services – the forum made no difference – the technique the same as the scenario, was similarly standard.

 

BOREDOM!

It could be a Pastor’s – Sermon

A Sunday School Teacher’s – Lesson

A Choir practice – ‘an’ I didn’t like the tunes!

 

But the technique was the same –

When bored – “duck down for cover” – You might have to shift a little sideways, duck down behind a Church pew, behind a pillar or some other Church object - Sunday School was harder – the terrain was sparse.  When there were adults around, they were always useful for cover especially large ones………

 

A phrase comes to me – now as I write – it seems to ‘fit’ – what I wanna say – but – it’s not what I did…..

 

The phrase is “Duck & Cover” – I don’t know why this phrase is so dominant in my mind now as I write.  “Duck & Cover,”…………..ah….. I believe it has something to do with something I watched - to do with the totally inadequate preparations, the US Government had made in case of nuclear war with Russia or something……….

 

I can still see the clips – black and white footage of schoolboys and girls seeking sanctuary from the effects of a nuclear blast - by diving under school desks in a classroom to avoid the effects of a nuclear blast  - just outside – how far away – who knows……….. It must be because of the ‘ridiculousness’ of the situation and the utter helplessness of those children – which still haunts – which explains why the phrase – ‘hammers to come out – release!’    - It says it must be said – for nothing –

Listen! –

“For nothing has changed, there is still no provision for the People’s of the Earth” – Nay – things are worse – for now there are insufficient desks – not enough to go round  -  and the quality of the desks in the ‘Duck & Cover Operation’ were better – even though all those children would have been obliterated – irradiated – and turned to Salt like Lots Wife in the Bible…..and what about the parents……..

 

Man! – I can’t write – the vibes gone……..Enjoy the Pocket Internet….I’ll try again later ………………………………………………………………………….. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………