keith lockey

I wouldn't mind being a penny behind him in my bank account, but no, I ain't Phil the Greek.

When I was about fifteen I became interested in archery. I bought a bow, quiver and arrows. (McDermotts at Ashington) and wanted to join a club. Unfortunately there was none around here. So what I used to do was stand in the middle of the green down Stead Lane, opposite the cottages, and loose arrows at a man-made target. This would be in the early seventies. Police cars used to go by but not one of them stopped and approached me. I look back in amazement at what I did and wonder why I was never picked up by the fuzz - until someone told me about a 'by-law' about the right to practice archery - Henry VIII - I believe. But can you imagine someone doing that now!!!

Obvious, Foxy, it was a racial remark - "Black" bush. Now if your mate had asked if she had an evergreen bush or a spreading lobelia bush he would have been all right.

We used to call nicking apples "raiding". We attempted one such sortie on Pringles Farm at the top of Halfpenny Woods but something came hurtling through the long grass at us and we scarpered. Another game we played was "Split the Kipper". This involved a throwing knife and nerves of steel. The idea being to throw the knife in the ground so that your opponent had to stretch his legs apart. Brenda Holland actually stuck me in the shins once. (I think the Americans call it Numblety-peg or something.

I know this doesn't concern Bedlington but I'm sure you'l'l forgive me. I had to go to Morpeth today and popped into an upstairs tea room called Curiosly Wicked. It is in the Arcade and the staff are dressed up in Victorian garb. When I went to pay the bill the young lady in a white smock thanked me and curtseyed. Aw, isn't that nice. I recommend it.

Would that be Kate, Merc? or George W, or Basil, or maybe the burning variety or a bird in the, or maybe an old bull and wotsit. I can't think of anything else off hand!!!

Happy days. There were a few games we used to play - British Bulldog, Let the Bunnies Out!!! There was one where the small boy would climb on the back of a bigger boy and proceed to pull a similarly mounted opponent to the ground. (Can't remember the name of that one.) Then there was muggies - pottsies - with a hole dug in the ground. (Remember Penkers - the steel marbles.) I remember me and Jim Hunter went raiding a garden for apples. We were hidden behind a tree waiting for the light to go off when all of a sudden a gang of four lads came round the corner with the same idea. The owner saw them and came running out. They legged it and we followed. They thought we were chasing them until we passed them at the top of the street. It was like Benny Hill meets the Keystone Cops and Mack Sennett. But the one thing I remember is there was no malice in anything we did; it was just mischief and adventure with no one getting harmed.

Honest, Your Honour, I was merely instructing Tiddles on how to have a Number Two under the acacia and that really was a nine inch refractor in my hands...what's that...life imprisonment at a Penal colony on Mars. Beam me up Scotty.

AND THE WINNER IS...EGGY!!! I think that's it, Eggy, Apple Blossom. You realise your prize for giving me the correct answer is the honour of cutting the bush back; and whilst you're at it you might as well mow the lawn as well; then there's the side garden that needs weeding, but don't worry I'll make you a cuppa as you go along...mind you you'll have to work around the cat's poo, I've tried training them to do it in other people's gardens but no luck so far, I'm teaching them by example, unfortunately the neighbour caught me with my pants down...literally...I mean I tried to bury it under her hibiscus so it wouldn't show but there is a limitation to what you can do with your pants around your ankles with the sun in your eyes and I nearly did my back in scent marking her geranium...but anyway I know you won't mind the bit of gardening...what's that nurse, my medication is due... Eileen, if you want a cutting feel free. Send me a PM and you can pop over, no probs. Hold on, that ginger tom is back again...how far up that tree can I reach...

Sorry for not getting back sooner, everyone, I'm having some probs with my PC. There is nothing mentioned that is close to the plant, accept the hawthorn. I've checked on Google images for the different types put forward but nothing matches. Mind you there seems to be an interesting DVD called Wild Cherry that I might just watch tonight with the curtains shut and the lights off!!! But keep trying, the blooms are more pink now and the leaves are waxy small and green. Check the third photo for a closer look. They are to the left and right of the bee's backside - the Latin term which is anus stingius.

Just checked it out on Google images, sorry Doglover, it's not that either.

I checked it out, Orloff, but no. The branches of mine are thick - I had to use a hack saw to cut it back at one time. As you can see from the photos they are dense and reach over the wash house. It does resemble the hawthorn but no berries and no thorns.

It looks like a hawthorn but I don't get any berries and it hasn't any thorns. I don't think it's pyracantha, either symptoms. It is over the roof of my wash-house and as I said before, the bees love it.

Can anyone tell me what this bush is? I have two at the bottom of my garden and I can't remember what they are called!!! They are swarming with bees - which is great.

I remember a game (but not its name) where a couple of lads would lean against a wall, more lads would join them until there was a line of them bent-double and holding onto the lad in front. Others would repeat this move but on top of the first group; more would join but on top of the second stack, and so on. The aim was to produce a high stacked snake of lads without the pile collapsing. If it's the same one as I'm thinking it was called Moont-the-Cuddy, Symptoms, we used to play it as well.

This could be a turning point for him, Wonky. As you said, he is already showing signs of attitude change. Give the chap a chance; something like this could turn tragic. If anything have a quiet word with him; tell him how you feel about his racist remarks offending people, but emphasize that you aren't going to say a dickie bird concerning the other thing. I had a neighbour who was gay. He was one of the nicest chaps around, but he got some aggro from the local numpties. In the end he moved away with his partner and I thought that was a shame - to be forced to move because of some ignorant youngsters. It wasn't right. Give the chap a chance, Wonky, the feel-good factor.

And will humanity benefit from this new discovery; will the teeming masses be given 'access' to this wonder stuff for free? Or will some company manufacture it and make us pay through the nose?

That's right, Wonky, as Malcolm says, put the high heels...er...shoes on the other foot and think how you would like the situation handled. Maggie has a fine point, as well. That guy has to live with that 'sword of Damocles' hanging over him. How he handles it will be the test for him. I'm not saying I am sorry for him, not from all the rest of the stuff you've told us about him, I don't think anyone where you work will be bending over backwards to help him. (I think I could have put that better!!!!) Diplomacy is called for, methinks.

I can't remember dancing there, Eileen, but I can remember doing the Bradford Barndance and the Gay Gordon at PLR with Ferguson poncing around. Anne Evans was my partner one day. But I do recall watching Genghis Khan at the Youth Club, so they must have shown films there!!

That explains everything, Eileen. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner - a mariner kills an albatross and the ship is 'cursed'. So it was your fault we all had to go to PLR. Mind you, I never liked Ferguson - he made us do country dancing, remember.

That is absolutely fascinating about the common loft!!! From a 'modernistic' point of view I don't know how anybody could feel easy knowing the whole street had access to your house via a loft. (That is no disrespect for the people in the street.) My mother and my granny used to do a door check every night and my mother used to but our bike against the door for added precaution. This was in ths fifties-sixties. I would love to know if any Bedlington terraces had the same!! With regards to comic swaps that was something we did as kids; of course it was DC comics; Batman, Superman, The Legion of Super Heroes, etc. Amazing story, B R.

Funny enought, Keith, I can't remember Keechy. My mate, Bob Barron, used to knock around with him for a while but I can't say I recall him. But the others with the question marks on are a total mystery.

Excellent photo, Barton Rafie, here is one of my era. I should be on here but I'm not for some reason, nor are a few of the other regular players. The lad at the bottom left is Keech

Cheers for clearing that up, Eileen. I said the photos were taken in 1969 so the fire must have been that year or the next. My brother said it was later. I remember my mam told us the next morning and me, Jim Hunter, Lesley Morris and Dorothy Spedding all went down to take a look. It was just a mass of twisted metal. And then we went to PLR....ugh!

I agree with Symptoms on that.