I liked the Jackson family, they never hurt other people's feelings, and I hated the vicar for  his cruel words to them. We still went to St Martin's other hall though. Mrs Williams our Cub mistress ran it. We all had a secret love for her, she was like a Mam, and it was like being in a big family of boys. She planned everything, properly, I mean. She did so many nice things without us knowing, but we would find out, and when we did, she would blush bright red. But Dad usually spoiled things afterwards, especially when he had come home from the pub. Mam finally told him though. She told him she must have more money for my Cubs pullover, cap, and neckerchief. But he soon had a few things to say on that score:

"Aye, and the next thing   as I told them down the pub   will be a khaki suit, for free, to go and fight Germans. Why the hell don't they leave our kids alone?"

But I got my uniform just the same, and it wasn't long before both sleeves were filled with proficiency badges, and two yellow stripes. Those badges    they really got me at it    sewing, darning, cooking, knots, you name it. Come to think of it, I learned more useful things at Cubs, than I ever did at school.  And I enjoyed it.

On Cubs night I would walk from our house differently, pretending not to notice my mates stealing glances at my sleeves full of badges, or when casually asked if I was going anywhere special. Such childish pride. They were the only commendations I can remember receiving during my childhood.

The character we develop through the experiences of our early years seems to merge with what we have inherited, to become, for the most part, our adult disposition. What I found particularly objectionable though, was the malevolent dispositions boasted of by certain 'intellectuals'. Though  knowing they caused ill feeling, still they clung to their prejudice, regardless. These were the early sowings of self-regarding cowardice.  But more about that later.

As in most families, we had our 'downers'     periods of seemingly unremitting difficulties: Grief, bad health, money worries, etc. While occasional birthdays, outings to the seaside, visits to and from friends and relatives gave us a lift, life seemed to muddle on much the same. But we always hoped for better things to come, even though we knew not what those things were.

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