That "J" Word (Pt3)

"Wrigleys Juicy Fruit"

Beverley Rise. Was the name of the cul-de-sac we lived in. My safe place. My existence, and happy place. As I mentioned in Part Two, the cul-de-sac was built on a hill, or a gentle slope. I can’t quite remember the angle of the incline. I would imagine it seemed quite steep to me then. At 3 or 4 years of age. As I also mentioned. The summer of 76 was memorable for its heatwave and extended period of hot and dry weather. I remember “playing out” in the street on I would imagine, every day.

Now, whether, this recollection I am about to share with you was from the summer of 76 I couldn’t tell you. However, I would have been quite young. Maybe a little older, so maybe not the summer of 76. Maybe 77. I would ride my bike regularly up and down the cul-de-sac. That’s the beauty I suppose of living in a cul-de-sac with a dead end and a big turning circle at the bottom. Very little passing traffic. The only cars on the road would be from the residents leaving or returning home. And (hopefully) they would be driving slowly, so the risk would be low.

I remember the ending far better than the beginning! I rode to the top of the cul-de-sac. I like to think that I sat at the top, one foot on the ground, the other poised on a pedal. Arms outstretched with both hands gripping the handle bars tightly. The summer breeze blowing dramatically through my 70s basin hair cut! Flared denim jeans flapping gently in the breeze. Of course, this was the 70s. As was the order of the day. I adorned no safety gear whatsoever! My crash helmet was my skull. The skin on my hands my biking gloves, and my thin jeans my safety biking gear! I can only imagine I set off with all the fervour and enthusiasm of a typical young child. Furiously pedalling down the slope/hill as fast as my little denim clad legs would take me. The houses passing by in a blur!

Looking up our cul-de-sac from just outside our house. Which would be immediately to the left just out of shot.

My house was on the right. There was no delicate or gentle turn into the driveway. As a driver myself now, many decades later, I know that if I was approaching my old home in a car, I would be slowing the car down to a minimum of 5mph, engaging 2nd gear, and the steering would probably be on full lock to the right in order to make the turn into the driveway successfully.

Of course, I was a very young child, with no concept or understanding regarding the physics of speed, turning angles, or indeed momentum etcetera! I careered into the driveway, and by some miracle, more likely pure luck, as believe me, no judgement was employed within this manoeuvre. I made the turn into the driveway! However, thinking about it now. I can only imagine that due to the extremely tight angle of the aforementioned turn, my handlebars were still on full lock to the right. And due to the speed with which I entered the driveway (and this swiftly unfolding chaotic situation) I continued travelling with a right orientated trajectory!

What would have been “My View” aboard my bike, looking down my cul-de-sac. Use your imagination and replace the modern cars in this photo with those of the 70s!

Straight into the side wall of the house!! If my memory serves me correctly, and I think it does regarding this particular incident. The walls of our house had what was known as pebbledash on the outside. For those of you who may be unaware regarding the aesthetic delights relating to the pebbledash. It’s pretty much as it sounds. The render that is applied to the brickwork of a property is sprayed with a liquid concrete type mixture, which has small stones and pebbles within the mix. This then dries on the walls giving a textured rough finish. Hideous really. I can only imagine, extremely fashionable and all the rage back in the groovy and funky 70s! Although looking at the pictures of our old house now, which I obtained from a well known property selling website where they utilise Google Earth technology, it would appear the pebbledash is long gone. Thank goodness!

I think my bike lost the battle of wall versus bike, and I lost the battle attempting to avoid forward momentum and velocity.

My Old House (Photo taken within the last few years I think) Taken from Google Earth (Note long shared driveway with the garage at the end) The offending side wall of the house too!

I think, and because I have vague memories of this being spoken about in the dim and distant past, my non crash helmet wearing skull got close and personal with the pebbledash and rather solid wall! I think it ended in tears and much wailing on my part! I wasn’t to know this then, but accidents like this would be a theme of things to come! (See my post “Invisible Pain” Part One)

The “Little Wall” I used to sit on as a child as mentioned in That “J” Word Pt2. Looking at this photograph, I can’t be sure, however, I think there may still be some Lavender remaining.

If you take a look at the first photograph, and cast your eye to the top of the cul-de-sac, you will see a car parked on the left corner. A little to the right of that, you can just make out a tiny little manicured tree/bush type plant. This odd looking plant wasn’t there in the 70s, but the odd almost triangle shaped piece of grass was. I will always remember this piece of grass.

Because of its soft lush green lawn? Because it was a tiny green island where the imaginary crocodiles couldn’t get to us? Or if you stood on this piece of grass, you were immune from being tagged in a game of “It?” No. I will always remember this tiny piece of grass because it was where I tasted my very first piece of chewing gum! “Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit” to be precise!

See below

The most bizarre and frankly most pointless plant I have seen, which wasn’t on our Juicy Fruit picnic triangle back in the 70s!

I remember a girl giving me the chewing gum. She was a little older than me, so probably 6! To me though, she was an older girl! She was uber cool! She had exotic fayre! Chewing gum!! I have no idea who she was, I’m not entirely sure I knew who she was back then either! But she had chewing gum!! Now being attracted to bright colours like a bee to a summer flower in full bloom, I can only imagine my excitement when she offered me a piece of her gum!

The explosion of sweetness from my first taste must have blown my tiny little mind! I’ve loved Juicy Fruit ever since. Mind you. In all honesty, I can’t recall the last time I had any! Note to self. I must go get some!

I think on that day, sitting on that odd triangle shaped piece of grass, my brother may have been with me. The mystery girl. And at least two others. Thinking back into the murky depths of my cobweb ridden dark and dank mind, I think the other two present were also brothers. And sons of friends of our parents. I’m sure Peter and Barbara were their names. Don’t quote me on it though! We used to go up to their house quite regularly. Usually of an evening. Mum and Dad would have “nibbles and drinks” As a young child, I had absolutely no idea what “nibbles” were, and to be honest I daren’t have asked! It could have meant anything being the 70s!! I do remember there being lots of laughter, cigarette smoke and loud talking.

Image Courtesy of Pinterest.

I guess to my young eyes and in my young mind, it was adults being adults. And well, extremely dull! Due to the nature of these get togethers, they would go on late into the night and beyond. So my brother and I would have to turn up in our pyjamas and dressing gowns, which I can only imagine was beyond embarrassing, or we would change into our nightwear whilst we were there. I have a strong feeling, possibly a recollection even, it was the former. Thinking about it now, it would have been mortally embarrassing considering we would have had to have walked to the top of the cul-de-sac in our dressing gowns and pyjamas. No! We didn’t did we? Surely not! I can just imagine the backlash and abuse I would have gotten if I dared suggest such a thing to my kids when they were younger!! The very audacity to suggest such a thing!

But there we were. Dutiful kids. Off we went. I do remember we were allowed to “Stay up for a bit” after we had arrived. How long “a bit” was, I have no idea now. I do remember however, when it was time to go to bed. The room we were put in, had the coats of whoever was over at the “nibbles and drinks” soiree, were adorned across the bed. We had to snuggle amongst the coats. Or I liked to. I don’t know! I do remember my mum having a fur coat. I think it was fake fur. Or at least I hope it was. But this was the 70s so who knows! My parents were certainly not rich, so I can only assume the fur was of the synthetic variety. My brother and I were dumped into the same big bed. We were far too wired no doubt on fizzy drinks and crisps (chips) which we had managed to pilfer earlier in the evening to even contemplate going to sleep.

We used to play a game to help pass the time. We would draw pictures using our forefinger on each others backs, or write words. The one having the picture or word drawn on their back had to guess what was being drawn or written by the other. Thinking back, I think I probably did more of the imaginary drawing due to being the youngest and doing what my big brother told me to do! I do remember though how much it tickled when he drew on my back! Funny what you remember isn’t it?

Thank you for reading my rambling memories thus far. I do hope you have enjoyed reading as much as I have remembering!

Much love

Dom G