A Cockney's Journey Read Online Free

A Cockney's Journey
Book: A Cockney's Journey Read Online Free
Author: Eddie Allen
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building.
    “Not very big,” I remarked. I’d imagined it to be vast, but it was only about the size of a very large house. As we got closer, it became clearer. It was a strange-looking church, if it was a church at all. The walls were made of the same bricks as the wall around the cemetery. The windows were narrow and oblong, like a castle. There were these large solid oak double doors at the side, with big black iron fittings and iron studs were embedded all over the doors.
    “This is definitely ancient,” I said to everyone. The walls were filthy, with cobwebs everywhere. Tony shone his torch up the face of the building.
    “Look,” he said. “Some sort of flat roof.” I looked up. It was like a parapet wall extending out from the building, about twelve feet high.
    “If we can get up there, we can get in,” Tony said excitedly.
    “We need a rope,” I said. “It’s the only way to get up there.”
    “Where are we going to get a rope from?” Tommy asked sheepishly.
    “Let’s have a look around and see what we can find,” I said.
    As we looked around the building, it became quite clear to me that this place hadn’t been used in years; completely derelict.
    “Nothing,” Tony said. “I can’t believe there’s sod all here to use. My dad’s got a rope in the garage. I could go home and get it. If I run I could be back here in an hour. What do ya think, lads?”
    “It’s half past twelve, Tony,” I said.
    “Let’s go home and come back tomorrow,” Tommy pleaded.
    “I’ll wait for ya, Tony,” said Brian.
    “OK, Tony, get going,” I agreed reluctantly. “I’ll wait till half past one.”
    With that assurance, Tony legged it immediately, disappearing into the dense woodland.
    “Wait for me,” Tommy shouted. But it was too late. There’s one thing about Tony; he can shift when he has to. Tommy was seriously stressed. “I wanted to go home,” he said.
    “Look, just be patient,” I told him. “This is something we need to do, OK, mate?” I said, glaring at him.
    “Fine,” was his reply.
    All three of us sat on a tombstone and waited for Tony. I lit up a fag, filling my lungs with smoke. Sitting there quietly, I drifted off into deep thoughts…

    The dense 52 acres of woodland surrounding the cemetery,
is quite an amazing sight

    ***

    “Hurry up, Ed. We’re going to miss the coach,” Danny moaned. “OK, I’m coming. Just give me a tick.”
    We both legged it up the street to the school gates. The coach was half full. Mums and dads were seeing their kids off. I’d never been on a school holiday before, what an adventure! Tony and Brian were already on the coach, peering out of the window laughing at Danny and me.
    “Didn’t think you were going to make it,” Tony laughed as we both boarded the coach and sat down.
    “Neither did I,” Danny blurted out. “Ed was still packing his bags at 8:30.” He laughed. The coach started to pull away. I was looking out of the window to see if my mum or dad had bothered to come and see me off but they hadn’t.
    “Well,” Brian said, “this is it. Sayers Croft, here we come.”
    Mr. Parkin stood up and started to lecture us on how to behave when we arrived, laying down his own set of rules.
    “How much money you got to spend, Brian?” Tony asked.
    “My dad gave me a tenner,” he replied.
    God, I thought. He’s rich. I only had two ten bob notes to my name.
    “What about you, Dan?”
    “Seven pounds my nan gave me.” Danny’s parents divorced and he now lived with his nan in the same street as me.
    “What about you, Tony?” Brian asked.
    “Twenty pounds,” was his reply.
    You’re having a laugh. Mind you, his dad was a black cab driver and they always had money and holidays abroad. “How about you,
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