I did not know what to do.

We were working in the Dry Cleaners down the Beck, sorting Clothes out for the machine, taking things out of pockets and putting them to one side to return to the owners, on the odd ocassion loose change would fall out into the skip which was also put to one side, lighters and cigarettes often were in pockets, if anything valuable was found it was given to whoever was in charge.

A van driver came in and started talking about Ten Pin Bowling in Halifax and how he was a member and played in the home Team, we asked him how long he had worked here, he said a couple of weeks after Dubarrys took over Smallwoods. I am going to be delivering around Halifax and Hebden Bridge tonight, do you fancy coming along to help, Jammy shouted "Yes I do." I thought for a while and realised he could not go alone, he was my younger brother, I was thirteen he was 12 so I agreed to go as well.

We told Mum where we was going and set off from home walking down the beck towards the cleaners, I fell into a hole full of water and dog shit, it was a shallow trap created by the Cider gang, my lower leg and foot was covered in it, I wiped it off best I could but it lingered, it was a common thing done by youngsters who usually watch from a safe distance to see who falls for it, we could not see anyone about the area.

We arrived in Hebden Bridge at about 8pm- it was dark by then. At first we all kept together, calling at lots of houses and shops on the way. Dick and Jammy were always the first back into the van. We drove up a very steep hill on the other side of Hebden Bridge. By this time it was about 8.30pm and we were delivering more clean clothes than picking up dirty ones.
When he dropped me off at the top of the hill Dick pointed out these two shops.
“Albut, go there and deliver these clothes. Wait here for us and we will come back and pick you up.”
I got out of the van with the dry cleaned clothes and took them to the shop that he had pointed out.
I could see the van go over the brow of the hill and disappear from view.
-A small shiver went straight down my spine- I prayed that they would be quick.
I went across to the first shop and rang the doorbell. A lady came to the door and took both the dry cleaning items from me. She told me that she would take her neighbours’ clothes in to save me the trouble.
“Thank you.” I said
I went back to the road where Dick had dropped me off. I stood there for ages and I was getting quite nervous and worried. I thought to myself,

“Oh crikey, what did Dick say?”
There were no streetlights, it was very dark and it was getting misty and a bit scary. After a while my nerve went,

 I decided to go look from the top of the hill to see if I can see them coming back for me.

 I could see Hebden Bridge town centre through the Bushes on top of the hill.

I could see nothing of our Jammy and Dick. I started to panic and did not know what to do,

I saw a lone Street light through the Bushes and so I ran off down the road towards it to search for them, I could not find them.
I was shivering, my Coat was in the Van and still I did not know what to do, I could not phone home, only rich people had telephones, we were not rich. -Far from it-
I ran down the Hill and into the bus station and looked for a bus that said Bradford on it. None of the buses had Bradford on them.
I noticed a bus on the road with Halifax on it, so I climbed onto the bus. I had often been to Shibden Park in Halifax with my mates, on our bikes, so I thought that I would be able to get home from there.
When the bus conductor came and asked for money I started to cry.
“What’s up lad?” he asked.
“I have no money and I have lost my brother. I need to get home and tell my mum.”
“Where are you going lad?”
“Bradford.”
“Well this bus is going to Halifax, you can go there if you sign this form and give it to your mum and then we can claim the bus fare back from her.”
“Okay.” I mumbled, with a lump in my throat.
The Bus set off. I looked out of the window to see if I could see the van, all I could see were houses and shops.
The bus arrived in Halifax about 9.30pm.
I got off the bus and started my long trek home.
I had seen the stone mileage marker on Halifax road in Bradford on many occasions and I remembered it was four miles to Halifax from there, so without a calculator I soon worked it out it must be four miles back the other way. -You can beat an egg, but you cannot beat Education-
I left the bus station and set off up the hill towards Shibden Park. It was a bloody big hill. I ran all the way up to the top and all I could think about was our Jammy and I was wondering what had happened to him. When I got to the top, I ran down the other side only to be met with an even bigger hill at Stump Cross traffic lights.
I went up this hill hoping our Jammy and Dick would come past in the van- [they didn’t.]
I was getting a stitch in my side. I was trying harder and harder to get up that hill; it was very very long and steep. Buses kept going past but I dare not get on one as I knew that they would ask me for money. -Money that I did not have.
I carried on, eventually I arrived in Northowram on flat ground. My legs were feeling like jelly. The stitch in my side eased off a little. Shelf village was in sight and I started to run faster and faster. I could smell fish and chips from Shelf fisheries, it was a gorgeous smell- so inviting and fresh, I slowed down to walk passed the Fish shop, it was still open with one customer who was eagerly waiting for his Fish n Chips, he looked like Bob Dylan. I sped up again.

 I went straight past the Shoulder of Mutton pub as fast as my legs could carry me. I could see Buttershaw mill in the distance and knew that I was nearly home. I ran up Cooper Lane and over the beck. It was very dark and I fell down the hill near the Volcano. I got up and carried on running. I could sense something or someone behind me. I looked around- I saw shadows
-But nothing was there-.

I ran up the other side of the beck. I could see my home; I felt pure relief and achievement, I had made it safely back home, I went in,
Mum was in the kitchen making supper. She said to me,
“Where is our Jammy?” she sounded very concerned.
I could not speak- I was out of breath. I needed to have a drink of water. I then sat down and told my mum what had happened.
“You have walked all the way from Hebden Bridge?”
“Yes mum and I have lost our Jammy; I got on the bus to Halifax and ran home from there.”
“What about the driver, where did he go?” she shouted.
“I do not know mum.”
It was now about 11pm; mum was getting frantic, pacing up and down. Dad was out.
At 11.15pm there was a knock on the door and in walked Dick and our Jammy.
“Albut, thank God you are here, where did you get to?” asked Dick.
“We have been looking all over for you, we thought you had been kidnapped.” said our Jammy.
“I could not find you, so I came home.” I said with a stammer.
“Well Albut, you are like a bloody homing pigeon and you have done very well to get all this way home, I am just glad you beat us back.” said Dick.
“Alls well that ends well.” said mum whilst patting me on the head.
“Right, I’ll say goodnight and see you later.” shouted Dick with a sigh of relief.
“Bye.” said Jammy
“Bye, Mr Head.” I said.
“Right you two – bed time, I have put the bed warmer in your bed Albut.” said mum.

The Bed warmer was an old buscuit Tin with squares cut out and a Bulb placed in the top, good job it did for many a year.

We never helped Dick again.

back.