the 10 year old kid

the 10 year old kid

long haired and scruffy

daily bathing was a challenge

black zippered boots

they told me I looked like McCartney

transistor radio tuned to CHUM AM 1050

Cedarvale Park was the daily routine

rubber boots and a net

dragonflies, snakes and frogs filled the swamp

fresh apples picked from the neighbours’ trees

meetup at the corner pharmacy

an old pharmacist manned the desk

we could have walked out with everything

but instead we checked out the latest comics

superman, F-Troop and all the crazy stuff

never read them, just looked at the pictures

Mac’s Milk 

the next stopover for the best treats

then walk the streets to get back home

invited into a black man’s station wagon

selling newspaper subscriptions for nickels 

no one knew who he was

but he said get in, and we did

somehow we got back home

the next day the banana bike made it to Mississauga

we had no clue how we got there either

we lived in central T.O.

time never seemed to end

night-time finally appeared

dinner time was always great

made the meals every night with Nonna 

just before my parents got home

i became a great cook at ten

i really miss my Nonna and Nonno

all Nonno did was go to church and read the bible

never said much because he was deaf

fell off a horse when he was young

just sat in his chair

he had a great moustache

sometimes i did not know if he was alive

after dinner meant that it was time for more fun

so we headed to the pool hall

Paul the owner didn’t mind

we were good kids

even if we were too young

the size of table and cue snookered us

Paul had great 10 cent pizza slices

he warmed them up in some 60’s microwave

no one ever expected the evening to end

soccer, street hockey, baseball, football

you name it, we did it

when did 1967 end

perhaps after my nightly bowl of milk

and a box of Chocolate Chip cookies

i ate one box a night and couldn't gain an ounce

the Zenith colour TV worked night and day

pretty much like me

Eyewitness News with Irv Weinstein at 11:00 

that's when I hit the sack

and then asked God for a lot

He didn't say no

thank you,

joseph pede