Page 73 - Exile-ebook

72 AN EXILE OF THE MIND BOMBED BUT NOT BOWED 73

A bombed street in Leicester close to where I lived. American paratroopers based two kilometres away.

rhubarb. As a distraction during an tellers that her bank was busy being into another world. Or maybe their trollably and falling in a dead faint
alert, our elderly neighbour, violin held up and could she have a little little peep into mine. in the streets. The fearful impact of
caressed under a whiskery chin, bit of cash from them. At war’s end the eerie watch night-tide bombing caused perpetu-
played classics and would have Fleeing homewards out of harm’s ceased their vigil and immortality al fear and heart-sink despair.
played an Irish jig if the shelter way from the falling sky did little no longer seemed important. Life This powerful aphrodisiac of
hadn’t been so small. to diminish the anxiety of wartime seemed neither long nor short. I danger encouraged a live-for-the-
My mother’s courage, or fool- dread. There appeared the sleepless vaguely understood that when death moment mindset. People drank
hardiness, was typical. Years later frightenings on nights lingering rattled the throat and you were no more alcohol and sexual desire
with similar quietude, she sat in a until the dawn reprieve. I peeked out longer eligible for the census, all was blatantly intensified during
bank waiting to draw her pension. warily from beneath blankets at dark- things pass on. Those most afraid of airstrikes. Juiced beetroot lips and
Balaclavered robbers rushed into shrouded figures surrounding my death believe in hell. Religions soon stockingless legs, seams pencil-
the building brandishing weapons. bed in pin-drop silence. Their ghostly figured out that you could scare lined, for exploding nights of fear
Much put out she hoisted herself features hidden within the cavern people with threats of the nether and pleasure. Husbands and wives
onto sore feet and weaved amid of shrouded hoods, watching ─ just world and encourage them with a two-timed in the adrenalising spell
bladder-weakened customers to the watching. I prayed nightly never to slice of heaven. of erotic freedom.
exit. The robbers stared after her die. Not ever. By morning they were Hysteria rode on the tide of There were no cannons or bombs
open-mouthed as she walked to a just shadows of a bad dream. This war. A London aunt told of women that could shatter the ‘blitz spirit’.
nearby bank complaining to startled was the first of mysterious glimpses screaming and trembling uncon- Shaking a fist at Jerries overhead,