MEMORIES
I was born and reared in Heatherton
I’m sure you know it well
The house where we lived belonged to
A man called R D Caldwell
We didn’t have too many luxuries
Just a good upbringing in life
We were taught to respect other people
Not a word was ere said about strife
To look back now it seems so much fun
But many a time we were frightened
When we had to face Master Tomb
He’d a temper as big as a mountain
Sometimes he was meek as a lamb
If you could take all his teaching
He sure led you on by the hand
No big swimming pools nor sports centres
Just an old bathing dam was our fun
The people all came from far and near
They just had a dip in the sun
Old Bob would come down for a session
He would try and teach us to swim
Some were content to just stand and watch
Others would finally jump in
Our next big adventure we looked for
Was the Sunday school trip to Portrush
No big fancy coaches to pick us up
To the station we all had to rush
The platform was crowded with children
With buckets and spades in their hand
They just couldn’t wait till they got there
To get started to dig in the sand
When the train pulled into the station
To Barries we then made our way
A ride on the dodgems or ghost train
I can tell you that sure made our day
We never expected a lot out of life
Content with whatever we had
Our health was the most important thing
We just took the good with the bad
My memory often will wander back
To when I was a child
To try and live those times again
I must be reconciled
I know I can’t relive the past
Of my memories one by one
Still I can’t forget the happy times
I spent at Heatherton.

Nan Anderson, September 1995