Petra Banks adopted green
\nalways pretty forever seen <\/i><\/p>\n
This short rhyme was written in green chalk on a wooden noticeboard leading to the garden of the allotments<\/p>\n
It had been added to the noticeboard many years previously<\/p>\n
For reasons unknown it never aged or was washed away<\/p>\n
Even during the wettest of foul winters<\/p>\n
At first this caused amusement within the town but the interest soon faded and the rhyme became accepted<\/p>\n
I was exploring the streets of Marlborough<\/p>\n
I had been many years away<\/p>\n
A youth of no more that nineteen years was boasting of his conquests in front of a group of girls<\/p>\n
Petra Banks everybody had Petra Banks she did not disappoint <\/i><\/p>\n
I looked at the hill that overlooked the town<\/p>\n
The ruddy Bedwyn girl\u2019s country aged before their time whose white bottoms shone like beacons above the town <\/i><\/p>\n
Oh the pain of my delightful years <\/i><\/p>\n
The youth looked at me<\/p>\n
What did you say your voice was lost in the breeze?<\/i><\/p>\n
I was just reminiscing<\/i><\/p>\n
I come from near here although I have been away for many years <\/i><\/p>\n
The youth turned to the girls again<\/p>\n
It were er who wrote on the sign no-one else <\/i><\/p>\n
The girls giggled<\/p>\n
Be gone and do not take the piss \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n
The youth let the girls walk a few hundred yards down the path and then followed them<\/p>\n
I was alone<\/p>\n
Red tiled rooves that sigh with pleasure as you once did in the bright summer sun <\/i><\/p>\n
But it was autumn and although the early month threatened late warmth there was a quiet bleakness to the sky<\/p>\n
Vivid colours were promised but I was not in the position to share them<\/p>\n
I was sitting on an iron seat that was set on a small hill next to the church<\/p>\n
The road below was noisy and threatened my peace<\/p>\n
A market town between two churches <\/i><\/p>\n
Set in a valley <\/i><\/p>\n
The home of a great school <\/i><\/p>\n
Set between Salisbury and Swindon <\/i><\/p>\n
Salisbury direct a grand cathedral town <\/i><\/p>\n
Petra was standing in front of me<\/p>\n
It is nice to see you again it has been quite a while <\/i><\/p>\n
It has been decades <\/i><\/p>\n
How are you? <\/i><\/p>\n
Good<\/i><\/p>\n
And you? <\/i><\/p>\n
I cannot complain <\/i><\/p>\n
Where have you been?<\/i><\/p>\n
To many countries I cannot name them all <\/i><\/p>\n
I have not left Marlborough for more than a day <\/i><\/p>\n
Why have you never left Marlborough?<\/i><\/p>\n
I had no reason to leave the town for all I want is here<\/i><\/p>\n
A lorry heavy laden with beer barrels rumbled by and caught my attention for a second<\/p>\n
When I looked up<\/p>\n
Petra had gone<\/p>\n
I waited a while and made my way back into the town<\/p>\n
It was Wednesday and the market was busy<\/p>\n
I purchased a bag of rosy red apples and ate one as walked towards the college<\/p>\n
Within minutes I was standing on the bridge that separated the town from the hill that led to Salisbury<\/p>\n
She were the masters daughter you know <\/i><\/p>\n
Simon Sweet Simon Sweet
\na handsome chap with very large feet <\/i><\/p>\n
I walked up the hill and before long found myself looking out over the town<\/p>\n
The college and the two churches were easily seen<\/p>\n
Behind me cut into the hill was a small factory which had been built on the site of the allotments<\/p>\n
I crossed the road and walked down the lane towards the androgynous building<\/p>\n
Are you looking for someone Simon? <\/i><\/p>\n
No I was just thinking about the old allotments <\/i><\/p>\n
They have been gone for many a year <\/i><\/p>\n
The factory was empty and up for sale<\/p>\n
The access was poor you know not right for lorries <\/i><\/p>\n
We could not expand <\/i><\/p>\n
One wonders why they rid the town of the allotments in the first place <\/i><\/p>\n
In a corner of the disused car park I could see rock partially hidden by undergrowth<\/p>\n
It was originally a quarry <\/i><\/p>\n
Damn silly place to put a quarry<\/i><\/p>\n
I pulled back the undergrowth and looked at the hidden graffiti which had been carved into the soft rock<\/p>\n
The were declarations of love and intimate descriptions of local girls much faded<\/p>\n
Petra Banks adopted green
\nalways pretty forever seen <\/i><\/p>\n
It is still there you know they burnt my sign many years ago but missed the rhyme \u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n
Petra was standing next to me<\/p>\n
She put her hand on my shoulder<\/p>\n
See that is all that is left of me <\/i><\/p>\n
A half hidden rhyme <\/i><\/p>\n
Which will vanish given time <\/i><\/p>\n
I looked into Petra\u2019s sea green eyes which moved rapidly behind her prescription glasses<\/p>\n
You still wear glasses I see <\/i><\/p>\n
Only when I want to <\/i><\/p>\n
They suit you <\/i><\/p>\n
They never suited me <\/i><\/p>\n
A pigeon broke cover from a tree and flew erratically into the air<\/p>\n
Silly bugger they are used to the silence <\/i><\/p>\n
I looked down the lane at the road<\/p>\n
It is not as quiet as it was <\/i><\/p>\n
Why did you return?<\/i><\/p>\n
Why did you not come back sooner? <\/i><\/p>\n
Business<\/i><\/p>\n
Did you miss me?<\/i><\/p>\n
I always missed you<\/i><\/p>\n
Did you grieve? <\/i><\/p>\n
I thought of you every day <\/i><\/p>\n
But did you grieve?<\/i><\/p>\n
I was younger and I have seen much since I left <\/i><\/p>\n
I do not know if I ever learned to grieve <\/i><\/p>\n
Petra smiled<\/p>\n
I do not come back to the town as often as I like<\/i><\/p>\n
I try to but there is a vacancy <\/i><\/p>\n
I cannot explain it <\/i><\/p>\n
Perhaps you are retreating <\/i><\/p>\n
Possibly <\/i><\/p>\n
For a while we did not say anything to each other and just stood there holding hands like the young lovers we once were<\/p>\n
Are you staying in Marlborough?<\/i><\/p>\n
Yes<\/i><\/p>\n
How long for? <\/i><\/p>\n
A couple of nights <\/i><\/p>\n
On business <\/i><\/p>\n
Yes I am always on business<\/i><\/p>\n
Turn your head I do not want you to see me fade <\/i><\/p>\n
Will I see you again?<\/i><\/p>\n
Depends on you <\/i><\/p>\n
Turn your head<\/i><\/p>\n
I released Petra\u2019s hand and faced one of the factory outbuildings<\/p>\n
I waited for a minute before I turned around<\/p>\n
Petra had gone<\/p>\n
I suppose I did not expect to see her<\/p>\n
I walked along the lane towards the road<\/p>\n
A policeman was watching me<\/p>\n
Have you any business there sir? <\/i><\/p>\n
None I was due to meet someone but they did not show up <\/i><\/p>\n
If you do not mind me saying so sir it is a rather strange place to meet <\/i><\/p>\n
I agree but I had no intent <\/i><\/p>\n
There used to be allotments there but it has been a factory for as long as I can remember <\/i><\/p>\n
Yes I remember it as allotments <\/i><\/p>\n
Did you have one?<\/i><\/p>\n
No need my parents had a large garden <\/i><\/p>\n
I am from Salisbury far <\/i><\/p>\n
How long have you been in Marlborough?<\/i><\/p>\n
For ten years but my dad was a copper here for many years <\/i><\/p>\n
I used to know a girl who used to hang around the allotments<\/i><\/p>\n
That is the real purpose of my visit <\/i><\/p>\n
Her name was written on the signpost that once stood over there<\/i><\/p>\n
I doubt if you can remember it <\/i><\/p>\n
Before my time sir but my dad spoke about it <\/i><\/p>\n
A short rhyme written in the lightest of chalk which never seemed to wash away no matter the weather<\/i><\/p>\n
Petra Banks adopted green
\nalways pretty forever seen <\/i><\/p>\n
Was that the rhyme?<\/i><\/p>\n
Yes I knew the girl who added it to the signpost <\/i><\/p>\n
She was the one that was killed on the green bicycle <\/i><\/p>\n
It upset my dad proper that one<\/i><\/p>\n
He saw much during his years in the force<\/i><\/p>\n
But he always remembered that accident <\/i><\/p>\n
She was the prettiest girl in Marlborough <\/i><\/p>\n
So he said <\/i><\/p>\n
The master\u2019s daughter at the college<\/i><\/p>\n
The policeman\u2019s radio sprung into life<\/p>\n
I must be off now sir <\/i><\/p>\n
Traffic in the town <\/i><\/p>\n
Give my regards to your father <\/i><\/p>\n
What is your name?
\n<\/i><\/p>\n
Simon Sweet your father would have known me <\/i><\/p>\n
I watched as the policeman walked down the hill eventually leaving my sight<\/p>\n
How long are you staying Simon Sweet?<\/i><\/p>\n
For as long as you want me to stay <\/i><\/p>\n
Then be off with you <\/i><\/p>\n
Why? <\/i><\/p>\n
I can see you but you cannot see me <\/i><\/p>\n
Are you fading? <\/i><\/p>\n
Yes<\/i><\/p>\n
Just return on this exact day next year do not be anywhere else in the world but here and I will see you again <\/i><\/p>\n
But your fade? <\/i><\/p>\n
Just be here Simon Sweet<\/i><\/p>\n
Although the traffic coming down the hill was busy for a while it stopped and a silence developed<\/p>\n
As I looked up the hill a girl on a green bicycle passed me at speed<\/p>\n
I saw your knickers Petra Banks <\/i><\/p>\n
No you didn\u2019t Simon Sweet
\na handsome boy with very large feet <\/i><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Petra Banks adopted green always pretty forever seen This short rhyme was written in green chalk on a wooden noticeboard leading to the garden of the allotments It had been added to the noticeboard many years previously For reasons unknown it never aged or was washed away Even during the wettest of foul winters At […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2594"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2594"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2594\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}