It was 50 years since I've been back at Grand's house.
Nothing much seemed to have changed.
What was I? 12, 13,
something like that.
I was young.
I was happy
and then the fever hit me.
My grand thought I was gonna die.
I had a temperature was thrashing about talking nonsense.
Do you think it could be anything serious?
It was too early to tell
open wide for me
in case you need to look at the back of your throat, open wide and in.
Don't worry.
There
we
go.
He's your grandson.
Yes. My daughter's lad. He's only here for a few days.
Should I tell her what's happened?
Well, you can tell her he's got a bit of a temperature.
There's no to worry her just yet. Right.
These things go as quickly as they come.
Give some of these three times a day with a little water
and we'll take it from there. Thank you, thank you.
We may
have to call
an ambulance.
I shouldn't worry. Let's wait and see.
Mom.
Mom,
Gran, that's me.
But do you know who you are? Of
course.
Well, you didn't yesterday,
I think we'll rear you.
Do you know where you are?
No, you're in my bedroom.
Your room? Yes. Well, I couldn't get you any further.
I mean, there doesn't look much to you but you weigh a ton. So I dragged you in here.
It were nearer.
But Gran,
what happened? Well, you've been poorly.
I mean, one minute you were outside kicking the ball,
the next you were collapsed on the floor.
Here, do you think you could manage a drop of my soup?
I'll try good. Good! Come on, let's have you sitting up a bit. That's right
up the bed.
Lovely.
What do I have to get up? Don't you dare? You stay where you are?
I'm gonna ring your Mum and tell her you're back in the land of the living.
Oh my God. Who told you to get out of bed?
All right, Gran.
Yes, you're all right. That's why you're lying on the floor.
If you go and die on me. What am I gonna tell your mother? Come on back in.
You go get your legs in. That's right. Might sit up a minute.
I'm gonna put this other pillow behind you.
That's right.
Oh, dear. I'm fine.
Making all this trouble for your grandmother.
I was only looking at the picture. Gran,
Oh, one of my favorites. That one is
best team city ever had.
Oh, what a wonderful season. That was,
I remember them all. Every one of them
Smiley Bishop. Oh, he were tough.
You had to count your legs after he'd tackled you lofty chambers.
He was the brains of the outfit. Could turn a ball on a sixpence.
Smoke like a chimney and always looked as
if he'd been dragged through hedge backwards.
What about him? Gran?
Well, you know who that is? Surely.
No, it's your granddad.
He was captain.
They called him chipper. Chipper. Well, you were a carpenter. You see,
here
have a look at his right hand. Do you notice anything?
No,
here have a closer look
there.
See he's got a finger missing.
Oh, yeah. Never knew a carpenter had a full set of fingers.
Why did he have to be a carpenter? Gran?
Well, it were different in those days. He only got £12 a week.
I mean, there'd be 60 70,000 at the ground every other week.
And where did all the money go
in the director's pockets?
That's where we used to drive round in posh cars, swanky houses up on the common.
Never even sent a car to pick the lads up. They had to go on the bus or walk.
Many is the time on the way. They'd have a kick about outside with some kids.
They'd put the bags down for the door
posts, you know, and I'd be in the kitchen and I'd hear them laughing and shouting.
I
can see them now,
where grand
in my mind's eye.
Well, this won't get anything done enough for my memories. It's all a long time ago.
You try and get some sleep.
Gran,
why are the crosses over three of them?
Oh, well,
then the war came, didn't it
go
on?
I slept feverishly through the night in the part of the next morning
because when I woke up
the sun was shining.
Where are you, Sonny Jim?
Wake, wake,
still in bed. Sonny Jim.
Touch
lo
oh,
ok.
This won't do, this won't do,
go get your togs on.
Should be out here. We need you, lad.
It's the big one. The big one.
The biggest
is
that right lads?
The big game
you and me against Smiler and Loft. Best of three goals. Are you on?
Oh, really lucky. Like
tell you what Sonny Jim,
you reckon you and me can, am I them two?
You may,
why not? No contest?
You and him against me and the mighty Smiler.
Set the gold smile.
That's your chip and this one's ours.
So have the bull chip.
Now. We need to talk about the rules. What rules is that? The rules?
It says we score first. So
it's fine. Come on
gold in the first minute for the brilliant lofty chambers.
Give
over. Not kicked off yet.
You're our center forward.
Me? Certainly
you're our star. I
am.
Who else?
You right? Yeah!
here we go
to me.
Come
on,
let's go
one nil
we've got him on the run by the way. Were
you?
So
come on in,
come
on, go
see
one.
Throw in,
I don't know how long the game lasted or who won or lost.
It didn't seem to matter much.
I just seem to know that it was the best afternoon of my life
one, I'd never forget.
But then suddenly that had begun.
It was over
full time lads
for next time, eh? Yeah, next time
you need time to kick off, lads.
Good fellow. New Lot. The whistle is went,
can be late for this one.
So long
sunny, Jim.
So long! So long. So long!
So long.
I must have slept through the whole afternoon and the next night because
when I woke up it was morning
and Gran was making breakfast.
Oh, how's the patient this morning? All right.
Well, you're looking better. I think I'll ring the undertaker.
Tell him to postpone the funeral.
To fancy some breakfast.
Get yourself sat down.
No, I think I'm going to give you the prize. Prize?
Yes. For snoozing.
I've never seen anything like it.
I mean, there's no need to ask you if you've had a good night's sleep. Is there?
I had a funny dream.
Oh, yes.
Funny, peculiar or funny
ha ha ha
I was playing football with, you know,
the three from the picture. And what picture was that? The football picture?
And there was a knock on the door and when I opened it,
he was there. Who was there? Love
granddad
grand
dad?
He was younger. Like in the picture they all were, they called him Chipper.
Chipper
Yeah,
they were dressed like soldiers. They put their habsacks
down as goals. I was on granddad's team and Smiler.
He grabbed the ball and kicked it through the door. Door?
There was a door coming out of the bedroom and I had to go and fetch the ball.
But he was funny cause he wasn't like
Gran. Are you alright? You saw them?
What's the matter? Gran?
Oh, love. Gran, it was only a dream.
Oh, I know.
I know.
Come with me. I want to show you something.
Her hand in mine was so cold,
so cold
and her face was strange,
happy and sad all at the same time.
Look,
look there,
she pointed at the wall
and then I saw it
there on the wall picked out in brick, the outline of what could only at one time
have been a door.