A 1950's Childhood (Roger the Yoyo Champion) For my late brother Roger By David Hulson
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"It was like watching a professional footballer training for a cup final" For the best part of the week, well since last Saturday when my Brother Roger got through to the final of the Yoyo Championship he'd been practicing for this final , With his loops ,walking the dog ,the double bass,plus loads of ticks he had invented. "He was the master of his art, in this day and age he would have been called Grasshopper in preparation to become the Master" He knew the kid who was to be his main competition and he wasn't afraid ,and he knew he could take him,and for that matter anyone else who got in his way. It was the Friday before the big day at the local flea pit in Chorlton ,and tomorrow in front of 200 kids who would turn up to watch Flash Gordon and the Clay men, he had to be perfect in fact he would have to be in tip top condition for the intermission talent show ,and without thinking he would walk about the house doing his little tricks, But as he was practicing his loops,his Yoyo string snapped. S#*^$â‚Źâ‚Ź ! said Roger As his Yoyo flew across the room. 2
" I never knew my Brother knew so many swear words ,secretly I was quite impressed" I've got no spare string he said,David where's your Yoyo ,(now I was less than useless with a yoyo ,when I used it it would smash it into my face ,and it was also made up of two odd Yoyo stuck together but it worked) Roger took it and flipped it this way and that way and did some loops with it, then gave his verdict, Balance is okay but not brilliant, but it would have to do. "My Yoyo in the final of the Yoyo championship , actually I was quite chuffed" That night Roger went to bed early in preparation for Saturday, he wanted to be well rested. Saturday morning he was practicing before breakfast ,he had rubbed talcum powder on the sting of the Yoyo to make it super smooth , if it was a dry string that could get tangled he said. it was getting nearer the time to go to the cinema ,Dad we said any chance of our spends now . What's the rush said dad . It's our Roger he's in the final of the Yoyo Championship, "North West" I said ,as if the last part made a difference . 3
There you go said dad ,giving us our spends and take care. But we were gone ,running down Bishop street and cutting down the back entry's and side roads to Upper Chorlton Road ,and there we saw the kids queueing up outside the Gaumont cinema . Keep the noise down said the door man in his long dress coat with gold braids and a peaked hat and white gloves, stay in line now or you won't get in. Then the main doors opened. Remember keep the noise down ,or else. What a pointless remark by the commissionaire, there was no way he could control 200 Screaming kids. Alright now he said keep in line kids ,but it was too late they ignored him and pushing and fighting they passed him and crowded into the foyer of the cinema. Roger paid for the two of us ,go he shouted over the noise and we ran into the theatre, Here said Roger choosing his seat with care ,mid way down and the end seat on the Isle. (This seat is easy to get out of when the ice cream lady passes on her way to appear as if by magic in front of the stage) 4
Soon the 200plus kids had swarmed over all the seats like locus over a green field. Sit down and don't move Dave or we could loose these seats said Roger as he pushed me down Into the seat. Then the Manager came onto the stage from the wings and stood in front of the red valves curtains. Good morning boys and girls said the Manager waving his hands in the air ,and welcome to the Saturday club. Cheering and whooping greeted him . Settle down now, he said in a raised voice, today we have a special treat it's the Cisco kid ,it's a cowboy picture ,where our hero goes to the aid of some friendly Indians ,and Then in the intermission when refreshments are on sale ,at a reasonable price, we'll be having the Talent Show ,and there's lots on prizes on offer, and it's also the final for The North Wests Yoyo Champion, and that's not all, its part two of Flash Gordon And the Clay Men, so let's dim the lights and start the film. Once again the whooping and cheering started, and the manager left the stage with the red velvet curtains opening behind him,darkness descended on the audience,and before the curtains were fully opened the film was showing on them. 5
"You can't beat a good western ,you knew who the good guy was strait away by the colour of his hat" For over an hour all the kids were galloping along with the Cisco Kid ,firing invisible guns and slapping their bums as if they were slapping the hind quarters of Horse . (Well would you believe it the good guy won again) Well the kids enjoyed that ,once again whooping greeted the closing of the velvet curtains and the lights going up. Wasn't that that exciting children said the manager coming back on the stage , Next week it's Zorro, and as he was speaking the usherettes appeared at the base of the stage .if you'll form orderly queues you'll all get served ,the ladies then turned on there tray lights ,that means there open ,but kids were already there with penny's in hand ,ice creme tubs ,rocket lollies ,jubblies the ladies were saying as sight of them disappeared behind hundreds of kids. "God almighty it must have been frightening for them girls" Take care there said the manager , I think he was talking to the ladies not the kids. Well now he said we've got some time , so we're going to have our talent show now . 6
Any children who want to show us what yo can do form a line at this side of the stage he said ,pointing at the stairs up to the stage. Roger returned to his seat, got two tubs of ice Creme for us he said, looking at the queue of kids ready to go on the stage ,he said the first five have no chance , the kids are to busy licking and sucking there ices to clap. The manager introduced the acts one by one . He's right Ya know I thought ,as I watched the singing little girl, the boy who played a tune on his Combe ,one who whistles ,two girls who were skipping and singing at the same time, "then he introduced the other local kids the Gibb boys they did quite a few different Saturday clubs at various cinemas" Boys and girls singing the theme from the T V series Robin Hood and they live just across the road it's the Gibb Lads, (actually the one who strummed the guitar wasn't to bad ) they always won ,because they sang the tunes that all the kids knew stuff like Robin Hood ,whiplash, or some such ditti. Anyway back to the story the prizes were given out ,things like Cinema tickets for next week vouchers for ice creme ,sweets ,toys or may be a Zorro play costume .
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By this time all the kids had finished eating so now they were clapping and cheering. And finally said the Manager it's what you've all been waiting for its the final of of the the North West Yoyo Championships And the prize is ,the Manager lifts a Blue sleeveless pullover emblazoned with the words "YOYO CHAMPION in GOLD" my brother wanted this more than anything else in the world. Will the Yoyo finalists please come to the stage said the Manager ,once again he pointed to the stage step and out of his pocket he took a slip of paper a read out a list of names Roger was one of the six. The finalists all lined up,and as they climbed up the stage steps the Manager in a loud voice called their names ,and the crowd roared and cheered. Right Gang said the Manager ,form a large semi circle ,I'll shout out the tricks and you perform them , any mistakes and your out of the competition, and you return to your seats okay. All the finalists nodded. they could do, so he repeated his list but insisted they go quicker. 8
"Now it dawned on me that the kids in the audience were betting bored with the two lads on the stage ,and the manager was short on time as he wanted to start the next part of the show ". finally Rogers rival cocked up his sting had tangled , Boys and girls shouted the manager we have a winner of the north West Yoyo championship, Master Roger Hulson. This was greeted with whooping and cheering from all the kids . There you go son ,said the Manager as he presented the winner with his Championship Pullover and his certificate and free passes to the Saturday Club. Before Roger had even left the stage the Manager had announced the start of the movie as the lights were dimming , boys and Girls now its time for Flash Gordon and the Clay men "episode two" . But we never got to see Flash Gordon as Roger and I were heading for the doors and daylight. outside Roger put his championship pullover on and swung his coat around and around his head as he ran down the road . "Champions did that in the 50's
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Thirty plus years later, Roger was married with a son of his own, And I had found at the back of a draw in my house his little Yoyo Champion Pullover , I gave it back to my brother who said he'd forgotten all about it . And that was the last time I saw it, On a final note here's a tip ....Always put talc on your Yoyo string.
Roger Hulson Yo Yo Champion
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