Wee Johnny's Duffel Bag
Wee Johnny's duffel bag from back in nineteen sixty six,He carried it all over, he said it was his bag of tricks.I remember when he got it. and I lost mine in a brow,And it was filled as much as possible, as the duffel bag could allow.One day in school at playtime, I cut my finger on the gate,Bridget Kane from down my street, said hang on here just wait.She went to fetch wee Johnny, she couldn't have been much faster,Came back with Johnny and his duffel bag, and inside there was a plaster.I was so amazed as he put the plaster on my finger,“They need my bag for a goalpost, so here I must not linger”Off he went with his duffel bag, bursting at the seems,Bridget looked at me and said, he has everything but his dreams.We were only seven back then, we played and had so much fun,I felt sad when Bridget told me Johnny had no mum.His aunty visits in the mornings so his dad can go to work,And when he gets home from school, he's met by Mrs Burke.I became Johnny's pal, from my early days at school,Jaunting around the local parks, and playing the local fool.He carried that bag every day, even at weekends too,Everything you needed from spare socks to mild shampoo.Bridget ,Johnny and myself, we played out through the years,We all left school and went our ways, fond memories filled with our cheers.The last time I seen Johnny was the year before myself and Bridget wed,Must have been when we were nineteen, “I'm off camping” was last he said.The years went by, my family grew, we had a girl and then a boy,We named the girl Duffy, you could guess Johnny was the boy.Because Johnny was a special friend, he shared his bag with us,If you wanted a bar of chocolate, you had chocolate with no fuss.One day he told us about himself, and the fact he had no mum,When at home no one played, back then it wasn't fun.He said we were his only pals, from that day I cut the finger on my hand,And never thought he'd have some pals, it certainly wasn't planned.He carried stuff in his duffel bag so he didn't rely on folk,You'd find all you need, safety pins, needle and threads and coke.A penknife, matches all with his books, pens and pencils too,He even had extra sandwiches, so he could share them just with you.One day with my wife and kids, we jumped into the car for a ride,We decided to go to the country park, where all could run and hide.Duffy's turn to try and find us, as Johnny giggled behind a tree,And on a picnic table there was something for all to see.As we edged out from the forrest, excited, flushed and playful,A duffel bag took centre stage upon the rustic table.We all gazed at the bag in awe, and adjacent was a note,Addressed to Bridget and myself, and sticking out, a new banknote.Dear Bridget and James, I became successful through the missing years,You helped me when I was a boy alone, and dried up all my tears.I know you now have children, please tell them all about me,And the contents of the duffel bag is a thank you so you see.I had no brothers or sisters, no mum and seldom seen my dad,But you and Bridget gave me love, the love I thought I'd never have.So take this money in the bag, it's a million pounds for your kids,Make sure you spoil them in every way that a broken family forbids.All the money in the world never bought me any love,But being kind is free, like flying like a dove.That's how you made me feel, loved with no price tag,So now I reward you and your family, with a brand new duffel bag.Bernie Logue