Michael and Matthew (clearly in the midst of a perennial growth spurt) often played soccer in Horse & Dolphin Yard. The Ball, the subject of this next story was not a deflated football. To take these photographs I must have been standing outside the door of our flat.
On another occasion two gentlemen, to my left, somewhat the worse for having consumed a quantity of the cheapest possible intoxicating liquid, sprawled against each other in a corner on the floor. Michael and his friend Eddie were playing with a tennis ball. Soon, my son came running up the stairs to inform me that one of the imbibers had taken their ball. Naturally I descended into the yard to persuade the gent to give up his spoils.
The man’s fingers still clutched the ball, even though he was now dead.
I called the police who arrived quite quickly. The officer in charge, whilst arranging for disposal of the body, instructed me to send Michael inside because he shouldn’t be seeing this. It didn’t seem politic to argue, so I quietly suggested to the fifteen-year-old that he would get a better view from an upstairs window. Up he went.
There were no blue and white tapes applied to keep out sightseers, and no chalk outlines were made. Clearly this was not really considered to be the scene of a crime. Except possibly the snatching of the ball. In the circumstances, I was prepared to overlook that.
Like all of Chinatown, the yard looks rather different now.
I can see how this memory is one that wouldn’t be soon forgotten, if ever. How odd that he died with the ball still in his hand.
Yes. Thanks a lot, Carol
That is a spectacular transformation.
Almost 50 years on the area is transformed
That’s so sad, Derrick. I wonder what they were drinking? The place looks very different!
Thanks a lot, John. Probably meths
Oh my!
Thank you very much, VJ
You’re welcome Derrick. I just keep imagining that would not be an image you could get out of your mind. Certainly one for the family history books.
Yes
Derrick, that is one heck of a story! Worthy of a “holy cats.” You have led a very interesting life. My seems quite dull by comparison.
Thank you so much, Laurie
What a transformation.
Yes. so very different, Sheree. Thanks very much
You have seen and done more in your lifetime than most people would have in several lifetimes. You had quite a few adventures in that one place alone!
Thanks very much, Lavinia. Looking back in toto it is quite a lot.
I agree, Lavinia!
What a story!! How odd that the man took the ball and promptly died.
Very. Thanks very much, Liz
You’re welcome, Derrick.
Here’s the plotline for a story: the man clutching the ball, in his last moments, was thinking it was a human hand offering a gesture of compassion.
That would be wonderful, Linda. Thanks very much
Amazing story. Your life has not lacked for adventure.
Thank you very much, Pat
Such a story, Derrick! I wonder if the man intended to toss the ball back but died before he could?
That would be a nice thought, Merril. Thanks very much
You’re welcome. I just told older child, who is visiting, about this incident.
That’s what I was thinking! “A little help?” is what we used to say as kids when we lost our ball & it went towards someone. Perhaps the effort was too much.
Perhaps
💔
How the yard has changed. And I’m imagining the earlier shot in the dark with lights, too. Hard to believe it’s the same place. And good heavens what a story. I find it amusing at different times in my life when I had other adults instruct me on what I should be allowing my own child to see. I love the way you dealt with it. Ha!!
Thank you so much, Crystal
Really like the yard the way it looks in the photo.
Thanks very much, Rabirius
Same here rabirius, it had so much interest to it, not sterile at all.
How we try to protect the young from the reality of life never seems to amaze me. I assume he didn’t because lightning stroke him when he snatched the ball?
Quite so, Bridget. Thanks very much
Wow! I didn’t see that coming. Death can strike us down within the fleeting moment of catching a ball.
Yes, indeed, Rosaliene. Thank you very much
Nowadays, Michael would have been sent directly to therapy and this would have become the sum total of his life story. (I would have sent my kids up to watch from the vantage point as well. 😏)
Thank you so much, AnneMarie
Exactly my thoughts, Anne Marie.
A fascinating account for a variety of reasons, not least of which the man dying whilst clutching the tennis ball he had presumably just caught. It was wise to suggest to Michael he would have a better view from upstairs – especially as he had already been exposed to the dead man!
Exactly. Thanks very much, Anne
What an amazing story, Derrick! I can remember all the meths drinkers that used to congregate up Deptford High Street when I was a housing officer. What a dangerous drink it was but it was affordable and ‘hit the spot’! I think you dealt with the situation perfectly. Was the dead man’s companion aware that his friend had died?
I really don’t know, Clare. That is a good question. Thanks very much
Brothers and their friend…what adventures find them! 😮 Yikes! and sad! 🙁
Did you get the ball back!? 😉
This is one memory that would not ever be forgotten.
You handled everything well, Dad!
(((HUGS)))
Thank you so much, Carolyn. I don’t remember about the ball X
Did Michael realize that the man was dead?
Yes – when I did. Thanks very much, Dolly
My pleasure, Derrick.
i love the way you sent Michael upstairs for a better view. Sounds like a happy way to die, fielding until the end.
Let us hope so, Sue. Thank you very much.
Interesting story and graffiti! I imagine Anna and Marc? Marg? had a better experience.
Thank you very much, JoAnna. I, too, wondered about Anna and Mar
What an interesting story, and the comments are fascinating also. I might have made some of them if others hadn’t beaten me to it. If there was true justice, it would have been the man who deflated the football, but that is an uncharitable thought on my part. I have them from time to time. Actually…I seem to be getting them more often with all the arguments within the family network as to whether to vaxx or not – but, as usual, I digress.
At fifteen, and in that era, Michael did not need that advice, but it probably came from a good place. Maybe the policeman was thinking there’d be time enough for him to see these grimmer events. But I do think our culture does us a disservice by making us look at death as something frightening. Maybe not the nicest way to go, but it sounds quick and “peaceful”, after a fashion.
As always, my eye is drawn to what is in the back of the photo. “Anna + Marg”, presumably a same sex couple, would have been trailblazing their publicly announced relationship fifty years ago. Even though London was a trendsetting place, Chinatown would have had a number of socially conservative inhabitants. That’s my take on it anyway.
Thank you very much, Gwen. Actually I was intrigued by Anna and Marg, too.
What a story. I have a few too. While living in the East Side Marc was apprehended by a man with a knife and his accomplice in the hall outside our apartment. The accomplice said, that’s not the one.
Phew. Thank goodness for the accomplice. Thanks very much, Sherry
Gosh, what a thing to happen. I’ve never seen a real dead body, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Robbie. I have, unfortunately, seen a few
Oh wow! You’ve really seen a lot in that place! But really, he died with his fingers still clutched on the ball 🙁
He did, indeed, Ribana. Thanks very much
Oh my gosh, Derrick. You’ve lived through some extraordinary times. I hope your son wasn’t traumatized by the event.
Thanks very much, Alys. He wasn’t