Fredericks And Something New 1958 Poem by Terry Collett

Fredericks
was a tall kid
who lived opposite
the school.

He had black
straight hair
parted like Hitler
but without
the moustache.

We weren't friends
just acquaintances
who shared gossip
or new items
or swapped
cigarette cards
of footballers
or movie stars.

One day
he stopped me
outside school.

Hey Coles
you know girls
don't have thingys.

Thingys?
I said.

Yes you know
thingys to pee from.

Kids were passing
going into school
some hung outside
waiting for the bell.

Why not?

Don't know
he said.

How'd you know?
I asked.

He looked back
at his house.

My big brother
has this pin-up
on the door
inside his wardrobe
some nude dame
he said.

How comes
they don't have one?

How do I know
he said.

Maybe it
got a disease
had to have it
taken off
I said.

He didn't
look convinced
don't think so
Coles
he said.

What they
got then?

He shrugged
his shoulders
nothing
just a big bush
he said.

I nodded
looked back
at the school.

You watch
Gunsmoke
with James Arness
last night?
he said.

Yes it was good
I said
but don't think
he's as fast
as Wyatt Earp.

No guess not
or as flashy
as the Cisco Kid
Fredericks said.

A prefect rang
a hand bell
standing on the top
of the outside stairs.

Best go
I said.

Yeah
I might ask
Finn about
the girl's thingy
Fredericks said.

Yeah do that
I said.

He went up
the stairs
two at a time.

I followed
walking slow
that was
something new
I didn't know.