A Shout From The Attic: Derek Brown
Ronnie Bray recalls a boy called Derek Brown - and a callisthenic kick.
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A boy called Derek Brown lived on the Rifle Fields. The houses were built on a former drill hall practice ground, hence the name of the road. Whether any rifles were fired there I do not know. The houses were built for the fire brigade that was then located on Princess Street the bottom side of the town hall.
One day I was at the gate end of the Brown’s drive when a quarrel broke out, I don’t know over what. I was not naturally quarrelsome.
Derek was a very tall boy, and usually placid. Something must have got up his nose and he lashed out at me with his long leg in a vicious attempt to kick me. I grabbed his leg when it reached my waist height and helped it to swing up as far as his head.
He completed the callisthenic by falling onto his back and I completed his discomfort by kicking his back before sauntering off towards home.
We never spoke about the incident after that.
