"It's a free country!" is the phrase that is most often heard on our estate. "It's a man's world!" is the one lots of girls come out with. (They have a steely glint in their eyes when they say it which means it is not going to stay that way for much longer). "Looking for something to do!" is what kerb-scuffing kids say on lacklustre grey overcast days. "More than flesh and blood can stand!" and "Hindsight is no good!" what Displaced Persons whose lives have been ruined by war are heard to say. The old man is always coming across "tenth-rate punks" when he goes into town. (His punks are always "tenth-rate": so what would a "first-rate" punk look like?") My cousin from South Wales says he will knock anyone who is looking for trouble "into the middle of next week!" (And he would). "No bloody use to anyone!" is the phrase that always springs to people's minds when they gaze across at the Smiley's prefab.
The old man remains a shade bitter about being turned down by the armed services (on undisclosed health grounds) after he tried to sign up in 1939. If they had let him join might have ended up "dying in the western desert" (another favourite phrases.) The old man helped build the floating Mulberry Harbours that were used in the D-Day invasion. So although he will never know the camaraderie of a Royal Legion Club his labouring efforts made a difference.
"So what did you do in the war?" I once accusingly asked him as a young kid as we ate marmalade and toast on the kitchen table. "I was in the Japanese Navy!" was his lightening reply.