Guilty Pleasures
Scrumping and communion wine.
Nowadays my life
consists of relaxation;
I’m happy to sit,
enjoy a pint
and read the papers.
I’m no longer the kid
of yesteryear,
unruly and full of capers
who had no fear
and, who with my mates,
created mayhem
in the village.
We knew of the Vikings
and of their pillage
but our only plunder
was to scrump apples
from the orchardist.
It was a petty crime
that we couldn’t resist
for which we felt no guilt.
It gave us pleasure
to savour those delicious
cox’s orange pippins.
Always on the lookout
for a hidden treasure
we found it in the cellar
of the parish priest.
Our evil design,
for which we felt no shame,
was to have a taste
of the communion wine.
Everything went fine
and for this infraction
we escaped all blame
© Luigi Pagano 2021
A charming reflection on the self that was. When we were of that age before the logic button was activated in our psyche, we all did things that gave us pleasure without necessarily thinking of the consequences. I think you have written this in a really easily read way, that creates – perhaps empathetic – images inside the reader’s mind. Great write, Liuigi.
Allen
Even though we were immature kids, we still employed a certain kind of logic. We knew that by picking those apples we weren’t committing any actual crrime because they would eventually fall and rot on the ground if not picked and also that the farmer would gladly give them to us if asked. As for the wine, we reasoned that it was freely offered to communicants and therefore not a punishable offence if we sampled its taste.
An excellent evocation of our childhood capers. And haven’t we all scrumped? Come to think of it – I still do! Yes, one that remains in memory – nice one Luigi.
Dodge
Thanks Dodge. Good to see you well-rested after your brief stay in your cabin. I have been quite busy with unliterary pursuits such as watching tennis and football on TV and have neglected to comment on the excellent writing of the talented ukaneers. I shall make amends at some point.Cheers for now.