Replete with dinner, just eaten
Mum brought a golden pie in from the kitchen
The jug of custard quickly followed,
“Be careful, the cherries have stones
Just leave them round the side of your dish”.

Soon after we, three boys, each had
Empty dishes decorated with cherry stones
Dad said to the three of us,
“Think of a number between one and fourteen”
I chose ‘five’, Colin ‘eleven’ and Peter ‘fourteen’.

Dad started with my dish
Pointing to each of the stones on my dish rim
He started “Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor
Rich Man” he smiled,, and turned to Colin’s dish
“I’ll start again”, he said.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor, Rich man Poor man
Beggar man thief, Doctor Baker
Fine Shoe Maker he nodded satisfied
“Does that mean I’ll be a cobbler”
Colin asked, with much disappointment?

Peters turn – Tinker Taylor Soldier Sailor
Rich man poor man Beggar man, thief,
Doctor, Baker, Fine shoe maker,
Wise man, Mad man,
Tax man Please.

“What’s a Tax man do” Peter asked?
“He collects all the money owing to the King”
Peter grinned, “I could do that alright” he said!
Yes it was all a bit of fun, as none of it
Came true, later in our lives.

Mike