Fruit Salad Days (8 for a penny)

Rainy, samey school holidays,
no money for excursions,
no middle class museums,
telly stopped at two for the testcard;
Jenny limpet-likely following
even to the loo.

Monopoly, Totopoly, Cluedo, Careers;
too young for these by a handful of years.

Mummy, yummy? Not in those days
of busy curtains, busier carpets;
of Blyton books read in earnest,
hours of arguing right up until tea.
Rain painted windows kept out light,
lamplights on by three.

Buckaroo, Operation, Kerplunk and Jacks
neverending snap with an diamond-light pack.

Liquorice sticks, eight for a penny
of verdigris hue, sticky from other
visits to confectioners corner
-shopping the market in childish
fingers and greedy boys piping
'Fruit Salad, Mister!'

Balloon-rubbing jumpers building up the static;
what was that game with the popomatic?