Snowballed At The Mill

 

Snowballed At The Mill
By Paul McCann

 

It was 1947 when the bid freeze had come and on the streets of Ardoyne the first heavy snow
fall landed .. A young lad from old Ardoyne decided to have a bit of fun and so he got dressed quickly and made his way to his friends Skeeters house . 

It must have been about five in the morning when Spud whistled out in front of Skeeters back yard bedroom window . then he  rolled up a few snowballs then threw them at the window pane . 

Skeeter eventually opened the window to see whatwas going on .

"Come on Skeeter  . I want to show you some thing"
.Said Spud standing there in the yard below .

Skeeteryawned and said ,
"Spud , what time is it ?"

'It's time we were on our way Skeeter . Come on , hurry up will he and get some clothes on
before it’s too late ." Spud replied .

Skeeter was soon dressed and walked out the door still half asleep with a puzzled look on his face .
"Where are we going Spud ?" He said .
"Follow me " Said Spud

and off they went down Butler street towards Flax street . Spud walked down the street so fast that Skeeter  had trouble keeping up with him . Finally Spud stopped and pointed up to the roof of
a building adjacent to Rosebank spinning mill . 
He started to climb up a desk  pipe with Skeeter looking on , . Once he scrambled he was looking down from the roof .  

“Don’t stand gawking Skeeter . Come on up “

Skeeter followed climbing up the pope and was soon up there with Spud looking down on the street
below and  said , 
"Is this what you want to show me ?"

'Spud pushed some snow from the edge of the roof and said ,

"Everybody will soon be on their way to the start work at Rosebank “

Skeeter was not amused ,
"So what ." He said 

"So what , , listen  Skeeter  . Look at that . When was the last time you saw snow this thick ?"
He asked .

Skeeter  had to think for a moment and replied .
"This thick . I don't think I've ever seen it this thick Spud ."

"Exactly ." Spud said .

A few moments passed . Skeeter was still none the wiser .

He looked at Spud who was watching the street below .
"Spud I know the snow is thick but what are we doing up here at the crack of dawn on the roof of a building in Flax Street 
" "It’s wake up time Skeeter . Look , do you see how thick the snow is and so now we are going to have some fun . It won’t be long until they come Skeeter  so we’ve time to get ready Lets go ."

Spud began to make snow balls  and urged Skeeter to do the same . They piled up their  snow balls near the edge of the roof . Even though Skeeter was helping he still hadn't a clue what was going on .

“Right they’re starting to come , so wait for my signal  " Spud said .

The first group of factory mill  workers were coming along in their overcoats along Flax Street . 

The group of young girls walking arm in arm on their way to work unknowing of what was about
happen .,

Spud could hardly keep a straight face with the anticipation of what was about to happen
. 

He waited until the girls were directly underneath the roof where he stood and then he  gave the signal to Skeeter and said , 

“ Now start firing down snowballs at them “

As Skeeter threw snowballs Spud started pushing snow off the roof like an avalanche falling down
off  the edge and with Charlies snowballs the girls all squealed and ran  .

Both of  the  lads were in stitches laughing .Buckled over in fits of laughter The two lads and waited fortheir next victims to pass by . 

"That was a laugh Spud . You must have been sitting up all night thinking about that  .

"There's only enough snow left on the roof for maybe one more dump so lets get it all ready .

After a few moments, there was another  group of young girls almost in the line of fire . 

Again the unsuspecting girls were bombarded with balls of snow that were sitting in piles on the roof above . Some of thegirls laughed and some of them were furious . 

But when all was said and done it was just boys having a bit of fun .

Somebody must have informed the peelers because a van came along Flax street  stopping almost at the spot we’re Spud and Skeeter were up on the roof .

Two big police men left the van and as they did Spud shouted  

“ Let them have it Skeeter “

Whatever snowballs were left were thrown down from the roof before Spud showed the escape route to another drainpipe  behind the wall . They off they run up Butler street and disappeared into one of the back yards in fits of laughter . 
After they  stopped laughing Spud said ,

“ Later we will catch them on their way home from  the bottom of the Brompton .

 

Skeeter was trying to keep from bursting out in a fit of laughter and said 

"Spud I'd think they would appreciate that ."
Later in the day they were ready and waiting with a big pile of snowballs ready for firing .

 

The End 

 

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