No Fare!

Jimmy's Green Van in the hinterland; photograph Zelda Armit

During the summer holidays some of the boys at 'The Stair' used to wait for Jimmy's Green Van (groceries) to drive off and we would then leap onto the back steps of the vehicle for a free hurl.

Jimmy's Green Van serendipitously caught to the left; photograph Sandra Young

We knew he always drove about one to two hundred yards along Oxgangs Avenue to his next stop. However, on one occasion it was only me who had quietly hopped on; well blimey he must have seen me in the mirror and known what I'd done and presumably thought he'd teach me a lesson.

So, instead of stopping, he kept on driving along Oxgangs Avenue toward Greenbank.

PANIC STATIONS! 

The van had built up speed now and was soon travelling at 30 mph so I couldn't leap off. What the heck was I to do? I was terrified! But what could I do? 

Most fortunately, when the van reached Greenbank it struggled to maintain the speed up the hill toward Greenbank Crescent and slowed down. It was now or never, because at the top of the hill it was all downhill to Morningside. With a ‘leap of faith’ I jumped off backwards taking a quick pitter-patter step, the way we did getting off a moving number 16 bus. I managed to stay upright. 

It was with great relief I’d absconded; I’d escaped and was free to walk happily all the way home back along Oxgangs Avenue to the safety of 'The Stair.' 

I'd lived to fight another day and to enjoy further adventures.