Sunday 13th October

After the recent stormy weather the ground was covered in conkers.  Mostly small ones, not the huge smooth rounded monsters of my youth.  But maybe that is because I was so much smaller then, I’m larger than that now (Sorry, Bob).  I remember Wagon Wheels as seeming to be enormous, you had to nibble round the edges, now you can eat them in two bites.  But as a kid I was bonkers for conkers.  Each year, each Autumn I couldn’t wait for the fall of the conkers.  I would collect bags full, then examine them and select what I thought were the best for conker fighting.

This was a free toy and long enough before Christmas to fill the gap after your Birthday.  We only had toys at Christmas and Birthdays back then, not every week like now.  So, conkers were fabulous.  You would soak them in vinegar, even boiling them sometimes, baking them in the oven, all to achieve that essential conker attribute – hardness.  All over the playground would be circles of boys waiting to challenge the winner, taking it in turns to try and smash the current champion.  Strings would tangle and fouls be called, but we never tired of conkers for weeks.   Eventually bonfire night would take over and the conkers, now cracking and peeling would be discarded.

But now, most years I do look forward to conkers, and still like to find a fresh one, all cloudy and polish it up all shiny and new. Pop it in my pocket and save it for those quiet moments.  One of natures miracles.