Happy Radio

 Ushered in, in silence
Blind folded for secrecy
Sat in the front parlour
My excitement building
Was it the bicycle?
Or large red fire truck
I’d been asking for
Was it a puppy?
Or maybe a kitten
It had to be something big
Too much ceremony
To be unimportant
I heard granny’s voice
“Are you ready?”
She fumbled removing
The black blindfold
My eyes squinted
Taking in the light
I focused my eyes
There was Aunty Anne
Sitting with her knitting
Uncle Frank snoozing
And her from next door
Nosey old cow
Gran grabbed my head
And turned it to face
What the hell was it?
It looked like a wardrobe
For a very small man
Or maybe a coffin
Standing up-ended
Probably for a midget
“Ok, Gran, what is it?”
“Look!” She said
She opened both doors
“There, what do you think?”
She proudly said
I was none the wiser
There were 4 black Knobs
A green and yellow
Glass dial with numbers
It looked like something
From Flash Gordon
Only encased in dark wood
She turned the biggest knob
A loud click
A loud electrical hum
Some hissing
I thought it might explode
She fiddled with another knob
Strange sounds emanated
She fiddled more
More strange sounds
Then I heard it
“Wait Gran!” I shouted
“It’s music, its music”
“Yes” she said,
“It’s an electric radio”
We sat there for hours
There was music
There was chat
There was even a man
Telling jokes
And all from inside
This wee man’s coffin
From that point on
Many a night was spent
Me and Gran
Sitting round
Listening to the sound
Of what became
Our Happy Radio