Line Up

I remember day one at Grammar School
when all the first years were lined up
in the hall and the Headmaster,
Mr David Rees aka The Beast,
fired a list of dos and don’ts at us
in his ‘welcoming’ address
and Bill Oakes (who would,
six years later, become
Head Boy) was so nervous
that he threw up all over the floor.

I’m not sure how I (who would never be made
a Prefect let alone Head Boy) felt?
Probably numb.