Lament of the Chippy

Lament of the Chippy

Now it was nearly always on the night of Friday,
When my Mam had sorted out me Father’s pay,
Our little hearts would skip a beat,
When my Mam said ‘Aye well you can all have your treat’,
Well now you really should have seen us all hop,
When she said, ‘Go on, get your’sels down to the to the fish shop’

Yes then we would dash, laugh, and lick our lips,
At the thought of some steaming fish and chips,
In the queue we would push, shove and chatter,
And bet who would get the most batter,
I’d often ask my brother if he’d lift me higher,
So I could look over the counter and watch the fryer.

He’d then sometimes look at me with a grin
And with a quick dip in the batter the fish were in,
Then he’d set away that clever machine,
That peeled and chipped those ‘tatties’ clean,
Yet sadly times and things do change,
I no longer eagerly queue before the gas range.

Well although there are still chippies around
But what people ask for has a different sound,
Now it’s no longer fish and chips twice,
It’s all chicken, saveloys, chop suey rolls, curry and rice,
Yes those times seem now seem so far away,
As I’m waiting for my King Prawn curry in a Chinese takeaway!