Liverpool Middle Teens

Book excerpt: No longer a schoolboy but now a youth embarking on a fresh start. He sensed the significant changes in the air as World War II had just ended. Nations, both victors and vanquished, were scrambling to adapt their economies for peace, sparking an atmosphere of serious excitement about the impending transformation. ‘I’m leaving school this Easter,’ he announced to the September Road boys before descending from the low stone wall and making his way home, bidding his ‘byes’. He was about to join the ranks of the unemployed. ‘Ship’s Engineer or an apprentice to it, perhaps?’ his father had suggested. However, the title ‘Marine Engineer’ was not part of his parents’ final job considerations for him. The subject soon became as obsolete as the proverbial dodo – his first disappointment. The challenge of finding a job as a young adult had begun, and his life progressed. He was eager to demonstrate enthusiasm and willingness to work. Setting aside these challenges, he found solace in his reflective moods, comforted by the breathtaking glamour of Hollywood screen actress Rita Hayworth. Her latest film had introduced him to her new visage, now occupying his quieter moments with a vision that both calmed and thrilled him.