You could reasonably ask why this early photograph of me was in any way related to the theme image for Sepia Saturday 209 which features a charabanc. And I would answer, in all reasonableness, that it's all about a journey. The journey started on the charabanc, for I was sure that I had a photograph somewhere in my collection of family photographs of my grandfather and grandmother aboard an open-top chara en-route to some seaside resort.
So I went on a journey through my shoe-box and tracked it down. It's a fine old sepia photograph which shows off the charabanc in all its splendor. But then I began to realise that I might have used this photograph before on Sepia Saturday, so I started a journey through my old posts only to discover that it features in my post for Sepia Saturday 98, way back in October 2011.
So it was beginning to look as though all these journeys were getting me nowhere, but then I remembered that journeys are not just about reaching places, they are about what you discover on the way.
For example, whilst I was searching through my old blog posts, I discovered that I had written about the word charabanc before, in a post about the removal of certain words which are now supposed to be archaic from the Collins English Dictionary - and yes, charabanc was on that list. And whilst I was searching through the shoe-box to track down the charabanc photograph, I discovered this picture of me riding my scooter from the mid-1950s. I know what you are going to say, that I won't get very far with the stand down and the scooter securely balanced. But you need to build up your confidence before you start a journey - and get your photograph taken at the same time. That's reasonable enough, isn't it?
SEE WHAT THE OTHER SEPIANS ARE UP TO FOR SEPIA SATURDAY 209 BY GOING TO THE SEPIA SATURDAY BLOG AND FOLLOWING THE LINKS.
Love your sensible Clark's sandals.
ReplyDeleteEven if I did not know you are British, this photo would tell me right away that this was not an American boy getting ready to ride on his scooter. The necktie is a dead giveaway...
ReplyDeleteLove this photo.
Dee
And I do like a good knitted vest.
ReplyDeleteVery reasonable indeed!
ReplyDeleteI also had a scooter, but didn't like it that much. Preferred the side-walk version of roller skates actually, but perhaps that was a year or two later.
ReplyDeleteDays in short trousers; I remember them well.
ReplyDeleteAll your journeys are adventures, Alan, even those that are stationary.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a brand new scooter; no wonder you were pleased! Bring back the word charabanc I say!
ReplyDeleteNever heard of a charabanc before. And now that I have, I find that I'm not supposed to use it? Unfair.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the beginning of a new year will be an awesome journey for all of us!
ReplyDeleteHa! Ha! I was wondering what your post would be when I read your comment in the Sepia comments after posting this morning. Very delightful you are, and Alan, my first scooter had that very same (well not quite the same, mine what pure white and thicker) but a stand just like that. But it was off more than on in my world. Hehehehe!
ReplyDeleteI would like to say I will remember this word charabanc, but no I'm afraid I won't. I'm still not even sure what a charabanc is.
ReplyDeleteMighty fine scooter Alan.
Well done, from a bus to a scooter, including scooting off to a seaside resort. I would like to hear more about the chara. Were there more passengers. Was the trip to be long, with the top down? This sort of vehicle carries folks around amusement parks and zoos. And airports. Do they have a new name?
ReplyDeleteI'm still sore that I only got a scooter and not a bike when I was a kid. You look to be enjoying yours more than I enjoyed mine.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you are full of adventure there on your scooter. Or maybe just to get your photo taken.
ReplyDeleteAnd that looks like a reasonable vegetable garden off to the side. Someone with green thumbs ?
ReplyDeleteAnd now the kids scooter has become all the rage again with a little change in design that let's you do all kinds of tricks.
ReplyDeleteWhat an adorable little boy you were! And I love the tie and the short trousers.
ReplyDeleteMany boys in this country dressed like this in the 50s and 60s. Some in the 70s too. But they wore shoes of a different style, lace ups. I remember these scooters.
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ReplyDeleteRiding scooters to the local primary school seems to be an in craze at the moment. No sure what their parents think when they have to carry the scooter home
ReplyDeleteOh what a happy smile on his face
ReplyDeleteI do like adventures along the way -- and that is a pretty determined smile, probably much like the man of the journey.
ReplyDeleteI love your scooter photo.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember ever knowing the word "charabanc" before I started participating in Sepia Saturday. It seems to be mainly a British word.
Funny you should be discussing the demise of the word "charabanc" because as I've been reading everyone's contributions this week, I've been amazed that everyone else seems to know the word while I'm just now discovering it. Apparently I'm too late to use it in everyday conversation.
ReplyDeleteYour scooter photograph reminded me so much of my brother - the haircut, the Clark sandals, short trousers, v-nck pullover - and the smile. And how often do you see small boys wearing ties nowadays outside formal occasions.
ReplyDeleteI love your scooter photograph! What a great smile you look thrilled! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is really awesome. Thank you so much for sharing this article with us.
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