‘ello ‘ello ‘ello

I have 'toyed' with this story for a long time! I am sure if you do not think it appropriate you will not put it to print.

 Tut, tut, Robin, we print anything and everything in 'The Mitre'

 Bearing in mind the fact that I have been retired from the Metropolitan Police Force for 17 years, the story I am about to relate must be 30 or more years old!

 One sunny day, whilst I was patrolling a street in South-East London, I saw a boy in a familiar school uniform coming towards me with his Mum. I spoke to them and told them that I had attended the same school until 1956. Mum did look a little surprised I must say.

 It was only some weeks or months later, while I was recalling the meeting between the boy and his Mum, I realised why his Mum's expression was one of surprise.

 My Police Station had received a message from the Norfolk Constabulary asking for a home visit to ascertain the whereabouts of an absconder from St. Michael's School, Ingoldisthorpe. This type of message usually relates to an Approved School. Perhaps there is something about my childhood that I cannot remember!! The boy was discovered and returned on more than one occasion to the school. However, the story does not end there.................

 Some years later, when the boy in question was probably in his late teens, I spent a week of night duty guarding a prisoner in a local Hospital who turned out to be that very same boy. He had been shot whilst breaking into a local shop by a not too friendly shopkeeper protecting his stock!

 I always knew that the Church, the Police and crime had many connections with St. Michael's School. To the best of my recollections drugs had not been a problem, well, not during my time!!