132 Carmichael Street – Weekends

Stanley Greaves

By Stanley Greaves

FRIDAY

This was payday. Waterfront workers received wages from the pay office of companies. My father’s was Sandbach Parker Ltd. Sometimes when he was working elsewhere I had to take his tag, a piece of round copper stamped  with a number, to receive his pay. Men in the line seeing me in Saint’s uniform and books would ask questions about my identity. They were most pleased to see the son of one of them attending such a school and  would promptly send me to the head of it as “Sweetie Greaves’ son”. I never found out how my Dad got that name; if it had anything to do with his guitar playing.