The Boy who hated Football
They thought he was strange
But they were the ones in the rain
And it was he who was dry
Behind his window pane
He’d just shake his head
Scrunch his face when they’d call
For he was the boy who hated football
“Come on Charley, we’re short on our team”
But Charley just shrugged as if in a dream
So despite they being down and short of a man
Charley headed for town, for the day, on the tram.
He just didn’t get the fuss with the chase
And kicking a ball at speed round the place
“Why cant they like books and fishing and kites?
Or reading a comic in bed with a light?
And why put their jumpers on the wet grass?
I’d rather watch worms in my magnifying glass.
And then there’s the shouting, the fighting, trouble and toil
I’d rather find spiders on the double in soil.
Then when they tackle, they grimace and harden, I’d rather the fun
I have in the garden.
“Oh Come on Charley, don’t let us down.”
But Charley wouldn’t listen but walk by and frown
Then on a Sunday and it warm and hazy, they started to laugh
They thought he was crazy.
For when they were picking the names for the team
Charley announced he was off to the museum.
He was not being awkward, it was ‘cos he could.
He’d rather see paintings than roll round in the mud.
After a while, they neglected to call, and it was a given
About Charley and ball.
But he didn’t care, he stuck to his guns
He was happy he was having more fun.
But a year went by and Charley turned eleven, and a new girl moved in
An angel from heaven.
Well that’s what he thought and she could sing like a lark
But really she lived in the house by the park.
All Summer they spent catching fish on their hooks, watching for rainbows
And reading great books.
Charley was in love all soft like a kitten,
You could say it quite sure, Charley was smitten.
But the girl who he loved, one could say quite truly
Was a secretive type, (she was called Julie)
For she loved to fish, read and cahort
But she also was fit and was mad into sport.
“Charley,” she said, “Would you do anything for me?”
He said that he would as she sat on his knee.
“Well it’s just that I like to play ball with the boys
The same as I like to play with you and your toys.
Well it’s just that they’re short and need two more to play”
Charley was startled not sure what to say.
“Would you please do it? This one time for me?”
Charley stood up, Julie jumped from his knee.
She looked at his face, troubled, alone
As he walked away, sad and forlorn.
“Where are you going??”
She cried out in fear
“I’ll be back in a minute...I’m going home for my gear.”
And that was the story of Charley + co
Who now smacks the ball with his big shiny toe
The moral if there is one of Julie and all
Is that she changed Charley to the boy who loves ball.
They thought he was strange
But they were the ones in the rain
And it was he who was dry
Behind his window pane
He’d just shake his head
Scrunch his face when they’d call
For he was the boy who hated football
“Come on Charley, we’re short on our team”
But Charley just shrugged as if in a dream
So despite they being down and short of a man
Charley headed for town, for the day, on the tram.
He just didn’t get the fuss with the chase
And kicking a ball at speed round the place
“Why cant they like books and fishing and kites?
Or reading a comic in bed with a light?
And why put their jumpers on the wet grass?
I’d rather watch worms in my magnifying glass.
And then there’s the shouting, the fighting, trouble and toil
I’d rather find spiders on the double in soil.
Then when they tackle, they grimace and harden, I’d rather the fun
I have in the garden.
“Oh Come on Charley, don’t let us down.”
But Charley wouldn’t listen but walk by and frown
Then on a Sunday and it warm and hazy, they started to laugh
They thought he was crazy.
For when they were picking the names for the team
Charley announced he was off to the museum.
He was not being awkward, it was ‘cos he could.
He’d rather see paintings than roll round in the mud.
After a while, they neglected to call, and it was a given
About Charley and ball.
But he didn’t care, he stuck to his guns
He was happy he was having more fun.
But a year went by and Charley turned eleven, and a new girl moved in
An angel from heaven.
Well that’s what he thought and she could sing like a lark
But really she lived in the house by the park.
All Summer they spent catching fish on their hooks, watching for rainbows
And reading great books.
Charley was in love all soft like a kitten,
You could say it quite sure, Charley was smitten.
But the girl who he loved, one could say quite truly
Was a secretive type, (she was called Julie)
For she loved to fish, read and cahort
But she also was fit and was mad into sport.
“Charley,” she said, “Would you do anything for me?”
He said that he would as she sat on his knee.
“Well it’s just that I like to play ball with the boys
The same as I like to play with you and your toys.
Well it’s just that they’re short and need two more to play”
Charley was startled not sure what to say.
“Would you please do it? This one time for me?”
Charley stood up, Julie jumped from his knee.
She looked at his face, troubled, alone
As he walked away, sad and forlorn.
“Where are you going??”
She cried out in fear
“I’ll be back in a minute...I’m going home for my gear.”
And that was the story of Charley + co
Who now smacks the ball with his big shiny toe
The moral if there is one of Julie and all
Is that she changed Charley to the boy who loves ball.