Crunch time for Roy Rogers and Trigger

HOLiDay time in the early 1950s was bliss; no electronic distractions, apart from the odd visit to the local cinema, to watch westerns. it was a special occasion for us kids and we would stock up with provisions. We were thrilled by the sight of roy rogers and trigger liberating the little town by single-handedly taking on and defeating dozens of marauding savages. after saving the day, it was time for our hero to woo the local sweetheart. this part was pure anathema to us. So when we spotted roy reaching for his guitar, about to burst into song, that was our ‘trigger’ to get stuck into various treats. in my case this was Smith’s crisps, along with the blue bag containing enough salt to wreck every one of my young internal organs twice over. Meanwhile, there on the big screen, roy was desperately trying to serenade the girl, competing against the cacophony of dozens of kids all munching, chewing, chomping, gnawing, crunching, slurping and burping. roy didn’t stand a chance, unable for the first time to call the shots; it was the only battle he lost all day. He didn’t recapture our attention until every single crisp, sweet and cake had been devoured. this time roy faced new dangers, doing battle against Jesse James’s gang, Billy the Kid and half the Sioux nation. it didn’t take him long to sort that lot out, before once again returning to his sweetheart which, fortunately, we didn’t see, for we had already left and were halfway home, wondering what Mum had prepared for tea. For we were starving.

David H. Cox, Kidlington, Oxford.