"Whenever life is lived to the full, it usually comes with a few surprises; usually nice ones, worthy of savour for future recall. It is strange how one thing often leads to another, especially in situations of the highly anticipated or when a lady says one thing while her mind may think another.
I once recall in my late teens before I went off to Canada for a few years, dating a young woman from Cleckheaton briefly. She was the only daughter of a Police Inspector, a fact itself, which proved sufficient to frighten many male suitors off; especially any who'd ever received a police caution.
One night when her parents were out for the evening, I called around to her house in Cleckheaton to collect her for a dance we were going to. When I saw her, she looked stunning, especially in a big flouncy hat she had the confidence to wear and the looks and carriage to carry it off. Initially, she had decided to go out to the dance in knee-high boots which were then the fashion rage, and carry some dancing shoes in her handbag to change into once we arrived at the event. In short, she was a young woman who was always prepared for any eventuality. She yelled out from upstairs and called for my assistance, as I waited downstairs for her. Her new boots were too tight and were pinching her toes and after she'd tried to change them for footwear more comfortable, she found that they were too tight to get off. She asked me to pull them off for her.
Little was I aware as I tugged at her long boots that graced her long lean legs that she was baiting a trap that she knew I'd willingly enter; at the very least, she was effectively tugging at my heart strings and testing my resolve. One thing led to another and another fine day in my life was rounded off nicely.
Needless to say that we never did manage to make the dance at 'Cleckheaton Town Hall' that Saturday night, but I'd have to confess that we both seemed to make out alright. I have often wondered what would have happened had I finished up on the wrong side of the law again, especially had her parents returned from their meal out sooner than anticipated? Would her father's sense of instant justice have let me off with another caution or might he have risked the forfeiture of his police pension and instead settled for nothing less than the fatherly retribution of a Cleckheaton castration?" William Forde: December 8th, 2016.