When we were very young, we lived on a military estate in Norfolk. (UK)
My six year old brother Peter, had a little boy's crush on a housewife called Susan, who lived nearby. She was about twenty two, with blonde hair and I suppose, quite attractive.
One day, I noticed that Peter was watching Susan intently, as she hung out her washing.
I remember she was wearing a pale green summer dress and a floral pinafore with a red frill.
I went up to Peter to ask him what he was doing.
Without looking at me and almost in a dream, he replied.
"I wish she'd peg me on her washing line".
I giggled and said. "Why don't you ask her, you never know, she might do".
Peter looked at me with a slightly scared expression, but I could tell that he was thinking about it. So I said. "Come on then, I'll come with you, and we'll see what she says".
I took Peter's hand and led him to Susan's back door.
He was shaking like a leaf when I knocked on her door, and I held his hand in a vice-like grip.
Susan opened the door and towered above us as she stood on the doorstep, she smiled sweetly and enquired. "Now then, what can I do for you?"
I replied. "Peter has got something to ask you". dropping him in at the deep end.
To my surprise, although he stumbled on his words, Peter asked her shakily.
"Please will you peg me on your washing line?"
Susan giggled and said. "Well, as you asked me so nicely, of course I will".
She wiped her hands on her apron, bent down and picked him up, cradling his bottom with her right arm, as you do when you pick up a small child.
At first, Susan carried Peter into her kitchen, and over to the washing machine. Teasing him she lifted the lid saying. "Shall I put you in my machine first?"
Peter seemed quite scared when he replied. "No, no!"
Susan giggled and said. "OK, I'll just peg you up on my washing line".
She seemed to be making a play of the situation, a really nice thing to do, for Peter's sake.
As she carried him out into the garden, I went back outside, to watch from a short distance, so as not to spoil his moment of glory.
Susan lifted Peter up to her washing line, telling him to reach up to the line, and hold on tight.
The line was the old fashioned sort, strung between two heavy concrete posts, but she could not actually peg him on her line, as there were not any pegs strong enough, besides, it was quite a long drop from the line to the concrete pathway.
Susan stood back with her arms folded and looked at the little boy hanging on her line.
Just then, Peter's friend happened to walk past. He saw Peter hanging there and started laughing.
Suddenly Susan swung around with a stern look. "Hey you!" She shouted. "Do you want me to peg you on my washing line as well?"
He just giggled nervously and ran off.
Susan realised that Peter could not hang there for very long and so she lifted him down.
She gave him a friendly smack on his bottom, telling him to run along, as she had work to do.
Peter was very happy afterwards, I think that the feel of Susan's apron had an effect on him, because I noticed that whenever I was wearing an apron, he would ask me to pick him up.
This was not easy, as he wasn't much smaller than me.
It is a lovely memory from innocent times past.
