This revives memories of a similar Chemistry set related incident during the Yuletide festivities of 1972 when an unexpected explosion took place in my mate’s father’s garage.
The loud bang was accompanied by a an evil smell which resembled a 12 day old bag of used nappies.
As we ran from the rank ammonia stench, out of the corner of my eye, through the smoke I couldn’t help noticing a huge orange burn mark down the side of Anthony’s father’s prized Triumph Herald… ‘that’ll buff out’ I remember thinking…it didn’t and Anthony’s father made haste to the drawer that contained his special ‘Punishment Pump’…a size 13 tennis shoe that had only been used once before (another Yuletide disaster following the ridiculous decision to buy an 11 year old a Christmas Air rifle which after a single shot was hastily confiscated whilst a ‘large’ gentleman neighbour was only minutes into embarking on a New year’s fitness regime but instead of jogging self consciously around the Offerton Avenues he was inadvertently ‘taking a knee’ and screaming obscenities outside the chippy.
We were undone by slow air rifle retraction from his bedroom window due to our over-hysterical reaction.
He staggered clutching his left buttock, to the front door and grassed ‘sniper’ Anthony up…as he limped away we noticed a small but satisfying blood stain on his arse)… like Lee Harvey Oswald his attempted denial failed miserably and he lost not only a fortnight’s ‘grounding’ but his treasured air rifle…he only shot it once but to my mind it was a ‘golden shot!!