Then they came to my house to do the ‘two ups’. I made a few bob out of that!

I was working in McCombs – back and forward – for a while. Mrs McComb was very strict and maybe when I’d worked for her a month or two, we’d fall out for a while.

I remember one time her husband John bought a new bucket – a brand new bucket – for washing the byre. That was my job, washing the byre. Well, that wee bridge down there – yes, there! (pointing) - across the river, was where I’d fill it. The river was full right up to the bridge this time, so I went out.

This was just the second or third time I had the new bucket. It was a big, big bucket. Came right up to my waist!

Anyway when I went to fill it, the force of the river and the weight of water pulled it right out of my hand!

Away went the bucket, down the river!

Well, here I am – what am I going to do?

A brand new bucket. In them days a new bucket was ‘something else’!

Well, I did nothing! What could I do?

Another fall-out was for certain!