Run

We all gathered in the tin shed. Miss Jenny stood on a small stool , in the centre of the small group. 

She was short , and forceful . Then she pronounced ,” Today all will take five rounds “. We all held our breaths . When she made pronouncements like that , you do not contest , you do not protest, you do not even squeak , you just run . Run for your life . 

Then she clapped her hands , an environment friendly gunshot , and we shot out of the shed , higgledy -piggledy , in a jumble , stumbling against each other . 

Miss Jenny was known to sneak up behind stragglers holding their friends’ arms for support , behind bubble gum chewing enthusiasts , and open -mouthed chronic “panters” turning purple blue while panting . Hands would be quickly disengaged , gum spat into grass, and mouths closed . 

I was one of the open -mouthed idiots , who suffered years of humiliating knuckle taps on the chin , before I remembered to not mouth breathe while running . Miss Jenny believed that shutting the mouth conserved energy , and you could run longer . It actually worked . I ran and ran . It was one of the most glorious periods of my entire existence . I have never run with such gusto, and a simple desire to please , as I ran to please Miss Jenny .