The trials & tribulations of a Lancashire lad born just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War. The story tells of the boy's dreams and of arduous times from birth, through his formative years, up to being called up into the army to serve two years National Service for his country. His life is a mixture of poverty, sadness, love and wry humour. He is one of six children who lived in abject poverty during the war years into the changing times of the 'Forties' and 'Fifties'. Their home was a small, dark and dank terraced house set amongst countless tall factory chimneys His dad was a rag and bone man and had been to jail twice for shady dealings. Consequently, John & his siblings had to put up with many barbed comments and abuse from their peers in the schoolyard. Despite the adversity & hard times they all came through it with smiling faces. It depicts working class life during the era of cobbled streets, clogs and shawls, coal mines and weaving sheds in a Lancashire town.