31. The Rhodesian 'Session' is all Irish...and 'Stamping Hands'

              I just read that in Ireland when locals gather informally in pubs, etc. to sing and play traditional music it’s called a ‘session’ - the Irish language word for ‘session’ is seisiun....so in all probability that is where the Rhodesian term for a dance / gig came from...it’s all Irish!

Speaking of sessions, it was our brother Charlie’s job to stamp hands at ‘Chequers’ sessions...and just as importantly to inspect the hands that had been stamped for any counterfeits.

Hand stamping was definitely cheaper than buying a roll of tickets but it had a drawback, namely it was open to abuse. Hence Charlie's position as head ‘Hand Stamper’ and ‘Stamp Checker’, was an extremely responsible one. 

It wasn't easy dealing with “mouthy” teenagers but Charlie seemed to cope really well. He wouldn’t fall for the old sob stories banded about that so-and-so had lost the entrance fee money on the way...or the smudgy blue stamp...although that night it was green, (we changed colour and date of the stamp regularly) had somehow changed colour when he/she washed her hands...or he or she must have a weird chemical in his or her skin that effects the coloured dye. No, Charlie would have none of it and told them to either cough up or leave.

Yes, brother Charlie stood his ground and gave good as he got. When I say stood his ground and gave as good as he got, in reality it meant standing on a box and giving as good as he got. Brother Charlie was a mere ‘lighty’, just a kid, no older than seven at the time who loved nothing more than standing on a box behind a desk at the door and throwing his 'not considerable' weight around demanding the entrance fees from the teenage patrons and stamping the backs of their hands. We tried to keep it in the family. 

There was never any trouble when little Charlie was on the door. I guess the reason was psychological. It would be beneath any self respecting stroppy teenager, literally as well as figuratively, to face up and mouth off to a seven year old lighty...I’m sure Charlie’s negotiating skills honed at that tender age came in use in later in life.