03/04/2026
The year is 1998.
It’s a weekday evening in late March, and the clocks have changed.
You’ve just had your dinner.
Bernard Matthew’s turkey drummers, spaghetti hoops, chips.
Plate’s done.
Knife and fork stacked.
You ask:
“Can I go out?”
There’s a pause.
A look.
Then:
“Be back before it gets dark.”
That’s it.
That’s the deal… which is a banging bonus because the clocks just changed so that’s an extra hour!
No phones.
No checking in.
No updates.
Just… be back.
You’re out the door before the sentence has even finished.
You don’t arrange anything.
You just find people.
Knock for one.
Then another.
Then another.
Before you know it, there’s a bunch of you out.
On bikes, on skates, on foot.
And that’s all you need, no plans or structure, just being out.
Will you play Manhunt? Maybe.
Will all the boys start a Royal Rumble on the grass? Probably.
Will you sit on the big green metal electric box and chat complete and utter bo****ks? Definitely.
Time doesn’t exist properly.
You can’t check it, because if you go in “That’s it, once you’re in, you’re in!”, so you just have to call it.
The light starts changing, you still feel like there’s some time to go, so now would be the perfect time for a game of truth or dare.
Standard stuff
“Emma, have you ever wet the bed?”
“Shane, I dare you to moonie the next car”
“Chris, I dare you to kiss Sarah… on the LIPS!”
Then Ben dares Sarah to get her “Mary” out….
He always takes it too far, and makes it weird, you kinda wish he’d move houses so he doesn’t come out even when no one knocks for him.
You know it’s getting close to home time because living room lights are starting to come on up and down the street.
Air gets a bit colder.
Then it happens.
Streetlights flick on.
That’s it.
Game over.
No one says it.
No one needs to.
You all just stop.
Pick up your bikes, balls, and jumpers.
Start heading home.
Same roads.
Same route.
Same quiet.
You walk in.
Mum asks “Time is it?”
“Lampposts just came on”
That’s enough.
No trouble.
No questions.
You got your evening
And somehow…
that felt like winning.
Life is good.
