by Joan Jonker
With Monica’s hand in her back, propelling her forward, Winnie said, ‘The milk is in the pantry, queen, it’s cooler there.’
‘Winnie, I know where yer keep everything! I’m as much at home in this kitchen as I am in me own.’ She gave a broad wink. ‘I have to admit, though, that yours is far more organized than mine is.’
‘That’s because I’ve only got meself to worry about, queen. The house doesn’t get untidy when there’s only one person living in it.’
‘Don’t keep her talking, fetch that blinking tea in,’ Kate said, not wanting Winnie to become sad because she had no family. ‘You’ve got a little bit of news for her, so don’t keep her waiting.’
Winnie’s face did contortions, and because she hadn’t worn her false teeth since she became sick, she looked hilarious. ‘Ooh, er, what news is that, queen?’
‘It’s not for me to tell yer, sunshine, Monica should have that honour. But I think yer’ll be thrilled to bits with it.’ Kate kept her smile back. ‘It’s definitely something that calls for yer to wear yer false teeth. And the way I see it, like yer legs, if yer don’t wear them, they won’t know what they’re there for.’
Before she allowed her smile to show, Winnie put a hand over her mouth to hide her toothless gums. ‘Yer’ll have me wearing lipstick next.’
‘It’s a good job yer haven’t put any lippy on yet,’ Monica handed over a cup and saucer, ‘because it would all be on the rim of the cup by the time yer’d drunk that.’
‘The day yer see me wearing lipstick, queen, is the day yer can send for the men in white coats to cart me away. Tell them they won’t need straitjackets, though, ’cos they could pick me up with one hand.’
‘Let’s hope that doesn’t happen before next Thursday, girl, ’cos I’d hate yer to miss the wedding.’
‘I’ve been thinking about that, and I’m worried they’ll say it’s cheeky of me to just turn up without being asked.’
‘It’s only in a register office, sunshine, it’s not like a church. Besides, Monica can tell yer something about that.’
Monica nodded. ‘Yeah, I told Betty yer were coming with us, and she was over the moon. Said she’s looking forward to yer being there.’
Winnie looked from one to the other of the two friends. And forgetting all about her teeth still being in a glass in the kitchen, she smiled. ‘D’yer know, I’ve got a lot to thank that fishmonger for, haven’t I? He did me a good turn, selling me fish what wasn’t fit to eat.’
Chapter Fourteen
As the tram trundled towards the stop nearest to Great Homer Street, Kate said, ‘I’ll go to the front so I can get off first and give yer a hand, sunshine.’ She turned her head to Monica, who was sitting on the seat behind. ‘Yer’ll watch her down the aisle, won’t yer?’
‘Of course I will, bossy boots.’ Monica rolled her eyes. ‘It was a complete waste of breath, yer telling me that. D’yer think I’d have got off and left Winnie sitting there?’
‘Yeah, it did sound a bit bossy. I’m sorry, sunshine, I didn’t mean it to come out like it did.’ Kate swung her legs round to the aisle, where it would be easier to stand up, and held on to the back of each seat she passed to avoid losing her balance as the tram swayed from side to side.
The conductor was busy talking to the driver when he saw Kate walking towards him. ‘Ay, get a load of this, Ted. She’s a good looker if ever I saw one.’ His chuckle was thick, as though his lungs were tarred from the cigarettes he smoked one after the other. ‘Now, if my missus looked like that, it would be a pleasure to go home.’
Kate stood on the platform holding on to the grip bar and enjoying the warm breeze that fanned her face. As soon as the tram came to a shuddering halt, she swung herself down from the platform to wait for Winnie. ‘Don’t try and step down, sunshine, it’s too high. Just hold yer arms out and I’ll lift yer down. Don’t worry, I’m stronger than I look.’
Seeing this beautiful woman with her arms outstretched brought out the he-man in the conductor. He was a real show-off who fancied himself with the women and he wasn’t going to miss this chance of showing off his prowess. He placed his hand on the older woman’s shoulder and said, ‘Stay there, love, I’ll lift yer off.’
Winnie found herself being carried through the air on to the pavement, all the time thanking the Lord she’d remembered to put her teeth in. ‘Thank you, lad, ye’re a real gent.’
After receiving a dazzling smile from Kate, and giving her a smarmy one in return, the man squared his shoulders and stuck out his chest. ‘It was my pleasure.’
With the idea of swinging himself back on to the platform, Tarzan-like, the conductor reached out his hand to grab the rail – and found Monica blocking his way. ‘Can yer move out of the way, love, so we can get on with our journey?’
‘Oh, I thought yer were helping ladies down, and I was hoping yer could do the same for me.’ Monica tried not to show her dislike for the man who was obviously a womanizer. After all, he wouldn’t have been so quick to help Winnie if he hadn’t had his eye on Kate. One look at her and he was practically slobbering at the mouth! She pitied his poor wife. ‘Yer see, I’ve got a corn on me little toe and it’s giving me gyp.’
Normally the conductor wouldn’t have thought twice about telling the stupid woman to go to hell, but with Kate still on the pavement he tried to keep his calm. ‘I’m sorry, love, but ye’re hardly an invalid. And ye’re not as light as the little woman, either! I don’t want to do me back in ’cos the wife wouldn’t like that.’
Monica had a few sarcastic remarks on her tongue, to take the man down a peg or two, but she never got the chance to use them. By this time the driver had lost his patience. ‘Have yer any intention of getting back on this bloody tram? If we’re late back at the terminus it’ll be your fault and I’ll report yer to the inspector.’
Before stepping down on to the pavement, Monica smiled sweetly at the conductor who was now red in the face. After he’d rung the bell to send the tram on its way, he said, ‘Ay, Ted, yer spoilt me chances there. I bet yer any money she’d have come if I’d asked her to the pictures one night.’
‘Yer wouldn’t have stood an earthly with that one, she could afford to be choosy with her looks. And why the hell don’t yer stop going to the flicks, ’cos they’re giving yer big ideas? Last week yer said a pretty girl had told yer yer look like Cary Grant. But from where I’m sitting yer look more like Charles Laughton when he was the hunchback in that film I saw last week.’
‘Jealousy won’t get yer anywhere, Ted. I can’t help it if the women fancy me, can I? I think it’s me dark eyes and me tall figure.’
‘Sod off, yer big-headed bugger! I’d pity yer, but I’ll save me pity for yer wife ’cos she must lead a dog’s life.’ The driver twisted the handle on the steering wheel and the tram began to slow down. ‘Next stop coming up. And yer’d better go upstairs and make sure every passenger has a ticket in case an inspector decides to make a spot check.’ He grinned when he heard the conductor running up the stairs. ‘Silly bugger! A wife and five kids, and he hasn’t bloody well grown up yet.’
‘In the middle, sunshine, and yer can link us,’ Kate fussed. ‘Remember, if yer feel in the least tired, just tell us and we’ll stop.’
Winnie was already feeling shaky on her legs, and wondering if she hadn’t rushed things too much. Perhaps she should have been content to potter around the house for a day or two. Still it was too late now, she’d have to grin and bear it. And it was nice to feel the sun on her face and have a friend walking on either side of her.
‘Shall we look for a stall selling towels and pillowcases first, girl?’ Monica glanced across at her mate. ‘I managed to scrounge two bob off my feller last night so we’ve both got the same.’ She chuckled. ‘It was like getting blood out of a stone, he didn’t want to part. It took all me powers of persuasion and a threat that I’d go off Robin Hood if I didn’t get the money. I got it in the end, but I’ll swear he was in real pain when he passed
it over. He didn’t see it as two bob, he saw it as eight pints of bitter going down the drain.’
‘I was going over it in bed last night and thought it might be nice to buy them one big white fluffy towel so they could use it for bathing the baby. Or, if yer like, we could get two small ones instead.’
Winnie had been following the conversation. ‘Are yer talking about a wedding present for Margaret?’
‘Only a little something, sunshine, a kind of gesture. They probably won’t be getting many wedding presents because nobody knows. So me and Monica thought we’d buy her something between us.’
‘I’ll give yer something towards it, queen,’ Winnie offered. ‘After all, I’ve known the family for years.’
‘No, there’s no need for that,’ Monica said quickly. ‘Yer must have a hard time managing to keep yer head above water on the few bob widow’s pension yer get.’
‘I get a small pension from where me husband used to work. It’s not much, but I’m glad of it. It keeps the wolf from the door.’ Winnie pressed on their arms. ‘I don’t spend much, I’ve learned to be very thrifty, and I manage. As long as me house is clean, there’s coal in the yard, me rent book is clear and I’ve enough food to keep me from starving, then I’ve got no worries.’
‘I think yer could teach me and Monica a lesson on how to make the money stretch out, sunshine, we’re both hopeless. But I think you are a little wonder.’
‘Then let me share the cost of whatever yer buy for the young couple, please, queen? I’d really like to.’
The two friends exchanged glances, and silently agreed she would be upset if they refused. ‘If it’ll make yer happy, girl, then we’ll gladly let yer share,’ Monica said. ‘And we’ll put your name on the card with ours.’
The market was busy and bustling, but not as crowded as it would be on a Saturday, so the threesome were able to look at the goods on display without having to fight for a place near the front. They came across a stall selling linen goods, towels, and other items. Kate noticed there was a chair standing by the stallholder who was busy shouting encouragement to people passing to come and see his wares, which were not only the cheapest in Liverpool but in the whole country. He seemed a pleasant enough bloke, and because she was concerned for Winnie, Kate wondered if it would be cheeky to ask for a loan of the chair for ten minutes. The older woman hadn’t complained, but her face was pale and she looked tired.
The stallholder saw three potential customers and wandered over to them. His motto was never to let a customer go past without trying to sell them something. ‘Can I help you good ladies? Yer won’t get the same quality of goods on any other stall. Second to none, and I dare anyone to prove otherwise.’
Kate took advantage of his eagerness to make a sale. ‘Do yer think I could borrow yer chair for ten minutes, for me friend? She’s tired, and it would be nice if she could rest her legs while me and me mate are looking for what we want. The journey’s been too much for her, and a few minutes’ sit down would be a blessing.’
The chair was quickly handed over, and after Kate had placed it where Winnie wouldn’t be in the way, the older woman sat down with a grateful sigh. ‘Ooh, that’s better, queen, me legs were just about to buckle under me.’ She nodded her head towards the stallholder. ‘Thank you, lad, I’m happy now.’
‘The name’s Harry, sweetheart, and I’m glad to help. You stay there until yer feel able to walk. Take an hour, if yer want to.’
Monica leaned towards Kate and whispered in her ear, ‘I hope he doesn’t think we’ve got money to burn. Stay here an hour! Some hope he’s got.’
‘Yeah, he’s in for a disappointment,’ Kate whispered back. ‘But I’m not going to tell him we’ve only got three bob between us. So let’s stretch it out for as long as we can, for Winnie’s sake.’
‘Only three bob!’ Monica pulled a face. ‘I bet he wishes all his customers spent that much. Three shillings is a lot of money to him.’
‘And me!’ Kate could sense the stallholder coming towards them. ‘Have yer got any nice towels? We want a big white one to give as a present to someone who’s expecting a baby. Nice, but not too expensive.’
Harry pointed to a trestle table running along the far side. ‘All the towels are over there, girls, so go and have a dekko. Ye’re bound to find one to yer liking ’cos I’ve got them in all sizes and colours. They’re good quality, and marvellous value for money.’
Kate glanced over to where Winnie was sitting, watching with interest the goings-on at the nearby stalls. She seemed all right, but Kate was loath to leave her. ‘You go and have a dekko, sunshine, I’ll stay here with Winnie.’
‘Okay, girl, I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.’ Monica raised her eyebrows to the watching stallholder. ‘Yer won’t mind if I bring one or two over for me mate to see, will yer, Harry? I promise I won’t run off with a few stuffed up me dress.’
The stallholder chuckled. ‘Yer’ve got a nice slim figure now, missus, so I don’t think yer’d get away with being six months pregnant when yer come back.’
Monica answered his chuckle with one of her own. ‘Ay, now, it all depends who I meet on the way round there. If he’s like Robin Hood, well, anything might happen.’
Kate could feel her face colouring. Why had her friend ever told her about what she got up to in the name of the film star? ‘Go and get the towels, sunshine, and don’t keep the man talking when he’s got customers waiting on him.’
Harry had seen the customers, and knew them well enough to know they’d spend half an hour picking things up off the stall, inspecting them as though they intended to buy, then say they’d be back on Saturday when they’d had their husbands’ wages. They did come back occasionally, he’d grant them that, but they were never going to make him rich enough to retire. And that was his one ambition in life, to retire while he was still young enough to enjoy the lie in every morning. Getting up at six, hail, rain or snow, was getting him down.
But as Harry started walking towards the two middle-aged customers, he saw a sight which pulled him up in his tracks. A man about his own age, or even younger, was using a white stick to feel for obstacles on his left side, while a woman was holding his right elbow and guiding him safely past the stalls and shoppers. And the sight gave Harry pause for thought. Why the hell am I always moaning? he asked himself. I don’t know I’m born compared to that poor soul. I’ve got me health and strength, I can see the blue sky and the sun, and those colourful flowers on the next stall but one. And when I get home I’ll be able to see the faces of my wife and children. I’m a miserable bugger, I should be thanking God for me blessings instead of moaning. I should be thanking him for being alive, ’cos there’s plenty in the cemetery who’d be glad to swap places with me.
Harry watched the blind man until he was out of sight. Then he took a deep breath and walked towards the two ladies with a broad smile on his face. ‘Good morning, ladies, isn’t it a beautiful day? Makes yer feel glad to be alive.’
Kate was standing by Winnie’s chair, and it was like being in the picture house watching a film. ‘Yer could spend a day just sitting here watching the different types of people, couldn’t yer, queen? Some with happy faces and a spring in their step, and others slouching along with the worries of the world on their shoulders.’
‘I was just thinking the same thing, sunshine,’ Kate said. ‘I bet the stallholder has plenty of tales to tell his wife every night.’
‘Well, it takes all sorts to make a world, queen, we can’t all be alike.’
Just then Monica came bounding up to them, her face one big smile. ‘Look at these, girl, yer wouldn’t know which to pick.’ She held up a large white towel which looked nice and soft. Then she showed them a smaller one in white. The rest of the towels on her arm were different colours, blue, pink and yellow and some with stripes. ‘They’re a real bargain, girl, yer couldn’t fall out with them.’
‘How much?’ Kate asked, crossing her fingers. ‘Tell us the price of the bi
g white one first, ’cos I think that’s the best one for a present.’
‘One and six, girl, and on the price list they call it a bath sheet. The small towels are only ninepence each. The coloured ones are only a tanner, they’re cheaper than the white.’
‘Ooh, they are a bargain,’ Winnie said, feeling the quality of the large towel. ‘We could get one large and two small, that would be a good present.’
Kate nodded. ‘I’ll say! What do you think, sunshine?’
‘If I was choosing for meself, I’d chose a coloured towel any time, they don’t show the dirt as much as white. But for a present, yeah, I think one large white, and two small. That comes to three bob, so it’s just right. Mind you, if we can rustle up another tuppence we could manage a flannel, as well. They’ve got them in white and every other colour yer can mention.’
‘Shall you and I go a penny each, then? A penny’s not going to make much difference to what we can buy the girls, and it would be a nice finishing touch to the present. What do you say, Winnie?’
‘I think they’d be a very welcome gift. It will be something for her to start her bottom drawer with.’ Winnie gave a little sigh. ‘She’s doing things back to front but nothing can change that now, so everyone should pull together to help her and the lad.’ She opened her purse and took out a shilling. ‘Here’s my contribution.’
‘Thanks, girl, I’ll go and see the bold laddo now and ask him to sort things out for us.’ Monica approached the stallholder from behind and pulled on his short white linen coat, an unusual outfit for a man with a market stall, but ideal for the hot, sunny weather. ‘Can yer serve us now, Harry, we know what we want.’
And wasn’t he delighted with the sale. Business hadn’t been very good so far, and he’d feared he was in for a quiet day. But to his great surprise, the ladies he’d been chatting to had spent two shillings, and now a three-shilling sale! Things were looking up. As he was in a benevolent mood, he didn’t charge for the tuppenny flannel. ‘Yer can have that on the house, ladies, for being good customers.’
