by Joan Jonker
‘We’ll buy her something soon and send it to her, so she knows she’s not forgotten.’ Kate put her arms around a pile of bedding and lifted it from the bare mattress. ‘Let’s take these down, save the men a job.’ When they were on the landing, she looked over the pile at Winnie. ‘I’ll go first, sunshine, and you follow. Yer know how shallow the stairs are, so be careful.’
They laid the bedding on the draining board and leaned back against the sink. ‘Doesn’t the living room look empty and sad, as though it’s missing her? It’s happened so quickly me brain won’t take it in.’
‘Don’t be getting yerself upset, sunshine, because she’s probably living in the lap of luxury, being waited on hand and foot, with someone there all the time to talk to.’ To take Winnie’s mind off missing her friend, Kate changed the subject. Her head tilted, she asked, ‘Ay, I wonder how much he’ll offer for all this? What would you think it was worth?’
‘Well, I wouldn’t let it go for coppers because it’s all good quality stuff. And it’s almost brand new!’ Winnie was still thinking of her old friend, and intended fighting her corner. ‘Yer can leave that side of it to me, queen, if yer like. I’m not too bad at haggling.’
‘Oh, I’ll be glad to! I’m hopeless at it. If it was left to me, I’d take his first offer without a murmur. I’ve got no backbone, yer see, sunshine, I’m a real coward.’
‘Of course ye’re not! Ye’re just too much of a lady to argue over money.’
They heard footsteps coming up the yard and Kate opened the door. ‘Yer said yer’d be quick, Mr Greenberg, and yer’ve certainly been that.’
Sol jerked his head to where his assistant was standing. ‘Bill does all the donkey work, I just give the orders.’
‘I won’t believe that for one minute. I saw the way yer were both handling that ruddy big couch, and there’s no doubt ye’re good at yer job.’ Kate waved a hand at the two piles of bedding. ‘We stripped the bed to save time. As yer can see, the sheets and pillowcases are all in the finest linen without a break in them. In fact yer could almost sell them as new, they’ve hardly been used. And the eiderdown and pillows are not kapok, they’re all feathers.’
Sol knew quality when he saw it. His trip had certainly been worthwhile. ‘Can we go upstairs and see the bed? I believe there’s a deadline to getting it out of the house.’
Kate led the two men upstairs while Winnie followed behind. The women stood by the wall to allow room for the two men to lift the mattress and examine the springs. Sol was thinking this bed was better than the one he was sleeping in at home. And from what he’d seen of the bedding downstairs, it was of far superior quality than the linen he was used to. Selling and buying second-hand furniture was a living and he didn’t do too badly out of it, but he’d never be rich enough to buy what he was seeing in this house. His wife would be over the moon with it.
‘How much do yer want for the bed and the bedding?’ he asked. ‘Have yer got a figure in mind?’
This was where Winnie stepped in. ‘As it’s you what’s buying, it should be up to you to say what yer’ll give for it.’
Sol stood away from the bed, and with chin in hand gave the appearance of giving the matter some considerable thought. But what he was really thinking was that he and his wife would be sleeping in this bed tonight. ‘I’ll give yer one pound five shillings for the lot.’ And without giving the two women time to answer, he went on, ‘And three shillings for the old couch. It’s well past its best, but I can probably sell it.’
‘What about me mate Monica?’ Kate asked. ‘She’d do her nut if she thought I’d got something and she didn’t.’
‘I’ve already given Mrs Parry three shillings. Like your couch, her dining suite was well worn and not worth any more.’
Kate was overjoyed, and knew Monica would be tickled pink. But Winnie, her eyes narrowed, was ready to bargain over Audrey’s bed. ‘I think that bed and bedding are worth thirty bob of anyone’s money! All of it is good quality and almost new.’
Sol puckered his lips once again. After a few seconds of deep contemplation he appeared to come suddenly to a decision. ‘Okay, yer twisted me arm, thirty bob it is. Now me and Bill will dismantle the bed and get it down to the entry. But before we do, I’ll give yer the money I owe yer. Thirty bob for the bed and three shillings for the couch.’
Kate took the money with a smile. ‘We’ll wait for yer downstairs. I’ve got to make sure the door’s locked before I hand the key over to a neighbour.’
Monica was waiting outside the house for Kate and Winnie to come through the entry. She was quick to note that, like herself, the other two were wearing smiles and looking pleased with themselves. ‘Not bad, eh, girl? I’ve got me room back to normal, and three bob into the bargain. I wasn’t expecting any money, I would have been happy just to get rid of me old stuff.’
‘Me too, sunshine,’ Kate said. ‘It seems too good to be true, ’cos I thought he might charge us something for taking the furniture away.’
‘Oh, he’s not that daft, queen, he’s a businessman and can’t afford to do favours, even for nice-looking women. He’ll double the money he gave you for yer furniture, yer can bet yer sweet life on that. A nice bloke, very obliging, but he has to make a living.’
‘Ay, how did yer get on with him over Miss Parkinson’s bed? Did he give yer a good deal on it?’
‘I’m going to let Winnie tell yer, sunshine, ’cos she did all the negotiating over that, and she did far better than I’d have done.’
‘He offered twenty-five bob for the bed and bedding, but I could see he was impressed with it so I got him to cough up thirty shillings. So yer see, queen, it was a good day all round!’
Monica was very impressed. ‘Go ’way! Ay, that was good, that was.’ She slapped Winnie on the back. ‘Nice work, girl, yer did well. Now we can get something decent to send to Miss Parkinson.’
‘She didn’t do well, she did marvellous! I’d have taken the twenty-five bob and thought I’d got a good deal.’ Kate rubbed her hands together. ‘I’m going in now to straighten me living room out. John will be as pleased as Punch that the old couch has gone.’
Monica laid a hand on her arm. ‘I’ve straightened yer room out, girl, and it looks a treat. I’ve even put the kettle on and got the cups ready. So shall we go in and relax, and celebrate with a nice cuppa?’
‘Ye’re a cheeky article, Monica Parry! Why didn’t yer put the kettle on in yer own house for a change?’
‘Oh, I hate change, it upsets me whole routine. So lead the way, girl, and we can toast our success.’
‘Are Nancy and Dolly in?’ Kate just happened to catch the smug expression on Monica’s face, and thought, Oh, aye, what’s the queer one been up to now? ‘I know that look, missus, and it usually means trouble. So answer me question, are Nancy and Dolly in?’
‘No, girl, they’re not!’ Monica stuck out her tongue. ‘I’ve sent them to the cake shop for three cream slices for us to have with our cuppa. And out of the shilling I’ve given them, I’ve told them to buy themselves a pennyworth of sweets and to give Billy a penny to buy him and Pete some gobstoppers.’
Kate slowly licked her lips. ‘A cream slice each?’
Her mate nodded. ‘So perhaps yer won’t begrudge us sitting on yer new sofa while we drink the tea ye’re going to make us.’
‘Yer shouldn’t be spending yer money on me, queen,’ Winnie said. ‘Yer should see to yer family first.’
‘Winnie, sunshine, yer don’t know my mate where money’s concerned,’ Kate told the little woman. ‘She can’t keep hold of it, it burns a hole in her pocket. But seeing as she’s already gone and done what she shouldn’t have, then we’ll accept her generosity with thanks and enjoy the nice surprise. Now can we go in instead of standing in the street as though we haven’t got a thing to do.’
Kate was on the step when Monica said, ‘It can be your turn to buy the cakes tomorrow, girl, it’ll give us something to look forward to.’
�
��Not on your life, sunshine! I’ve got more to do with me money than buy cakes, much as I love them. It’s Billy’s birthday next week, and although he doesn’t want much, just enough money so he can mug Pete to a matinee and a bag of sweets each, it doesn’t mean I can go mad because I’ve got a few bob I wasn’t expecting.’
Two women passed by on the opposite side of the street and waved across. Kate called a greeting and waited until they were out of earshot before saying, ‘Can we carry on with this conversation inside the house, please?’
She was surprised and delighted to see how neat and tidy the room looked. You could see her new sofa in all its glory now, and it looked real posh. ‘Yer’ve done well, Monica, me room looks a treat.’
‘I wouldn’t have done it if I’d known I was going to get a lecture on being a spendthrift. Do a good turn and yer get told off for it!’
‘Yer don’t need me to give yer a lecture on money, yer know yerself it goes through yer fingers like water. And I only do it for yer own good, ’cos after all, yer are me mate.’
‘Okay, girl, don’t get yer knickers in a twist, I haven’t taken the huff. I just thought while we had a few bob we weren’t expecting, we could go mad and break eggs with a big stick.’
‘Not me, sunshine, I’ve already decided that I’m starting Christmas clubs in all the shops, so I won’t be worried sick when the time comes and I haven’t enough money to buy all the extra food and presents. I’ll open the clubs with this money, and each week from now until Christmas I’m putting something in each. Even if it’s only tuppence, it’ll all mount up over a few months.’ Kate’s face broke into a smile. ‘Lecture over. Now, would my guests like to sit on my new sofa while I make them a pot of tea?’
‘Ay, girl, she’s letting us sit on her new sofa, that means she really loves us.’ Monica gave Winnie such a hard dig in the ribs, the little woman almost lost her balance. ‘And please note, it’s not a couch, it’s a sofa.’
‘If that dig in the ribs had been a bit harder, queen, it would have been a bleeding hospital bed for me, never mind a posh sofa. Fair knocked the wind out of me it did.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry, girl, I don’t know me own strength, that’s my trouble. But I’ll tell yer what, I’ll let yer choose which end of the sofa yer want to sit on. Now I can’t be fairer than that, can I?’ Just then Nancy and Dolly passed the window, and Monica flew to the door. ‘Did yer manage to get three cream slices?’ The two young girls nodded, and passed over a white bag which Nancy had carried very carefully.
‘We’re going to the park, Auntie Monica, will yer tell me mam so she doesn’t worry? And I’ll find our Billy to give him his penny.’ Nancy, by far the more sensible of the two girls, handed a threepenny bit over. ‘That’s all the change there is out of yer shilling, I’m afraid.’
‘That’s all right, girl, I’ve already been taught the error of me ways by yer mam. But I’m thick-skinned. Rolls off me back like water.’
‘Don’t forget to tell her I’ve gone to the park with Dolly, will yer? She worries if she doesn’t know where me and Billy are. But we’ll both be in at dinnertime because we’ll be starving.’
The women had decided that a new sofa wasn’t the place to sit eating a cream slice oozing out at the sides so they moved to sit at the table. Their faces were blissful as they bit into the cakes. ‘I take everything back that I said to yer, sunshine, because this is a little bit of heaven.’
‘So that means yer’ll be forking out for three tomorrow, does it?’
‘No, it does not! Much as I’d like to mug yer, I can’t afford to be generous. There are more important priorities than cakes. Such as clothes for the kids and food for the table. That’s why I always quicken me pace when I’m passing a cake shop. I love them, but I have to leave them. Sad, but true.’
‘Well, I’ve only spent ninepence, so I can join the clubs with yer. I know the sweet shop has already started, ’cos I saw Mrs Robinson getting her card filled in last week. And Bob in the butcher’s, he has one all the year round. Who else were yer thinking of, girl?’
‘Sid in the greengrocer’s. So apart from the cake shop and groceries from Irwin’s, I’ll be covered for everything. If I really tighten me belt, I could even put a couple of coppers in their clubs, then I’d only have clothes to worry about.’
‘Ye’re starting yer worrying early, aren’t yer, queen? It’s nearly six months off.’
‘I swore I wouldn’t leave things until the last minute like I did last year. I’d rather start too early than too late.’
‘It’s not worth me worrying about Christmas clubs, queen, not with only meself to see to. Christmas Day is just like any other day, ’cos what’s the use of buying a turkey just for one?’ Winnie realized she was probably sounding sorry for herself, so she grinned. ‘I don’t mind being on me own, I’m used to it now. I get a few extra pints of milk stout in, and they cheer me up and put a smile on me face.’
Kate felt a rush of sympathy. No one should be alone on Christmas Day. ‘Yer can come here for yer Christmas dinner, sunshine, we’d love to have yer.’
‘No, queen, I wasn’t fishing for an invite. I don’t mind being on me own, I’ve got the wireless for company. You see to yer family, I’ll be fine.’
Kate then told a lie. ‘I had every intention of asking yer, sunshine, it wasn’t just a spur of the moment thing. After all, it’s only a few extra roast potatoes, no trouble at all.’
‘Ay, now, that’s a brain wave for yer!’ Monica said to Winnie. ‘Then yer could stay for the party at night.’
Even Kate had to smile at the hint. Then she pretended to let out a weary sigh. ‘D’yer know, sunshine, if yer keep that up, yer’ll wear me down.’
‘That is the general idea, girl, but it’s like flogging a dead horse. If yer don’t hurry up and give in, then I’ll be wearing me bleeding self out! So much so, yer’ll have me thinking it would be a lot less hassle if I had the ruddy party at our house!’
‘We’ve got six months to go before we need worry about that, so can we change the subject and talk about Miss Parkinson’s present? I honestly believe the best thing we could give her would be a photograph. In fact, I started getting ambitious when that man gave us thirty bob for her bed and bedlinen, and thought we might have enough for two photographs. One of the street, and another of her house with her four neighbours standing nearby. Not in front of her house, that would spoil it, but by Maggie’s window.’
‘It sounds a good idea, girl, and I can’t think of anything she’d like better. But who is going to take the photographs?’
‘It would have to be a professional,’ Winnie said. ‘We don’t want anything amateurish or cheap-looking.’
‘Well, don’t look at me!’ Kate pulled a face. ‘I’ve never held a camera in me life. And I don’t know anyone who’s got one.’
‘Me neither,’ Monica said. ‘And it would be daft to use her money to buy a camera.’
‘The only professional I know of,’ Winnie said, ‘is the shop in London Road called Jerome’s. But I don’t know whether he goes out to take photos of streets. He has a studio and takes portraits of people. I’ve often looked in his window and seen some lovely photos in frames. Some are of wedding groups, some of whole families. But apart from that I haven’t a bleeding clue. Except yer can have yer photo taken for a shilling, and threepence for every extra copy. How I know that is an old friend of mine had hers taken. She had to wait a week before she could pick it up, but it was nice and she was over the moon.’
The soft icing on the top of the cream slice had made Winnie’s false teeth all sticky, she had to keep pushing the top set back into place with her tongue. ‘Don’t ever get false teeth, queen, hang on to yer own as long as yer can. These are nowt but a bleeding nuisance.’ She waited a second to make sure the teeth were securely anchored, then went on. ‘The friend did tell me that she was pleased with the end result, but having it taken was a nightmare. The man tells yer how to pose, and she said she felt a ri
ght nit.’
‘We wouldn’t have that trouble with the street, sunshine, it’s not got any eyelashes to flutter. But how do we find out about this Mr Jerome?’
‘I don’t know whether that’s his name, queen, it’s just got Jerome’s over the shop. We’d have to go down to London Road, to the shop, and ask whoever is there if they do outside work. That’s all I can think of.’
Monica swivelled sideways on the chair and crossed her legs. ‘I can’t see him refusing ’cos thirty bob is a lot of money and not to be sniffed at. I wouldn’t mind taking two photies for that sort of money. He’d be a fool to turn it down, unless he’s loaded and can afford to be choosy about what he does.’
‘I’ll have a word with Maggie, see how she feels about it. After all, she has as much right to her say as we have. If she thinks it’s a good idea, then perhaps the three of us can get the tram to London Road this afternoon and see what we can come up with. Is that okay with you two?’
‘Fine by me, queen!’
Monica clicked her tongue. ‘I think we should send you in first, girl, seeing as ye’re the nicest looking. I’ll only come in if the going gets rough and yer need a bit of support.’
Winnie chuckled, dislodged her teeth, pushed them back with her forefinger, then carried on with the interrupted chuckle. ‘Well, we’ve got a nice-looking one in case he’s swayed by looks, a straight-talking one in case he’s swayed by argument, so can I be the one with a hard luck story in case he’s swayed by pity?’
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kate said goodbye to Monica and Winnie and carried her basket of shopping through to the kitchen. She rubbed her arm and stretched it a couple of times to get the circulation going. The basket was heavy with potatoes and veg, and although the shops weren’t a long way off, its weight had pulled on her muscles. She was about to empty the contents when there was a rat-tat on the knocker. At first she thought one of her mates had forgotten something, then she remembered it was the day for the rent man.
