Meadow Lane

by Maureen Reynolds

  ‘I’m really worried about my job, could you go down to see Dorothy who lives in James Street. She works with me and she can tell the supervisor that I’m in here.’ She stopped and reached for a drink of water which Anna handed to her. ‘I’m also worried about paying the rent and the coalman.’

  Grace said, ‘Anna and I will sort things out for you so don’t worry, and we’ll lock up your house. It’s one thing keeping an open door when you’re in the house but not if it’s to be empty.’

  The sound of a bell marked the end of visiting time and the two women stood up. ‘We’ll be back next week so try not to worry and concentrate on getting better.’ Anna gave her a small wave as she left the bedside. ‘Cheerio Maryanne, see you soon.’

  Grace was about to do the same when Maryanne caught hold of her hand. ‘If you want to drop a line to Sadie, her address is on the calendar by the side of the fire and I’m grateful that you’ll speak to the rent- and coalmen.’ This speech seemed to tire her out and she lay back against the pillows.

  ‘If you’re worried about money, Maryanne, you should see the hospital almoner as she can help you with your worries. Please ask to see her, will you?’ Maryanne promised she would.

  Anna was waiting for her in the corridor. ‘Does she want us to write to Sadie?’

  Grace nodded. ‘I’m also worried about her financial situation and I told her to see the almoner as she deals with patients’ money problems and their wellbeing.’

  ‘It’s such a shame she lives on her own with no husband to support her, and the fact her daughter lives in America doesn’t help,’ Anna said. She was desperate for a cigarette but she didn’t like smoking in the street. She sincerely hoped Thomas hadn’t smoked them all. At least Maryanne didn’t have that problem in her house.

  The wind had grown stronger and colder. Grace thought it was coming from the east which she always thought was a wind that could cut right through you.

  They weren’t surprised when Eliza rushed out as they passed her window. ‘How is Maryanne?’ She sounded out of breath as if she had been running but seemingly it was her mother’s fault. ‘She lost a book she was reading and I’ve been searching for it since I spoke to you. I’ve just found it and where was it?’

  Grace and Anna shook their heads, not quite in unison but not far from it.

  ‘It was under her seat. She’s been sitting on it all the time.’ Poor Eliza was exasperated. ‘Still, it could have been her new specs which would have been a disaster as the optician has given her a warning to look after them.’

  When Anna went inside her house, the room was warm with a blazing fire. Thomas looked up from his paper. ‘We’re out of cigarettes, love, do you want to run out to the paper shop for more?’

  If Anna had had a rolling pin she would have thrown it at him. As she made her way towards the small paper shop she was fuming. A short time ago she was telling Grace what a shame it was that Maryanne had no husband to support her and now she realised the woman was lucky. As she trudged up the Hilltown she muttered under her breath that Maryanne was welcome to her Thomas and jolly good luck to her if she accepted.

  10

  As it turned out, Eliza didn’t get to visit Maryanne even though Grace turned up to look after her mother. Eliza was so upset and annoyed that she was almost crying. ‘It’s that old besom, she says she wants to come with me but how can she do that when she can hardly walk?’

  Grace was bemused, as it was well known that Martha hadn’t been able to walk for a few years. Then Martha called out, her voice sounding querulous like a spoiled child, ‘Is that you, Grace? I’ve just told Eliza that I want to come with her.’

  Grace went inside the kitchen. ‘How will you manage to walk to the infirmary? There’s lots of braes and it’s quite a long walk.’

  Martha was annoyed. ‘Don’t tell me about the braes and roads in Dundee, I was walking on them long before you were born. I don’t mean to walk there.’

  Eliza was slowly losing her temper. ‘If you don’t plan to walk, how are you going to go and see Maryanne? Do you think I’m giving you a piggyback?’

  ‘No I don’t, I thought your husband Bill could take us in his van, Grace.’ She sat back on her chair with a satisfied look.

  It was now Grace’s turn to be annoyed by this selfish woman but she had the answer. ‘Bill doesn’t own the van, Martha, it is the work’s van and he doesn’t have it tonight as his boss needs it tomorrow.’

  ‘Tomorrow,’ said Martha. ‘So why can’t he have it tonight?’

  Grace said he couldn’t but this answer wasn’t what Martha wanted to hear.

  ‘Well all I can say is that there are some selfish people in this world.’

  The pot calling the kettle black, the two women thought, but Eliza said that was the matter settled and now after all this argy-bargy she wouldn’t go, so Grace went home. When she got in the house she was fizzing with anger. Bill looked up, surprised to see her back so soon but before he could utter a word, Grace snapped out, ‘That awful woman, I don’t know how Eliza puts up with her.’

  When she told him the story he said, ‘I suppose Eliza doesn’t have a choice as there’s no one else to look after her mother.’

  Grace conceded that was the truth. ‘All I’m saying is I’m glad it’s not me.’ Then she remembered her own mother and that perhaps she would have this problem at some time. ‘I think I’ll go and visit Mum and see how her day out went.’ She set off, pleased that it was a pleasant evening. The days would soon be lengthening and spring wasn’t that far off. When she got to Ann Street, her mother was sitting listening to the wireless. Like Bill, she looked surprised, then a worried frown crossed her face.

  ‘Is everything all right, Grace?’

  ‘Yes, Mum, it is, I just thought I would pop in and see how your day out went.’ For the second time that night she was annoyed. Why did her mum think the only reason she would visit her was if something was wrong?

  Evelyn turned the wireless off. ‘Oh it was a great day. Elsie’s son arrived about ten o’clock and we went to Broughty Ferry where we had tea and scones in a café by the beach then we went on to Arbroath and had a lovely high tea in a posh hotel called the Marine. Then we came home at six o’clock and her son went back to Edinburgh. He’s asked us both to come and stay with him in the summer for a few days and we can see the shops and do sightseeing in Edinburgh, isn’t that wonderful?’

  It certainly was, thought Grace and immediately felt guilty that she hadn’t giving her mother a treat like that, but Bill worked really long hours. However, she promised herself she would take her out for the day when the weather was better. Perhaps they could go on a coach trip as there were notices in the local paper that advertised day trips to various places.

  She had been twenty-seven when she married Bill and he was eight years older which meant he was often tired after his day’s work. Still, she knew Evie was a big help to her granny and that made her feel better.

  ‘I’d better be getting home, Mum, but I’ll pop in and see you later.’ As she was walking away from the close she saw her mother pulling the curtains and she gave her a wave but Evelyn didn’t notice it. It’s been quite a day, she thought as she walked quickly up the hill. She hated being piggy in the middle with Martha and Eliza but the fault had been Martha’s as she never stopped to consider that people could have other plans that didn’t include her, and it was time that Eliza put her foot down with her.

  Evie and Tommy were in the house when she got back and they were both laughing at something.

  ‘We don’t know what is wrong with Eliza,’ said Evie. ‘She was standing in the lane muttering to herself when we passed.’

  Tommy butted in. ‘We asked what the matter was and she just snarled at us and stomped back in the house.’

  ‘Martha was shouting at her,’ Evie added.

  Grace didn’t want to gossip about her neighbours so she just laughed as well, giving Bill a warning look not to say a word.

  Late
r in the week she went to the post office to get an airmail letter to take up to Maryanne so she could write to Sadie and give her the news of her operation. Anna was working during the afternoon so Grace had to go by herself. Maryanne still didn’t look too well and she confided that she wasn’t eating. ‘I really can’t face any food, Grace, and the nurses are saying I have to try and eat something.’

  ‘What’s the food like?’

  ‘Oh there’s nothing wrong with it but I feel sick and eating is the last thing on my mind.’ Maryanne looked upset. ‘But I know I have to get my strength back as I want to get home soon.’

  Grace thought she was better where she was as the weather was still cold and being in the house on her own would be a problem, especially as she was such an independent and private woman who didn’t like to broadcast her life to anyone. Grace took the airmail letter from her handbag. ‘I’ve got this for you to write to Sadie but if you want you can tell me what you want to say and I’ll write it down and get it posted.’

  Maryanne lay back on her pillow. She had a defeated expression which alarmed Grace.

  ‘If you would rather leave it today we can do it some other time.’

  ‘No, better get it over and done with, Grace. Just write and tell her I’ve had this operation for gallstones but I’m fine and will be home in no time.’

  Grace thought she looked anything but fine, but she took the biro pen from her bag and wrote down what Maryanne said. ‘Do you want to sign it?’ Maryanne took the pen and scribbled her name at the bottom of the letter then laid the pen down on her table with a weary expression. Grace then thought she would cheer the patient up and mentioned the row between Eliza and Martha but, although she smiled, she didn’t seem interested. However, as Grace was getting ready to leave, Maryanne took hold of her hand and thanked her. ‘You’re a good friend to me and I appreciate it. I talked to the almoner as you suggested and she tells me that I will get insurance money every week in the shape of a giro cheque and even though it’s not as much as my wage, it will be a big help.’

  Grace said she was pleased that this worrying subject had been broached, and with this helpful outcome. This was one thing Maryanne didn’t have to fret over and maybe she would recuperate more quickly. As she made her way home, the sun came out and although the wind was cold there was a promise of spring and the days were getting longer. Maryanne forgot to give her Sadie’s address but fortunately she saw it on the calendar and she would copy it down later and get the letter posted.

  She was passing Bella Duff’s house when she came to the door and called her in. ‘How is Maryanne?’

  Grace said, ‘I don’t think she’s doing as well as I hoped but maybe the next few days will see an improvement.’

  Bella went to the sideboard and took out a box of lace-trimmed handkerchiefs and a bottle of 4711 cologne in a blue package. ‘I want to give her these small presents as I’ve never used them.’ She then went to the cupboard and brought out a box of Black Magic chocolates. ‘Albert handed this in today for her so I said I would give them to you.’

  ‘Oh, what a shame, Bella, I’ve just come back from seeing her but I’ll be going back at the weekend.’ She took the presents and added, ‘She’ll be so pleased by these, Bella, especially the cologne as it’s so warm in the ward. She can dab it on and smell nice.’

  Bella was wearing a brown skirt today and a brown jumper that looked like cashmere but it was bobbled as if it had been washed too many times. However, Grace thought she looked quite elegant and wondered once more how she had come by the title of ‘Granny’, especially as she wasn’t one. She knew Evie and Tommy always referred to her by this title so maybe it was children from the previous people in the houses in the lane as she knew Bella and Albert were the oldest tenants with Martha and Eliza coming third in the hierarchy of the place.

  When she reached her own house she put the chocolates on the highest shelf in the cupboard because if Bill or Evie spotted them they might get eaten. Picking up Maryanne’s key from the hook by the door, she went in to look for Sadie’s address. The house still felt cold but she had been in and tidied the kitchen up and had made up the fire in the grate. All it needed was a match to light it when the patient got home. Bill had spoken to the coalman and he had put in a couple of bags of coal. If Maryanne wasn’t pleased by this show of charity then Grace was going to say it wasn’t and that she could pay Grace back at any time.

  Sadie’s address was also on an envelope that had once held a letter and Grace copied it out, noticing that she lived on a farm with a box number in Nebraska. How Sadie would take the news was anybody’s guess, but she had to be told that her mother was ill as she would be worried if she didn’t hear from her for some time. Maryanne didn’t mention her daughter very much except to say she was doing well in America. Grace had overheard Martha saying she was a selfish girl with no thought for anyone but herself, but Grace didn’t believe it. Martha never stopped to consider how hurtful her gossiping could be.

  11

  Saturday dawned bright and sunny and the cold wind had gone. Tommy skipped into Evie’s house and announced, ‘It’s my birthday tomorrow and I’ll be ten.’

  Grace and her daughter already knew this as Tommy was in the habit of announcing her forthcoming birthday days in advance. Evie was putting on her coat, ready to go for Granny Duff and the Potters’ messages. She rolled her eyes. ‘Yes, we know that, Tommy. You’ve mentioned it every day this week. I think the entire school knows about it.’

  Tommy was too excited to notice the sarcasm and she said, ‘Yes I know, I hope I get loads of cards from everyone.’

  Grace gave her a fond look. ‘You must come in tomorrow and we’ll celebrate it. I know Evie’s granny has made you a cake.’

  Tommy’s eyes were bright with excitement. ‘Oh, that’s super.’

  When the two girls left, Bill said, ‘It must be great to be ten again and full of life.’ Grace agreed as she cleared the breakfast table. She thought about getting older and how the joy somehow went out of one’s life. She had never been one for make up or fancy creams but she had noticed recently the tiny wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. Maybe I’ll treat myself to some face cream, she thought. Tommy’s mother had some Pond’s cream on her shelf and she looked good for her age. As Grace put the dishes in the hot water she also noticed her hands looked weather-beaten and rough and she sighed. There was no use trying to fight age, so she put the thought out of her head.

  When Evie and Tommy knocked on Granny Duff’s door, it was barely opened before Tommy mentioned her birthday again.

  Bella said, ‘That’s wonderful, Tommy. When you come back with my groceries I must give you something to celebrate becoming ten.’

  Evie gave her friend a nudge. ‘Stop it, Tommy. You’re practically asking for something for your birthday from everyone.’

  Tommy gave her a vague look. ‘No I’m not. I’m just telling everybody.’

  She gave the same news to the Potters but they didn’t mention any gift. Eliza just handed over the list and the money. ‘Now make sure you get whole biscuits. Last week some of them were broken.’

  The two girls laughed as they set off for the shops. ‘Now mind and don’t get broken biscuits,’ said Tommy, imitating Eliza’s voice.

  True to her word, when they delivered the groceries, Granny Duff had a small parcel wrapped up in pretty paper. ‘Don’t open it until tomorrow, Tommy,’ she said.

  However, Evie got a laugh when they went into the Potters’ house. Eliza opened the paper bag and checked all the biscuits to make sure there were none broken. Satisfied that they were all intact, she opened the biscuit barrel and took out three biscuits. ‘As it’s your birthday, Tommy, I’m giving you an extra Rich Tea.’

  Tommy gave her a smile. ‘Thank you, Eliza.’

  Once outside, Evie thought her friend was going to choke as she was almost doubled up with laughter. ‘I’ll not eat it today but keep it for tomorrow.’

  Grace had made a pot o
f stovies and the girls sat down. As usual Evie ate little but Tommy had a second helping along with two oatcakes. If they didn’t know the Cassidys they would assume they starved their child, Grace had said to Bill after the girls left for their trip into town to spend their money.

  A few days earlier, Evie had decided on her present for Tommy. In a little gift shop in the Murraygate she had noticed a lovely hair slide shaped like a glittering bow. It cost more than her usual shilling, in fact it was half a crown, but Evie decided she would forgo her savings this week. The problem was to get to the gift shop without her friend, but when they were in Woolworths the problem was solved when they met Ann who was in their class at school. Tommy went up to speak to her and Evie said she would meet her at the front door later. Tommy gave her a puzzled glance but when Ann mentioned her birthday she soon forgot about Evie leaving so mysteriously.

  The assistant in the gift shop took the slide from the window and put it in a small box. ‘Is it a gift?’ she asked and when Evie nodded she added, ‘Would you like me to wrap it?’

  ‘Yes please, my friend will love it.’

  The woman wrapped it in pink crepe paper and tied a silver ribbon around it. Evie had planned to give it to Tommy in a paper bag but now it looked really wonderful and expensive and she was pleased. Later when they met up, Tommy asked her where she had been. Evie said she had to get something for her mother so Tommy took this as a fact and said no more.

  They were entering the lane when a large removal van drew up and the driver rolled down his window. ‘I’m looking for number seven Meadow Lane. Is this it?’

  Evie said it was and they stood to one side as he jumped down from the driving seat along with another young lad. They went to the back and opened the doors, revealing a load of furniture. A small plump woman appeared and spoke to them and the men began to unload the van.

  The woman smiled at the two girls and said, ‘Hullo, I’m Morag and this is Rory,’ and she turned to a tall slim man who appeared at her side. ‘We’re moving into number seven and it’s nice to meet you.