Meadow Lane

by Maureen Reynolds

  ‘How are we going to pay for it, Bill?’

  He smiled. ‘That’s no problem, Grace. I got a bonus at work and I’ve been thinking about having a television to watch at night. Evie will love it.’

  ‘Let’s just think about it,’ she said but he beamed at her.

  ‘It’s being delivered this week and the television aerial is being installed tomorrow morning.’

  Grace was in two minds about this expense as she would have liked to have saved it in the post office savings account but now that it was a fait accompli she had to accept this new-fangled machine. Of course when Evie heard the news she was delighted and she ran in to tell Tommy the good news.

  ‘We can watch the children’s programmes after school,’ said Tommy who was as delighted as her friend.

  The next morning, the electrician appeared with a ladder and was soon on the roof installing the aeriel that had a black cable running down the front of the house and through the kitchen window. ‘That’s it all set up for the television set, Mrs Gow,’ he said, getting her signature on a sheet of paper. ‘I think your set is coming tomorrow.’

  Grace went outside and what looked like a giant ‘H’ was fixed to her chimney. Albert happened to be passing and he gazed upwards as well.

  ‘Bill’s bought a television, Albert,’ she said.

  Albert was impressed. ‘It’ll be such a change from the wireless. I saw some of the Queen’s coronation on one in 1953 and it’s like going to the pictures.’

  Grace wasn’t impressed. She enjoyed her night at the pictures as she liked to pick and choose which films to see in one of Dundee’s many picture houses whereas with this box in her kitchen she would have to view whatever was beamed to the aerial. However it looked like she had no choice and if it pleased Bill and Evie then she was happy to sit and gaze at the television screen.

  The next morning a van arrived with the television and the electrician who delivered it put it on the table that Bill had placed by the fireplace and began to attach the cable to the set. ‘I hope you get a good signal here,’ he said as he fiddled with the back which had a socket to take the cable. Suddenly a black and white image appeared and Grace sat down to watch it. The man then said it was all sorted out. ‘Happy viewing,’ he said with a smile as he departed to his van.

  Someone knocked on the door. It was Eliza. She was all flustered as if she had run along the lane twenty times. ‘We’ve heard you’ve got a television, Grace.’ She was mesmerised by the picture. ‘How does that picture manage to come from that thing on your roof and into that box?’

  Grace sighed. ‘I’ve no idea, Eliza, you had better ask Bill as he was the one who bought it.’

  ‘Mum was just saying she would like to see some of the programmes,’ said Eliza hopefully.

  ‘I thought Martha wasn’t able to walk any further than the front door.’ Grace suddenly visualised the future with Martha, Eliza and Uncle Tom Cobley and all squeezing into the kitchen to watch it.

  Eliza said that was true. ‘We only manage to sit out on the doorstep in the summer in our Lloyd Loom chairs so I can’t see her toddling along. It would be nice if we lived next door to you but we don’t.’

  Thank the Lord for that, Grace said silently.

  By the time Bill came home in the evening, the residents of the lane had all heard about the new acquisition in the Gow household. In fact Anna had said to her husband that she would also like one but Thomas said he thought they were very expensive. ‘I was talking to Mrs Bell in the shop and she said you can buy one for a deposit and pay it up weekly. There are a few shops that sell them and quite a lot of people own one,’ Anna said but Thomas wasn’t listening. This was something he did all the time when he didn’t want to get into a row about smoking the last cigarette or buying a television.

  While this conversation was going on, Eliza was in Bella Duff’s house telling her all about it. ‘Mum was just saying how she’s always wanted one as well but I’ve told her we can’t afford one.’

  Bella was amused by all this chatter which had certainly set the lane alight. It was just a pity that Maryanne wasn’t here to join in with all the gossip. Nonetheless she was relieved when Eliza said she had to go.

  Eliza was almost at her house when she spotted Morag walking along the lane with a small bag of messages. ‘Have you heard that the Gows have bought a television?’

  Morag said she hadn’t but added, ‘We don’t have one but Murdo does. He says there’s not much entertainment on it although he likes What’s My Line? on a Sunday night. He thinks Gilbert Harding who is on the panel is very rude but he gets away with it.’

  This was all news to Eliza who didn’t know one programme from another but she nodded wisely. ‘Mum and I much prefer the wireless.’

  Morag said, ‘Would you like to come and see what we’ve done to the house?’

  Eliza could hardly contain her excitement and she followed Morag into the house. Inside was all pale walls and light coloured furniture and the curtains that she had glimpsed were even lovelier when viewed from inside. There was a strange looking chair by the fireside that looked like it was made from wicker and was a strange shape. Morag saw her looking at it. ‘We got that chair from Rory’s grandparents who live on Orkney. That is a common chair there.’

  ‘It looks really comfortable,’ said Eliza diplomatically.

  Morag laughed. ‘Yes, it will be when I get my figure back after the baby is born. I don’t think I would like to sit in it just now in case I get stuck.’

  Eliza debated about telling her about Murdo’s resemblance to Michael. Plucking up her courage she said, ‘Your brother-in-law looks so much like someone I used to know, his name was Michael.’

  Morag looked interested. ‘That’s a coincidence, isn’t it? Is he someone you were fond of?’

  Eliza said she was once engaged to be married to him but it hadn’t worked out and now she didn’t know where he was. Morag thought this was so sad and she said so. ‘Maybe one day you’ll meet up with him again.’ Eliza thought it unlikely but said nothing.

  Back in her own house she told her mother about the television and the super interior of Morag’s house. ‘That’s what we need to do here. Get those dark curtains down and get light coloured wallpaper to brighten up the room,’ she said.

  Martha looked at her with alarm. ‘Where is all the money coming from for all this?’ Eliza said she could use some of the money her mother kept under the bed. ‘Use my money for doing up a room when it’s perfectly good? No, I’m saving up for a television to keep me amused.’

  Never mind making me amused, thought Eliza.

  ‘What other news is going around?’ Martha asked. Eliza thought of how she spoke about Michael to Morag but she had no intention of telling her mother that. She looked at Martha with wide eyed innocence. ‘No, nothing else.’

  16

  Grace arrived home from the shops on Saturday afternoon in a bad mood. Bill was sitting watching the television. Evie and Tommy had hesitated about staying in with him but the lure of Woolworths proved too strong and they had set off to spend their pocket money. Evie was pleased to see that Tommy was wearing her new hair slide and she thought it suited her as she had a strong head of curly hair that gripped the slide firmly. In her case, with her fine silky hair, the slide would have lived up to its name and slid downwards.

  Grace put her bag down on the table with a thump. ‘Honestly, Bill, I’m fed up to here.’ She pointed to a space under her chin.

  Bill, who liked to have a life free from tantrums and most of life’s cares, said, ‘What’s the matter?’

  Grace was unpacking her groceries and putting them away in the cupboard. ‘What’s the matter? I’ll tell you, shall I? About twenty people in the shops all commented on the fact we’ve got a television. In fact old Mrs Burton said it was easy to see where we got the money for it because of the plumber’s bill she got last month.’

  Bill annoyed his wife by bursting out laughing. ‘Tell the old besom to
mind her own business. I didn’t do any work on her house so I had nothing to do with her bill.’

  Grace wasn’t going to be appeased. ‘Even Anna keeps on and on about it. She says she wished Thomas was earning enough to buy one for her and Tommy. She said the last letter she had from her sister in Ireland was boasting of how well her husband was doing in his job and that she might manage a holiday this year.’

  Bill, who was normally good-natured and easy-going, was beginning to get annoyed. ‘We can’t help it if Hopalong doesn’t have a big wage. What difference would it make if we didn’t have a television, will that make them any better off?’

  Grace could see the logic of this argument but she wasn’t going to give up that easily. ‘Don’t call him Hopalong. Anna hates that nickname.’

  Bill held up his hands in supplication. ‘All right then, what difference will it make if Thomas doesn’t have a big wage?’

  Grace gave a big sigh and proceeded with her chores. She liked a tidy cupboard and everything in its place. She poured the bag of flour into the blue and white tin, the cornflour into the white tin and the baking powder into the red tin. The tea then went into the caddy and the sugar into a large jar. After all this she stood back and admired her handiwork She now knew she could put her hands on anything she needed. She wasn’t one to criticise her next-door neighbour but she had once spotted Anna’s cupboard and it was a right mixter maxter of opened and unopened bags. She must have spilled a bag at some time and there was a small layer of crystallised sugar on the shelf.

  Bill started to chuckle at the programme that was on the television and Grace thought now was the time to drop her bombshell. ‘Oh, by the way, I dropped in to see Mum and she had also heard about our new acquisition. Seemingly her pal Elsie Conners’ son is planning to buy a set for his mother and she said it was great that we had one and that she would get the Radio Times and mark off which programmes she would like to see.’

  Bill said that was a good idea. ‘It’ll take her out of the house and do her the world of good.’

  ‘Well I’m glad you said that, Bill, because she plans to come here to do her viewing.’

  Bill almost fell off his chair. ‘WHAT? I hope you said it might not be possible, Grace.’

  Grace went through to the bedroom to put a tin of talcum powder on the dressing table so she didn’t answer but she smiled to herself. That puts his gas at a peep, she thought. Although she had seen her mother, Evelyn hadn’t said anything about being in the house every night but she had said she would do her viewing when Elsie got her television. When she came back into the kitchen, Bill had switched off the set and was now sitting reading the paper. ‘I must say that getting this television seems to be the most exciting thing that’s happened in the lane,’ she said. The words were no sooner uttered when the two girls rushed in. They looked at the blank screen in dismay.

  ‘I hope it isn’t broken, Dad,’ Evie said while Tommy nodded.

  ‘No it isn’t, Evie, let me put it on for you both,’ he said, glancing at his wife as if to say he had made the right decision in purchasing it.

  Grace left the three of them to sit in a huddle while she put the tea on. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. ‘I hope it isn’t someone wanting to see something,’ she muttered as she opened the door. To her surprise, a telegram boy was standing on the doorstep.

  ‘I’ve got a telegram for Mrs Roberts,’ he said, ‘but there’s nobody in. Can you tell me when she will be at home?’

  Grace was flustered. Why would Maryanne get a telegram? ‘Mrs Roberts is in the hospital,’ she said. ‘I’m hoping to go and see her tomorrow if you want me to take the telegram to her.’

  The boy hesitated and said that she could take it but it had to be delivered right away. Grace called out to Bill who came to the door. ‘This is a telegram for Maryanne and it has to be delivered right away.’

  Bill was good at thinking on his feet. ‘I’ve got the van outside, I’ll drive you to Auchterhouse.’

  The boy handed over the telegram and Grace went to put on her coat, calling out to the girls that they wouldn’t be long. All the way on the journey she fussed about the contents. ‘It must be bad news, Bill. No one ever gets a good news telegram. I don’t know how Maryanne will take it.’

  ‘Don’t worry, Grace, there’s no use getting in a tizzy over it. We’ll deliver it and then go from there. If it is bad news then we can be there for her.’

  Grace agreed that was the best idea but it didn’t stop her worrying. Although Maryanne was getting stronger she was still recuperating and something like this could easily make her ill again.

  Bill drove quite quickly and soon they were at the hospital, where he waited in the vehicle. At the reception, the nurse pointed out that visiting times were over so Grace explained her mission. ‘The patients are due to get their evening meal,’ the nurse said, but as it was a telegram she led Grace into the small lounge.

  ‘I’ll send Mrs Roberts in to see you,’ she said, walking away quickly, her shoes making squeaking noises on the polished floor.

  After a few minutes Maryanne appeared with a worried frown. ‘What’s the matter, Grace?’

  Grace held out the telegram. ‘This came for you this afternoon.’

  Maryanne sat down on the edge of a chair and held the thin letter in her hand which Grace noticed was shaking.

  ‘Do you want me to open it?’

  Maryanne said no, she would do it. She quickly lifted the flap and read the message. Her face went white as she looked at Grace. ‘Oh, no.’

  Grace was almost frightened to ask what was wrong but she said, ‘Is it bad news?’

  Maryanne nodded. ‘It’s from Sadie. She sent it from Liverpool and she’s on her way here with her son Eddie.’

  Grace hadn’t realised she had been holding her breath but now she gave a deep breath of relief. ‘That’s good news, Maryanne. She must have decided to come and see you when she knew you were ill. It’ll do you the world of good to see her again.’ Maryanne said it was but she didn’t sound very convincing, as Grace confided to Bill on the homeward journey.

  17

  Morag started to have twinges that began half an hour after Rory left to go to work that morning. To make matters worse, he said he would be working late because Murdo wanted to finish the work they were doing in a shop in the Wellgate. They didn’t normally work a full day on Saturday, usually finishing by twelve, but the shop owner had asked for the work to be finished that weekend.

  He had been reluctant to work late because of the baby but she had assured him, ‘Don’t worry about me because the baby’s not due for another ten days.’

  Comforted by this, he had set off and Morag had begun to tidy the house when she felt the pains. They weren’t too bad but by afternoon had increased and she was now starting to panic. Her suitcase was already packed in preparation for the birth and she went into the bedroom for it. Carrying it through to the kitchen, a sudden flood of fluid brought her to a halt. She knew her waters had broken but she was at a loss what to do. The clock struck six and she still didn’t know which way to turn.

  She was frightened to go out into the lane but as she was fretting about this emergency, she saw Evie pass the window. Hurrying as quickly as she could, she reached the door and called out to her. By now Evie was almost at her house but thankfully she turned around.

  Morag shouted out, ‘Can you get your mum to come here, Evie?’

  Evie hurried into the house. Her dad was watching the television and Mum was setting the table for the tea which was later than normal because of the trip to deliver the telegram. Her dad looked up. ‘Did you get the evening paper, Evie?’

  She nodded and handed it over. ‘Mum, Mrs MacCallum wants you to go and see her.’

  Grace stopped putting out the plates. ‘Did she say want she wants?’

  Evie said no. ‘But she shouted out quite loudly.’

  Grace said, ‘Oh heavens, I hope it isn’t the baby coming. I better go and see
her.’

  Evie went with her as they walked quickly along the lane. By now, Morag’s pains were coming every ten minutes. She had managed to change her clothes and a pile of wet washing was piled up beside the sink. ‘I think the baby is coming, Grace, and Rory is working late today. I have to get to the DRI as I’m booked to go there for the birth.’

  Grace turned to Evie. ‘Run along and get Dad to bring the van here, tell him it’s urgent.’

  After Evie left she reassured Morag. ‘First time babies rarely come quickly but we’ll get you to the infirmary as soon as Bill brings the van. It’s lucky he has it home with him today as sometimes he doesn’t. We’ve just come back from seeing Maryanne.’ She picked up the suitcase and helped Morag to her feet which she was reluctant to do.

  ‘I think the baby will come if I stand up, Grace, I can feel it.’

  Grace went to the door to see if Bill was coming but as she opened it she found Eliza standing on the doorstep. ‘Is every thing all right? I saw you and Evie hurrying in.’ She stepped inside the kitchen.

  Grace said that the baby was ready to be born. ‘Bill will take us to the infirmary, Eliza.’ The words were barely out of her mouth when she heard the sound of an engine and Bill appeared.

  ‘The van’s not very comfortable, Grace,’ he whispered at the door. ‘I’m not sure if it’s the best transport for a mother-to-be. Maybe I should go and phone for a taxi.’

  ‘There’s no time, Bill, she has to get in immediately. It may be a false alarm but I’d be happy if she was having the proper care.’

  Grace and Bill helped Morag to walk to the van and it took some time to get her settled on the passenger seat while Eliza carried the suitcase and placed it in the back amongst the plumbing equipment.