Meadow Lane

by Maureen Reynolds

  The woman left her sitting while she went through a door at the back and when she returned she said she would have to look up her previous work before her marriage and they would write to her.

  Sadie wasn’t pleased by this, but she had no choice but to smile and say she needed to have an insurance number soon, and then she left. Full of disappointment she made her way back to the shop with the feeling that the job would be taken by now but David the owner said he would take her on, starting on Monday of the following week, and they would sort out all the preliminaries later. ‘The shop opens from eight-thirty to five-thirty with a half day on Wednesday. We also have a workshop so I’ll need you to do all the invoices and other office duties.’

  Sadie said she would be back on Monday and she went home feeling pleased with herself. It would mean leaving the house before Eddie in the morning and also coming back after school had finished but she was going to ask Grace if he could stay with Evie and Tommy.

  However, her elation was deflated when she got back to the lane. Eddie was at the Gows’ watching television with the girls but he seemed downcast. The reason was soon apparent when she saw his windcheater. It was smeared with mud and the pocket was torn. Before she could ask what the hell was going on, Tommy burst out, ‘It was Bruce Davidson’s fault. He’s a big bully.’

  23

  Maryanne was as furious as her daughter when she arrived home from work and was told about the torn jacket. Grace had given it a good brush which had removed some of the mud and she had once again stitched up the pocket.

  Evie and Tommy stood with Eddie when Sadie questioned them. She looked at Evie. ‘Why is this Bruce Davidson doing this to my son?’

  Evie hesitated and Tommy butted in. ‘It’s because he’s jealous of him. All the girls in the class are always speaking about Eddie and Bruce doesn’t like it.’

  Sadie picked up the jacket. ‘Right then, I’m going to go to the school tomorrow to tackle this bully.’

  Eddie burst out, ‘No, I don’t want you to do that as you’ll just make it worse.’

  Maryanne, who was still annoyed, said, ‘But he has to be stopped, Eddie, as he can’t go around ruining your clothes and getting off with it.’

  ‘If I had the same kind of school uniform as the rest of the boys then he wouldn’t do this.’ Eddie looked at the girls as if to get them to agree which they both did.

  Sadie made up her mind. ‘We’ll go down the town tomorrow afternoon and get some new things. Now run off and play while I make the tea.’

  Eddie trudged out the door as if running out to play was the last thing he wanted to do. Sadie turned to her mother. ‘I can’t afford to buy new clothes at the moment. Do you still have that account at McGills store that you used to have when I was at school?’

  ‘No I don’t, Sadie, as I can’t afford new things either, but if you go to the store I’m sure they will let you open a credit account.’

  That seemed to please Sadie and she set about making scrambled eggs and toast for the tea. Maryanne, who ate a meal at dinner time in the canteen in the sweet factory where the prices were cheap, didn’t want anything and she said she was going to visit her pal, Dorothy. She was really annoyed that Sadie was planning to stay and not go back to her husband but she knew it would be useless going on about it.

  Sadie was also feeling fed up as the elation of finding a job had been overshadowed by all this nonsense at school and now she had the added expense of a new outfit and probably new shoes as well. Eddie seemed to be growing taller by the day and she wondered if her wages would be enough to keep them both.

  The next morning, she said she would meet Eddie from school and they would both go down to McGills. What she didn’t tell him was the fact that she had written a strongly worded letter and had asked Evie to give it to the teacher but not to say a word about it. Evie was unhappy about this but she put the letter into her schoolbag and duly handed it over when they were in the classroom. Miss Malcolm opened it and after she read it, she went out of the room and appeared a few minutes later with the headmaster.

  All heads turned when he called Bruce from his desk and took him outside. Evie was aware that Eddie and Tommy were looking at her but she picked up her arithmetic book and began to read it like it was some fabulous adventure story. Some of the girls were nudging each other and whispering but the teacher told them to get on with their lessons. Half an hour later Bruce appeared. His face was red and furious looking and he glared at Eddie as he passed his desk.

  At playtime, he sauntered up to Eddie and snarled, ‘My uncles are world famous boxers and I’m going to get them to come and knock your head off.’

  As Eddie walked away he was joined by David. ‘I wouldn’t worry about his uncles, Eddie. My dad says they’re not good boxers as they are too fat.’

  For the first time in ages, Eddie laughed out loud. ‘Thanks for that, David, you’re a good chum to me.’

  David’s face lit up. Like Eddie he was also a bit of an outsider due to his small physique. The bell sounded and they went in together with Eddie still smiling.

  Sadie was at a loose end now she was alone in the house so she made up her mind to go down the town. She went into McGills to look at the boys’ department and ask about opening an account. The first person she met was Alex Little who she remembered from her teenage days when he regularly came to the house for the weekly payments from her mother. He recognised her straight away and said he would arrange a credit account. ‘Heavens, Sadie, you don’t look a day older from the last time I saw you. You were getting married I believe, so how’s married life?’

  Sadie wasn’t going to tell her life story so she smiled and said it was great. ‘I’m bringing my son here this afternoon, Mr Little, as he needs new school clothes, so will the account be open by then?’

  The man was all jovial. ‘I’ll see to that, Sadie, so don’t you worry your pretty head about anything. Tell your mother I was asking for her as I haven’t seen her for some time.’

  Sadie promised she would and she wandered out into the sunshine. The weather was great, she thought, and it promised to be a good summer. With that happy thought in mind she wandered down the Wellgate and walked as far as Castle Street where she knew Braithwaite’s coffee shop was situated. It was hard to get a decent cup of coffee in the town so she bought a small bag of roasted ground coffee beans and planned to make a cup as soon as she got home.

  However the plan was put to one side when she noticed the airmail letter lying on the floor behind the front door. Her heart sank as she read the few lines from Ed. He hoped her mother was now feeling better and was hoping she would be coming back soon with Eddie as everyone was missing them. She frowned as she read the last few words. Maybe everyone was missing Eddie but she knew they wouldn’t be missing her.

  Taking the letter over to the empty fireplace, she lit a match and put the flame to the corner of the flimsy paper. It soon burnt to a minute pile of ashes which she prodded with the poker until the letter was no more. Then she brewed her coffee, dreaming of her new life. She decided to ignore the letter and if she did then Ed would want to be with her, which meant he could come to Dundee to live and give up the farm. After all he had spent quite a long time in Britain during the war and he always said he loved this country. He could easily get a job and they would find a house and everything would be rosy. There was just one problem and that was the fact that she no longer loved him, but that small fact wouldn’t matter as he had their son Eddie to look after and he was the biggest joy in his life.

  After making her coffee she sat down at the wooden kitchen table and looked around the room. All the furniture dated from her childhood and everything was either faded or old. The chair she was sitting in was uncomfortable and the bed wasn’t much better. She hoped to move from here as soon as she got some money together and the fact she had got that job was a lucky bonus.

  The sun shone through the small window and Sadie noticed Morag pushing her pram along the lane. It was too
lovely a day to be inside so she joined her neighbour. Morag looked pleased when she walked alongside and peered into the pram. Catriona was sleeping and the cream coloured canopy shielded the baby from the sun.

  ‘She’s a lovely baby, Morag. I mind when Eddie was born and I loved pushing him around our farm. It’s a pity they grow up so quickly. I’ve got to take him to get new clothes for school this afternoon and it only seems like yesterday when he was in romper suits.’

  By now they had reached the Hilltown and Morag said, ‘Is Eddie settling in at his new school?’

  ‘Yes he is.’ There was no way she was going to mention all the problems. ‘I’ve been for a job interview today and I start work next week. It’s an electrical shop on King Street.’

  Morag seemed genuinely pleased by this news. ‘Well, good luck with that. I know the shop as we bought a couple of table lamps from there. It’s quite a busy place so you’ll enjoy working there.’ She stopped at the small grocery and put the brake on the pram. ‘I’m going in here to get something for the tea and also for Rory’s pieces that he takes to work for his dinner break. Oh before I forget, we are having Catriona christened this Sunday in Bonnethill Church. I hope the weather stays sunny like this.’

  Sadie said she hoped so as well and she made her way to the school. There was still half an hour before the children got out but she thought she would find somewhere to sit while she waited. On reaching Rose Street she saw a small wall across from the gate so she sat on the warm stones and watched as an elderly woman made her way up the steep road. As she passed, Sadie saw how frail she was with her deeply wrinkled face and thin hands that clutched a small bag.

  She gave a small shudder and hoped she wouldn’t look like her when she got old. It was a great feeling to be young and healthy and beautiful and she knew she was lucky to have good looks because it opened lots of door for her. Especially this afternoon with the job and meeting Alex Little after all these years which had produced an account without lots of questions asked.

  She was brought out of her reverie when the school bell sounded. One minute the street was quiet and the next it was a mass of noisy boys pouring through the gate. She would like to have met Bruce Davidson but in the crowd it was hard to pick anyone out.

  Eddie appeared with a small, serious looking boy and when he saw his mother he crossed over while his friend made his way down the road.

  ‘Who is that, Eddie? Is he a chum of yours?’

  Eddie said his name was David and yes, he was a chum. This pleased her because it looked like he was settling in after a bad start. They then made their way down to the Wellgate steps and McGills store.

  Eddie was adamant. ‘I want school clothes like all the rest of the boys, Mum, and not something fancy.’

  Sadie made a soothing noise. ‘Of course we’ll get you what you want.’ Anything for a peaceful life, she thought.

  Eddie gave her a suspicious glance as he was so used to her having her own way in everything, even his clothes. However he had nothing to worry about as the assistant produced grey trousers and shirts, a dark navy jumper and a navy blue anorak for when the weather was cold and wet. It was all dull and serviceable but just what he was looking for. He didn’t want to stand out in his American outfits and get ridiculed by Bruce and his pals.

  Sadie decided he also needed new shoes as he was finding it hard to put on his old ones which were getting too small for him. Within an hour they were carrying all the parcels up the hill and she was getting over the shock of how expensive everything was and these were items she would have to replace often as her son got bigger. She hoped her wages in the shop would cover it all and she suddenly realised it was a hard job being without a husband to foot the bills. Back home in America she usually bought clothes from a catalogue or sometimes from the general outfitter in the main street in Lutton and when the bills came in, Ed would pay them either with cash or a cheque.

  When they reached the lane, Evie and Tommy were pushing the large Silver Cross pram with its fringed canopy backwards and forwards with Catriona sleeping soundly inside. At five o’clock Morag called from her doorway, ‘It’s time for the baby’s feed, girls.’

  Tommy pushed the pram right up to the door where Morag lifted her child out. ‘After her feed it’s time for her bath and then bedtime. I like to get this all done before her daddy comes in from work,’ she said, placing kisses on Catriona’s head.

  They walked back to their own houses, passing Martha and Eliza who were sitting on basket chairs, enjoying the evening sunshine. Sadie also noticed the Potters but gave them a wide berth as she headed indoors to deposit her parcels on Eddie’s bed. She knew they wanted to see her and get all the gossip about her life and she would go some day but not now. Spending all that money had made her a bit depressed and she still hadn’t bought anything for the tea.

  Popping her head outside she saw Evie. ‘Can you run down to Lipton’s and get me a half pound of bacon, six eggs and a white loaf?’

  Evie took the money and she was back in a quarter of an hour with Eddie in tow. He opened the parcels and hung up the trousers and anorak before putting the shirts and jumper in the drawer of the ancient looking cupboard.

  ‘Now mind and look after your new clothes, Eddie, as they cost a lot of money. If that Bruce guy tears anything else then I’m sending the bill to his mother.’

  Eddie sat down on the bed and closed his eyes. Life wasn’t getting any easier and he was worried that his father hadn’t sent any letters to see how they were getting on or, even better, insisting that they came back home.

  Feeling exhausted, Sadie sat down on the chair and decided to wait till her mother came home in case she wanted something to eat as well. Maybe, she thought with a sigh, Maryanne would also cook it.

  24

  Saturday was another hot sunny day. Evie and Tommy got ready to go into town. ‘Do you think Eddie will want to come with us?’ asked Evie.

  Tommy said she would ask him and she knocked on Maryanne’s door. Sadie answered and she sounded delighted by this request. ‘Eddie, Tommy wants to know if you want to go into town with them,’ she called.

  Eddie came out of his bedroom dressed in his cream coloured trousers and a white short-sleeved cotton T-shirt. He didn’t seem pleased by this request but on the other hand he didn’t want to stay in on this lovely day so he gave a halfhearted shrug and went outside.

  Tommy was ecstatic that he was joining them but Evie also looked happy. As they set off down the hill, Tommy asked him if he had any money to spend. ‘Evie and I like going into Woolworths and spending our pocket money there.’

  Eddie said he had two shillings but he wanted to save it instead of spending it.

  Tommy rolled her eyes. ‘You sound like Evie. She likes to save some of her money as well but I like to spend it all.’

  When they reached Woolworths, Tommy said, ‘I don’t suppose you have a shop like this in America.’

  Eddie looked surprised. ‘Don’t be daft, Tommy, of course we have Woolworths stores in America, although not one in our small town. This business was started by Frank Winfield Woolworth who was an American millionaire.’ Tommy didn’t believe this but Evie backed him up although she wasn’t a hundred per cent sure if this was the truth.

  Once inside, Tommy made straight for the sweet counter, while the other two didn’t spend any of their money. One thing about Tommy was that she was a generous soul and offered them a sweet from the bag. Eddie, who had lovely white teeth, didn’t have one but Evie pulled a toffee from the bag.

  Tommy still couldn’t believe about the shop being started by an American. ‘Why does he have shops in this country when he doesn’t live here?’

  ‘He has stores all over the world, that’s why he became a millionaire, and although he’s dead now his family still own them.’

  They were making their way along the Murraygate when they spotted two of their classmates, Jean Reid and Amy Hutton. When they saw Eddie they came running over the road with squea
ls of delight. Amy was a very pretty girl and she knew it. The fact that Eddie dressed differently from the other boys she knew and that he was American were so appealing to her. She put her arm through his and tried to pull him away while Jean stood by with a bemused smile.

  ‘We’re just going to meet my mother, Eddie. Do you want to come with us as she’s treating us to our dinner in Franchi’s restaurant?’ Much to Amy’s disappointment, Eddie said a polite thank you but said he had to be somewhere else and they said a quick cheerio to him while ignoring Evie and Tommy.

  Tommy was furious. She mimicked Amy. ‘We’re going to a restaurant, Eddie, do you want to come?’

  He laughed. ‘As a matter of fact I would have gone but I want to find a post office as I need to buy an airmail letter to write to my dad.’ He winked at Evie while Tommy stood open mouthed.

  Evie said there was a post office on the Hilltown beside the Plaza picture house so they made their way there.

  Sadie sat in the house after Eddie left. His departure was followed by Maryanne’s, who was going to meet up with her friend Dorothy who wanted to buy a new frock for a family wedding and wanted someone with her to give their opinion.

  Sadie hated sitting in the dismal house with its old and well-worn furniture so she wandered along the lane to see the Potters. She gave a rueful laugh at this move. What had her life turned out to be when she traded one dismal house for a conversation with two dreary people?

  Eliza was making a cup of tea for her mother when Sadie skirted around the two basket chairs outside the door. They hadn’t moved out in the sunshine because it didn’t shine on the front of the houses until early afternoon.

  Martha looked delighted with her visitor. ‘I was wondering when you would pay us a visit, Sadie. I thought we had offended you.’