MB04 - Down Our Street

by Joan Jonker

  ‘Tough luck, son, ’cos he’ll just have to wait, won’t he?’

  But Nellie was sorry she hadn’t put a move on when Archie arrived just as they were finishing their tea. ‘Yer’ll have to take us as yer find us, lad, dirty plates and all. And it’s yer own fault, anyway, for coming so early.’

  ‘I know, and I do apologise.’ Archie sat on the couch, crossed his legs and made himself at home. ‘Me mam’s got a sister living not far from here, and she goes to see her a couple of times a week because me Auntie Elsie is not in the best of health. It’s only one tram stop before here, so I came with her tonight for company and walked the difference.’

  ‘Oh, yer should have brought yer mam in for a cup of tea!’ Nellie grinned as she cast an eye over the dirty plates. ‘Perhaps tonight wouldn’t have made a good impression, eh? She’d think we live in a hovel. But next time she’s down this way, bring her in, I’d like to meet her.’

  ‘Yeah, I’ll do that. Perhaps next Saturday, before she goes to me auntie’s. Yer see, me mam does a bit of work for her, seeing as she’s not well. Just a spot of washing and ironing, you know, to help out.’

  Nellie, forever the inquisitive, asked, ‘What’s wrong with yer auntie?’

  ‘She’s got a bad chest and sometimes she can hardly breathe. Me mam said she’s been like that since she was a child. She’s married but got no children. Her husband’s a nice enough bloke and he’s good to her in his own way. But he’s useless around the house, wouldn’t know what to do with a duster if yer gave him one.’

  ‘Most men are the same, Archie, so he’s not on his own.’ Nellie’s chins wobbled, agreeing with her opinion. ‘They’re all pretty useless.’

  George and his two sons voiced their disapproval. ‘Ah, ay, Mam, that’s not fair,’ Steve said. ‘Who washed the dishes for yer when yer hand was sore?’

  ‘And who gets the coal in for yer when the weather’s bad?’ Paul asked. ‘And makes sure yer’ve got enough in to last for the day?’

  George scratched his head. ‘I know I do something, but I can’t for the life of me think what it is, now.’ Then his face lit up. ‘I dusted the picture rail for yer a few times, ’cos even standing on a chair yer can’t reach. And I once put the washing out on the line for yer. There’s not many men would do that.’

  Nellie’s look of surprise was very exaggerated. ‘Oh, my God, I don’t believe it! The day yer put the washing out, George McDonough, I was in labour with our Paul. Did yer expect me to tell the baby to hang on for a while till I put the washing out?’

  George had a pained expression on his face. ‘Well, he wasn’t born till half-an-hour afterwards, so yer would have had time.’

  Archie noticed that Lily’s laughter was as loud as anyone’s, and he thought she looked well. She certainly didn’t seem to be fretting over her boyfriend. He wondered whether Paul had asked her to come to the dance with them, but couldn’t catch his mate’s eye to give him a hint.

  ‘I’ll clear the table and wash up, Mam.’ Lily began to collect the plates. ‘You and your corn sit and relax.’

  ‘If ye’re not going anywhere, our kid, why don’t yer come to the dance with me and Archie?’ Paul had caught his friend watching Lily closely. ‘We wouldn’t leave yer on yer own and I bet yer’d enjoy yerself.’

  ‘Yeah, why don’t yer, love?’ Nellie tried not to sound too eager. ‘Yer used to like dancing.’

  ‘I can’t, not tonight.’ It was a lame excuse, but the only one Lily could think of on the spur of the moment. ‘Doreen’s starting on the bridesmaids’ dresses and has asked me to try one on when she’s tacked it up.’

  That won’t be tonight, Nellie thought. But she wisely kept her thoughts to herself. It was no good pushing the girl too soon, otherwise she’d dig her heels in. Give her a bit more time and things might be different.

  So Archie had to be content with Paul’s company. But there was hope in his heart.

  ‘I want everything cleared away and this place nice and tidy when we get back,’ Molly said. ‘Yer’ve got till ten-thirty, no later.’

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Doreen told her, ‘I’ve told Phil I’ll be over there by half-ten. I want to spend some time with him. Yer know what they say about all work and no play?’

  ‘Steve’s calling for me at that time, too,’ Jill said. ‘We’re going for a walk, seeing as the weather’s so nice.’

  ‘Arm-in-arm looking up at the stars, eh, sunshine? There’s nothing more romantic.’

  ‘I’m lucky, Mam, I don’t need to look up at the sky to see stars. I see them every time Steve kisses me.’

  ‘Yuk!’ Ruthie pulled a face. ‘You and our Doreen are proper sloppy beggars.’

  ‘I was a sloppy beggar once,’ Molly told her. ‘And in a few years you’ll be a sloppy beggar too! Now go and give yer dad a shout, tell him we’re waiting.’

  Ruthie reached the bottom of the stairs to see her father halfway down. He wasn’t to know the smile on her face had been brought about by the thought of walking under the stars with Gordon and finding it wasn’t sloppy after all.

  ‘We’ll give Corker a knock and say ta-ra,’ Molly said, closing the door behind her. ‘He’ll be away first thing in the morning so we won’t get another chance.’

  When Ellen opened the door to them she smiled and stood back. ‘Come on in.’

  Molly shook her head. ‘We’re on our way round to me ma’s and I don’t want to be too late ’cos they go to bed early. We just wanted to say ta-ra to Corker.’

  ‘Is someone taking my name in vain?’ The big man towered behind his wife. And when he put his arms around her, the embrace was so gentle and loving, Molly couldn’t help thinking what a remarkable man he was. He was built like an ox, had the strength of a lion, and yet was as gentle as a kitten. ‘Are yer not coming in?’

  ‘I promised me ma we’d go round, Corker, so we haven’t time tonight. We just called to wish yer well and say the next time we see yer the wedding will only be days off.’

  ‘Yer’ll have yer hands full then, Molly, me darlin’. Two daughters getting married is double the trouble. But what a wonderful day it’ll be for everyone.’

  ‘It’s started to get hectic now, Corker,’ Jack said. ‘What with the sewing machine out, patterns all over the place and what looks like enough material to make curtains for the Empire Theatre! But why worry about what the house looks like, eh? When it’s all over, my one will have it ship-shape in no time at all.’

  ‘I’ll be home at least four days before the wedding, Molly, so I can help yer with any last-minute running round.’ Corker, as always, had a thought for youngsters. ‘I bet ye’re looking forward to being a bridesmaid, eh, Ruthie? It’s all we can get out of Phoebe and Dorothy, they talk of nothing else. It’s a pretty picture yer’ll make, like princesses out of a fairy tale.’

  Molly put her arm on her daughter’s shoulder. ‘Watch it, Corker, she’s big-headed enough for her age as it is.’ She gave Ruthie’s shoulder a gentle squeeze to let her know that what she’d said was only in fun. ‘Have yer said farewell to the McDonoughs yet? Nellie will lay a duck egg if yer go off without a word.’

  ‘I called this afternoon but they were all out, apart from Lily. I wouldn’t dream of leaving without seeing them, so I’ll give them a knock later. By the way, Lily told me she’d given a certain person his marching orders … have yer heard?’

  Molly nodded. ‘Good riddance to bad rubbish, that’s what I say.’

  Ruthie’s eyes were wide with interest. ‘What’s Lily done, Mam?’

  ‘Nothing that concerns you, sunshine, so don’t be asking.’ Molly turned her daughter to face up the street. ‘We’ll have to go or me ma will start worrying. Take care, Corker, and we’ll see yer soon. Ta-ra Ellen.’

  After waving goodbye, Ruthie walked between her mother and father. And as she’d done since she first learned to walk, she reached out for their hands. Jack looked across at Molly and they both smiled. Each sharing the thought that she was their baby an
d very soon would be the only one of their children at home.

  ‘The material’s lovely, Ma, wait till yer see it. Doreen said it was blue, but it’s got a lilac tinge to it and it looks good, if yer know what I mean. Not a baby blue.’

  ‘Yeah, it looks great, Nan.’ Ruthie had squeezed herself into the side of Bob’s chair and her arm was across his shoulders. ‘Yer won’t know me when I’m all dolled up, Grandad, yer’ll get the shock of yer life.’

  ‘If yer think we won’t know yer, me darlin’, then yer’ll have to carry a sign with yer name on, so yer will,’ Bridie said, her smile as gentle and loving as her voice. ‘Sure, we’d never forgive ourselves if we missed our granddaughter on her big day!’

  ‘Fat chance of that, Ma,’ Jack said. ‘Ruthie will make sure that no one, from here to Woolworth’s in Church Street, misses her. She’s already got her friend, Bella, green with envy, and probably half the girls in her class.’

  ‘Well now, wouldn’t I be the same, Auntie Molly?’ Rosie asked from her perch on Tommy’s lap. ‘Sure, it’s a great honour, so it is.’

  ‘Not as great an honour as getting married, love,’ Tommy said. ‘And yer’ve got that to look forward to. And best of all, think of the fine figure of a man that yer’ll be standing next to at the altar. Thousands of girls would give their right hand to be in your place.’

  Rosie’s deep blue Irish eyes shone. ‘Me mammy used to say that self-praise is no recommendation, Tommy Bennett. And, sure, I can’t let yer get away with that, indeed I can’t. Yer see, I’ve a mind to think that when you and me are standing at the altar, there’ll be many a one telling themselves that it’s a lucky feller yer are ’cos it’s yerself who’ll be getting the best of the bargain.’

  Molly never looked at Rosie without thinking how God must have crafted her beauty with special care. Her face was perfect, as was her nature. ‘Ye’re my son, Tommy, and I love the bones of yer, but ye’re going to have to do better than that if yer ever want to out-talk Rosie. What her mammy didn’t have a saying for, she makes up one of her own.’

  ‘Mam,’ Tommy said, tongue in cheek, ‘is there a man breathing that can out-talk a woman? I don’t believe me dad ever managed it.’

  Bob chuckled as he gazed at the woman he adored. ‘Yer have a point there, Tommy, ’cos I’ve never managed it with my dear wife. Mind you, I’ve never really tried, because the sound of her voice is like music to my ears.’

  ‘Watch it, Da, or our Ruthie will be saying ye’re a sloppy beggar.’

  ‘I will not!’ Ruthie was quite emphatic. ‘It sounds sloppy when it comes from our Doreen and Jill, but dead romantic from me Nan and Granda.’ She looked across at Bridie. ‘D’yer know what our Jill said, Nan? That she doesn’t need to look up at the stars in the sky because she sees stars every time Steve kisses her. Now don’t you think that’s sloppy? I mean, you and Granda don’t say things like that.’

  ‘Oh, when we were young we said all those things, me darlin’. But when yer’ve been married as long as we have, sure, words aren’t necessary. We speak with our eyes, and the touching of hands. And the way we care for each other.’

  The tear shining in the corner of the girl’s eye told how she’d been touched. ‘Wasn’t that dead romantic, Mam? Like sitting in the pictures and watching William Powell looking into Myrna Loy’s eyes. He doesn’t need to say he loves her, she knows, and we can all see it.’

  ‘And you said our Doreen was sloppy! You come a close second, sunshine!’ Molly’s mind took her back to when she was a child. ‘And I’ll tell yer something that’ll give yer food for thought. When me ma was younger, she would have knocked spots off Myrna Loy for looks. She was a real beauty. And me da was so handsome he would have put William Powell in the shade.’

  It took several seconds for Ruthie to digest this bit of information. Then she said, with due solemnity, ‘I think me Nan’s still beautiful, and me Granda’s very handsome.’

  ‘It’s a big head yer’ll be giving me, child,’ Bridie said. ‘It’s a good job I haven’t bought me hat for the wedding yet, so it is, or I’d have to be taking it back for a bigger size.’

  ‘What colour are yer thinking of, Ma?’ Molly asked, wishing she could tell them about the beauty now lying on top of Lizzie Corkhill’s wardrobe. ‘Or haven’t yer decided yet?’

  ‘Oh, I know what I want, Molly, me darlin’. The lady in the shop has put it away for me and I’m paying it off weekly. But that’s as much as I’m saying because I want it to be a secret.’

  ‘I’ve seen the one I want.’ Molly crossed her fingers and told herself if it was a lie, it was only a white one. ‘And I’m not saying, either!’

  Rosie’s rich, infectious laugh filled the room. ‘Sure, we’re all very good at keeping secrets, and that’s a fact. But I wonder how long we can keep it up?’

  Tommy turned her on his knee so he could look into the deep blue eyes that could send his legs to jelly and his heartbeats racing. ‘What have you been up to, Rosie O’Grady? Come on, out with it. Yer shouldn’t keep secrets from yer ever-loving intended.’

  ‘Like me Auntie Molly, I’ll tell yer so much, Tommy Bennett, but yer’ll not get any more out of me, so don’t be coaxing me with the promises of kisses and hugs.’

  Tommy chuckled as he pulled her close. ‘I don’t need to promise yer kisses and hugs, yer get them anyway. And in abundance. But I’ll not coax yer, so just tell us as much as yer want to without letting the cat out of the bag.’

  ‘I’ve seen the dress I want for me soon to be sisters-in-laws’ wedding. I’ve tried it on and the lady in the shop said it fitted me like a glove, the colour suited me and it was altogether perfect. And didn’t the dear soul put it away for me, on the understanding I left a small deposit and paid the full amount off in a month? Wasn’t I so happy me boss had to tell me to stop singing while I was serving customers because it wasn’t the done thing?’

  Her happiness rubbed off on everyone, especially Molly. ‘Which shop did yer see it in, sunshine?’

  ‘In a shop on Walton Vale, Auntie Molly. I always go for a walk in me dinner-hour, and when I saw the darling dress on a model in the window, sure I felt like jumping for joy. But don’t ask me what it’s like ’cos I won’t tell yer.’

  ‘That’s no way to speak to yer future mother-in-law,’ Tommy said with mock severity. ‘At least tell her what colour it is.’

  ‘She’ll do no such thing!’ Bridie wagged a finger at him. ‘It’s a nosy poke yer are, Tommy Bennett, and a devious one. We women are going to stick together on this. No one will see Rosie’s dress, yer mam’s hat, or mine, until the big day. And yer’ll all stand in open-mouthed amazement when yer see how glamorous we look.’

  ‘Ooh, ay, Ma, did Tommy tell yer Jack’s brother and his wife are coming? All the way from Wales, and in their own car!’

  ‘Is that a fact, now. Well, I never!’

  ‘It seems me brother’s come up in the world, Ma,’ Jack said, with more than a little pride. It was nice to have a family member to talk about. Both his parents had died young and there was only him and Bill left. ‘It’ll be nice to see him again after all these years.’

  ‘Yes, it will, and on such a happy occasion.’ A slow smile spread across Bridie’s face. ‘We might not have a car to brag about, Jack, me darlin’, but I’ll bet there won’t be a hat to beat mine and Molly’s.’

  ‘Don’t forget Nellie, for heaven’s sake, or she’ll have yer life,’ Molly cautioned. ‘She’s dead set on being belle of the ball in her millinery creation.’

  ‘Oh, has she got her hat already?’

  ‘No, Ma, I didn’t mean that.’ Molly hid her hands under the table-top while she crossed fingers on both of them. This wedding isn’t half making a liar out of me, she thought. Then told herself it was all in a good cause. ‘I just meant it’s her intention to be noticed.’

  ‘No matter what Nellie wore she’d be noticed,’ Bob said with a smile. ‘It would be very difficult for her to go unnoticed. It’ll be a b
ig day in her life, and a sad one. I bet she has the guests laughing the whole day with her antics, but there’ll be a tear in her heart at losing her eldest son.’

  ‘Da, she’ll be crying her eyes out with me! She’s already told me she’s taking one of George’s big hankies with her. But being Nellie, she has to go one better. And while she was telling me her intentions, I was doubled up with laughter. I’ll tell yer in her words, ’cos it wouldn’t be funny coming from me. And yer know she sometimes puts this Little Girl Lost look on – well, that’s how she looked, and here’s what she said. “I’ll put George’s hankie in the pocket of me bloomers, girl, and just get it out if I’m crying buckets. I’m going to mug meself to a little white, laced-trimmed one for show, just in case anyone’s watching. I mean, like, it’s no good me wearing a film-star hat, and blowing me nose on a ruddy big navvy’s hankie, now is it? One thing would be laughing at the other”.’

  Everyone thought this was hilarious and there were hoots of laughter. It was made even more funny by Molly’s impression of Nellie. She had her friend’s voice, facial expressions and body movements off pat, and if you closed your eyes you would think it was the little woman herself speaking.

  ‘She’s a darlin’ woman, so she is,’ Bridie said, wiping her eyes. ‘God was very generous when He gave her the gift of making people happy, and that’s the truth.’

  ‘That’s not all.’ In her mind’s eye, Molly could see her best friend sitting across the table from her on the day this conversation took place. ‘I asked her how she intended getting the hankie out of the pocket of her bloomers in a crowded church. And yer know how her face creases up when she winks? Well, she did that and tapped the side of her head. “I’ve got it all figured out, girl, so don’t be worrying ’cos I won’t make a show of yer. I’ll pick a time when the priest tells us to kneel down to pray, and I’ll pretend I’ve dropped something. Everyone will have their heads bowed and their eyes closed. That’s if they’re good Catholics, like. If they haven’t I’ll have something to say to them later, the flaming heathens. Anyway, I’ll whip me hand up me skirt and get the hankie out. Isn’t that good? Just like a magician who says, Now yer see it, now yer don’t, when he turns a hankie into a rabbit. Mind you, I wouldn’t fancy having a rabbit in the pocket of me bloomers, girl, ’cos yer know how quick they breed!”.’