MB04 - Down Our Street

by Joan Jonker

  Jack was holding his tummy, Bob was beating his clenched fists on the arms of his chair, Bridie was doubled up, Tommy and Rosie were clinging together helpless, and Ruthie was laughing and clapping her hands. ‘I love me Auntie Nellie. She’s the bestest auntie in the whole world.’

  ‘Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!’ Jack took a deep breath and stretched his arms high. ‘This wedding could turn into a comedy if Nellie’s let loose. I hope the priest’s got a sense of humour, ’cos he’ll need one.’

  ‘Don’t worry, she’ll be as good as gold in the church, I’ve made sure of that. I told her if she’s wearing a posh hat she’ll have to act like a lady. But I can’t guarantee her behaving once we get to the reception.’

  ‘Leave her be, Auntie Molly,’ Rosie said. ‘As me mammy would say, laughter is the best medicine in the world.’

  Tommy nodded. ‘Auntie Nellie will make the party go with a swing, Mam. Yer wouldn’t have to worry if people were enjoying themselves ’cos she’d make sure they do.’

  ‘I agree, love,’ Jack said. ‘She’s on her own, is Nellie McDonough.’

  Molly could see Bridie and Bob both nodding their heads. They had a great fondness for the little woman with a big heart and the capacity for making the darkest day brighter.

  ‘She’s everything yer say, and more,’ Molly said. ‘She’s my best mate.’

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  ‘I want to get the tea over early tonight, and the place tidied up,’ Nellie said, hands on hips. ‘Archie’s bringing his mam to meet us and I don’t want her thinking we live in a pigsty.’

  ‘Don’t worry, Mam,’ Paul said with a cheeky grin. ‘I’ll tell her we only live in a pigsty when we’re not expecting visitors.’

  ‘We’ll have less lip out of you, son, and more action. Get yerself out to the kitchen and make use of the sink before I start on the tea. You’ll be one less I’ve got to worry about then.’

  ‘I’ll stay to meet her, Mam, to be polite, but the dress is finished now and Doreen wants me to try it on.’ Lily had been to the Bennetts’ every night and was grateful she’d had something to keep her mind occupied. ‘If it fits, she’s going to start on Maureen’s tonight.’

  ‘She’s a whizz on that sewing machine, all right. Starting work in Johnson’s Dye Works when she was fourteen has stood her in good stead. She’s got a trade at her fingertips that’ll last all her life.’ Nellie grinned. ‘Tell her I said I’m waiting for her to tell me how much material I need for my dress.’

  ‘I can’t tell her that, Mam, she’s got an awful lot on her plate!’

  ‘It’s only a gentle hint, girl, that’s all. In fact, if you had any nous about yer, yer could find out by asking in a roundabout way. Just say, casual like, that yer were thinking of buying the material for me as a surprise, but yer didn’t know how much to get.’

  ‘I’m not telling a lie, Mam, not for a little thing like that. Yer’ll just have to wait yer turn like everyone else.’ Lily bent her head to look into her mother’s eyes. ‘Crafty boots, that’s what yer are, Mam. Telling me to drop a gentle hint, and you just dropped one so loud they probably heard it next door.’

  There was a pained expression on Nellie’s face. ‘I didn’t drop no hint, girl! Fancy you thinking that about yer own mother. I don’t know what the world’s coming to; children have no respect for their elders these days.’

  ‘Surely ye’re not that skint yer can’t buy yer own material?’ George asked. ‘I would have thought yer were well off with us all working, but if ye’re stuck, I can let yer have a few bob.’

  ‘Of course I’m not stuck, yer daft ha’porth! I’m rolling in the ruddy stuff! D’yer know when I sometimes stay behind when yer go to bed? Well, that’s so I can get me long stocking out and sit and count me ill-gotten gains. And when I’ve counted all me tanners, bobs, ten-bob and pound notes, I rub me hands together and cackle like a witch stirring that flaming big black boiler thing they have.’

  ‘A cauldron, Mam,’ Steve said, his dimples deepening.

  ‘Call what, son?’

  ‘It’s a cauldron a witch stirs while she’s cackling.’

  ‘Oh, they don’t sell none of them around here, son, so I’ll just have to pretend.’

  ‘Excuse me!’ George looked from one to the other. ‘But can someone tell me how we managed to get from Archie’s mother coming, to a witch cackling over her long stocking?’

  ‘Oh, aye! I got carried away and nearly forgot. It’s all your fault, George McDonough! Once you start gabbing there’s no stopping yer.’ Nellie nipped each of his cheeks between finger and thumb. ‘Now you sit there and be quiet while I rally the troops. Paul, yer’ve got five minutes to get yerself washed and clean yer teeth. Then Steve can have the kitchen for five minutes. Lily, you run a duster over the furniture for us, there’s a good girl.’

  Lily looked at the sideboard. ‘But yer’ve dusted here once today, it doesn’t need doing again. There’s not a speck of dust anywhere.’

  ‘Just a quick going-over, girl, to make sure. Archie’s mother might be one of these fussy women who have their houses like a little palace.’

  ‘Give us a duster, then.’ Lily held out her hand. ‘If I dust that sideboard again, though, it’ll get such a surprise it’ll think it must be its birthday.’

  ‘Nah, it’s too old for anything to surprise it. Don’t forget, it’s heard all the shenanigans out of you lot for over twenty years. It takes everything in its stride now, even getting dusted twice in one day. Just go over it nice and gentle, it’ll enjoy that.’

  Lily jumped to her feet when the knock came. ‘This’ll be Archie and his mam. I’ll open the door, but don’t forget I can’t stay long.’

  ‘Give Paul a shout while ye’re at it. What the hell takes him so long to get ready I’ll never know.’ Nellie gave a quick glance in the mirror and patted her hair. Not that it made any difference because her hair was so fine it never stayed in place. She turned when Archie came into the room. ‘Hi-ya, son.’

  He moved to one side and led his mother forward. ‘This is Mrs McDonough, Mam.’

  ‘Pleased to meet yer.’ Nellie held out her hand. ‘Archie’s told us a lot about yer.’

  Ida Higgins was shaking the proffered hand when their eyes met. ‘Bleedin’ hell – if it isn’t Nellie Blackburn! Well, I never!’

  Nellie’s eyes narrowed. ‘Do I know yer?’

  ‘Ida Smethwick, yer daft ha’porth! Yer used to sit next to me in school!’

  ‘Oh, my God, I don’t believe it. And you’re Archie’s mother?’

  ‘His one and only, queen!’

  ‘Well, I’ll be blowed! I wouldn’t have known yer, Ida, yer’ve not half changed.’

  Ida grinned. She was a well-built woman, with raven black hair like her son’s, although hers was peppered with grey. And she had deep brown laughing eyes, something else her son had inherited. ‘I’m not going to say you haven’t changed, queen, because yer were as skinny as a whippet when we were at school.’

  George, who’d been waiting to be introduced, decided the two women would go on all night if he didn’t interrupt. ‘I’m her longsuffering husband, George. How d’yer do?’ Then he went on to introduce his children. ‘Steve’s the eldest, then Lily, and then Paul.’

  ‘I feel as though I know all about yer, ’cos our Archie talks about yer a lot. And I know about Molly and her family, and her ma and da.’ Ida’s laughing eyes covered everyone. ‘Then there’s Corker, Ellen and their family, and of course Rosie. I can’t tell yer how happy I am to meet yer. Especially little Nellie Blackburn, the girl who got me into more trouble in school than heaven knows what. But we were best friends, weren’t we, queen?’

  Nellie was shaking her head in disbelief. She couldn’t take it in that Archie’s mother was the girl she was friends with all through their school years. And to think they’d met up again over thirty years later! ‘We lived in the same street, sat next to each other in class and went everywhere together. Our mothers would gi
ve us a bottle of water, a ha’penny for lemonade powder, some jam butties and send us off to the park to play.’

  George thought it was time to interrupt again. ‘Nellie, aren’t yer going to take Ida’s coat and ask her to sit down?’

  When they were all seated, Steve asked, ‘Was my mam talkative when she was younger, or was she quiet?’

  ‘She was very quiet. The best-behaved girl in class,’ Ida said seriously, then burst out laughing at the expressions on their faces. ‘If yer believe that, yer’ll believe anything. She was always up to mischief, and she always involved me. My knuckles were permanently black and blue with being rapped by the teacher’s ruler. And poor Miss Holland, the English teacher – well, I think she dreaded taking our class. She could be in the middle of reading something out to us, say a poem, and Nellie would stick her hand up and call out, “Could yer say that again, Miss Holland, please, ’cos I didn’t hear it all”.’

  ‘She hasn’t changed much, Mrs Higgins, she’s still as mad as a hatter,’ Lily said, with an eye to the clock. ‘But she’s a good mam, and there’s never a dull moment with her. Even if yer wanted to be miserable, she wouldn’t let yer.’ She got to her feet. ‘I’m sorry I’ve got to go, but I’m sure we’ll see yer again.’

  ‘Off out, are yer, Lily?’ Archie asked.

  ‘Only to the Bennetts’. I’m acting as a model for Doreen. She’s finished one of the bridesmaids’ dresses and tonight is the big night.’

  Ida smiled at her. Archie had told her about all the family, but she’d noticed a change in the tone of his voice when he mentioned this girl’s name. ‘I’m sure we’ll meet again, queen. If I don’t see yer before, I’ll see yer at the church because I’ll be coming to see the wedding.’

  Paul was enjoying listening to the reunion of his mother and an old friend, but time was getting on. So when Lily had left, he said, ‘Shall we go, Archie?’

  ‘I’ll give it a miss tonight, I think. I’ll walk me mam down to me auntie’s and then call on Tommy. I haven’t seen much of him for the last couple of weeks. But you go, Paul. Yer don’t need me with yer, the way the girls hang around yer.’

  Ida was just about to tell her son to go to the dance, she’d be all right getting to her sister’s, when it flashed through her mind that Lily had gone to the Bennetts’. So Archie’s excuse about wanting to see Tommy could really be an excuse to see Lily. ‘I can’t stay long meself ’cos our Elsie will be expecting me. D’yer remember our Elsie, Nellie? You must do, she was always crying to come out with us.’

  ‘Yeah, I remember her now.’ Pictures of the past were fighting for a place in Nellie’s mind. Seeing her old schoolfriend brought back many memories of things long forgotten. ‘She was sickly then, wasn’t she? I can remember her missing school a lot.’

  ‘She suffers something chronic with her chest. Me heart bleeds for her sometimes when I see her gasping for breath. So I do a few odd jobs for her ’cos she can’t manage anything strenuous. Tonight I’ve promised to do her ironing.’

  Paul was getting fidgety by this time. He didn’t want to appear rude, but he was wasting good dancing time. ‘Is it all right if I go, Mam?’

  ‘Yeah, go on, I wouldn’t like yer to miss the fandango.’

  ‘I’ll see yer again, Mrs Higgins.’ Paul shook hands then turned to Archie. ‘I’ll see yer tomorrow, then, mate?’

  ‘Right! Unless that blonde finally talks yer into a date.’

  ‘No chance! Have yer seen the legs on her?’ With that, Paul was gone.

  Nellie shook her head. ‘Any girl that wants to trap him will have to be up early in the morning. He thinks he’s God’s gift to women.’

  ‘Ye’re lucky having three children, Nellie, I’ve only got our Archie. Mind you, I couldn’t be better looked after if I had ten, he’s a cracking son.’

  ‘What about yer husband?’

  ‘He died when Archie was a toddler. He was a few years older than me and fought in the first war. I didn’t know him then, like, I met him after the war. He was working but it was light work, ’cos he’d been gassed in the trenches and it had affected his lungs. He was a good husband, Nellie, and it broke me up when he died. It’s a good job I had the baby or I’d have gone out of me mind.’

  ‘Mam, shall I put the kettle on?’ Steve knew his mother was eager for news from such an old friend, but he didn’t want Mrs Higgins to leave without having been offered a cup of tea. ‘I’ll see to it, you stay where yer are.’

  ‘Ooh, not for me, thanks.’ Ida held up a hand. ‘Our Elsie will have one ready for me and if I drink too much I’ll spend more time down the bleedin’ yard than on the ironing. But next time I come I’ll make sure I’m not in such a hurry. Me and yer mam have got a lot of time to make up, haven’t we, queen?’

  ‘We sure have, kid! I can’t tell yer how glad I am to see yer after all these years. It’s only just sinking in! When yer’ve gone I’ll think of all sorts to ask yer, like if yer ever see any of the other girls that were in our class?’

  ‘It’ll have to wait, queen, ’cos I’ve got a couple of hours’ ironing in front of me. But I’ll make arrangements through our Archie to come some time when it’s convenient.’ When Ida pushed herself to her feet it was to Nellie’s husband she bestowed a smile. ‘Yer must be bored stiff listening to the two of us, George. I’ll try and make it an afternoon, next time, when ye’re at work so we don’t give yer earache.’

  ‘Not at all!’ George said, and meant it. ‘I’m made up for Nellie that she’s met an old friend after nearly thirty years. Ye’re welcome to come here anytime yer like.’

  ‘Mrs Higgins, before yer go.’ Steve could see Archie’s mother had the same sort of humour as his mam, and he couldn’t resist. ‘Will yer give the sideboard the once-over, please? Yer see, it’s been dusted half-a-dozen times in your honour, and it would be really upset if yer didn’t even notice it.’

  Ida’s hearty laugh sounded so much like her son’s, it was as if only one person was laughing. ‘A chip off the old block, Steve! Yer take after yer mother all right, that’s just the sort of thing she used to come out with. And she’d act daft when she was saying it. But she was far from daft, believe me! While Miss Holland was writing on the blackboard, your mam would be making all sorts of faces behind her back. All the girls would be in stitches, but it was never yer mam what got the cane. Oh no, she’d have her head bent over her book when the teacher turned round, and some other poor bugger would get blamed. And I have to say that more often than not, that poor bugger was me! I wasn’t quick enough in bending me head, yer see.’

  When Nellie threw her head back and laughed, her chins and tummy moved to laugh with her. ‘Yeah, we used to have some fun, didn’t we? Remember the day I put a spider in the drawer of the teacher’s desk and she screamed the place down? That was one day I did get the cane because I couldn’t stop laughing. I mean, fancy a grown woman being frightened of a fiddling teeny weeny spider.’

  ‘Nellie, it was the biggest bleedin’ spider I’ve ever seen in all me life! If I’d lifted the lid of me desk and found that there, I’d have fainted, never mind screamed.’ Ida moved towards the door. ‘I don’t feel like ironing now, but needs must when the devil drives. The day might come when I need help meself, ’cos none of us know what life has in store for us.’

  ‘It’s just as well, girl, otherwise we might be inclined to put our head in the gas oven.’ Nellie suddenly grinned. ‘Nah, not the gas oven! That would cost me a ruddy penny to kill meself!’

  ‘Pleasant conversation, I must say.’ George didn’t like talking about death, he thought it was unlucky. ‘Nothing is sacred with Nellie.’

  ‘She’s not as tough as she makes out,’ Ida told him. ‘I found that out the day of the spider. She didn’t like getting the cane in front of the class one little bit. But she was determined not to cry, so she bit on the inside of her lip until it was bleeding.’

  Nellie thought she wasn’t coming out well in these tales from the past. So she said, �
��When yer come next time we’ll talk about the tricks you used to get up to. Like the time yer gave cheek to the cocky-watchman and he chased yer down the street and told yer mam.’

  ‘Yeah, I got a good hiding for that and you stood and laughed yer socks off while me mam was belting hell out of me.’ Ida saw the clock and jerked her head at Archie. ‘Come on, son, or I’ll still be ironing at midnight.’

  ‘I’ll see yer out.’ Nellie walked ahead to open the door. ‘Keep in touch, won’t yer, Ida? Don’t leave it another thirty years.’

  ‘We should live that long, Nellie!’

  ‘I intend to, girl! And don’t you dare go and die on me until ye’ve told me all yer’ve been up to since I last saw yer.’

  Ida waved before taking Archie’s arm. ‘I’ll try not to, queen. I’ll make it me number one priority. Ta-ra for now.’

  It was Molly who answered Archie’s knock. ‘Come in, sunshine. Lily’s been telling us about yer mam and Nellie being old schoolfriends. That was a turn-up for the books, eh?’

  Archie walked ahead into the living room and his heart smiled when he saw Lily was still there. ‘I don’t know who was the more surprised – me mam, Mrs McDonough or me! I mean, yer wouldn’t expect that in a million years, would yer?’

  ‘I bet Nellie was made up?’ Jack said. ‘It’s a wonder she hasn’t been down to tell Molly all about it.’

  ‘Well, she knew Lily was trying on her dress, so she probably didn’t like.’

  ‘Nellie wouldn’t let a little thing like that stop her, sunshine! It would have been a good excuse to nose.’

  Archie glanced from Lily to Jill and Doreen. All three were looking very pleased with themselves. ‘Who do I ask how it went?’