by Joan Jonker
Miss Ormsby rested her elbows on the desk. ‘So you see, Virginia, working in a big store like Woolworth’s is a far cry from standing behind the counter in a corner shop. No doubt you are having second thoughts now?’
‘Oh, no, Miss! No matter where yer go to work, yer have to learn and do as ye’re told. My mam has drummed that into me. You get paid to do a job and you must earn your wages by making sure you do it well.’
‘Your mother sounds a very sensible woman, my dear, and she has obviously done her best to prepare you for work.’ Sarah Ormsby lifted the fob watch hanging from a small chain pinned to the breast of her dress. She grimaced. ‘I’m running late, I’m afraid, so I’m going to ask Miss Harper to take you to a room where you will stay until I call for you again. I will hold on to your school report for now, but it will be returned to you before you leave the building.’ There was a brass bell at the side of the desk which she hit with an open palm. The door was opened so quickly Miss Harper must have been hovering outside.
‘Yes, Miss Ormsby?’
‘Please take Virginia to Room Four then kindly bring in the next girl to be interviewed. And will you arrange for Virginia and Marie Whittaker to be given a cup of tea and some biscuits? Their wait could be quite a long one.’
‘Yes, Miss Ormsby.’ The woman inclined her head. ‘Please follow me, Virginia.’
Room Four turned out to be the room opposite, the very one Ginny had seen Marie going into. And, sure enough, there was her classmate, sitting all alone and looking rather downhearted. She obviously had no idea why she’d been put into the room, and her expression said she hoped Ginny could enlighten her.
‘Please sit down, I’ll come back to you shortly.’ Miss Harper was halfway out of the door when Ginny followed her, saying, ‘Can I ask yer what we’ve to wait here for, Miss? I mean, wouldn’t Miss Ormsby have said we could go back to school if she’d decided we weren’t right for an assistant’s job?’
‘I’m sorry, I can’t tell you that. All I know is that she will interview every applicant before coming to a final decision. And now I must go.’
Once the door was closed and they were alone, Marie’s eyes narrowed. ‘Well, where are the three girls who were called before us, then? I haven’t seen sight nor light of them, so unless they’re stuck in another room somewhere, they must have been sent back to school.’
‘It would be nice if that were the case, kid, ’cos that would mean we’re still in with a chance. Oh, I hope so, ’cos I’d love a job here. Imagine telling everyone yer travelled into the city every day to work. Gosh, wouldn’t yer feel important?
‘Ay, ye’re in danger of getting big-headed, you are, Ginny Porter. If my mam could hear yer, she’d tell yer that a doctor and a docker might do very different work, but one is every bit as good as the other.’
‘I know that, soft girl! Anyway, between you and Joan Flynn, there’s not much chance of me ever getting above meself ’cos yer wouldn’t let me.’
‘That doesn’t mean that I wouldn’t like to work here, though,’ Marie said. ‘I think it would be smashing. But I don’t stand a chance ’cos I’m not very good at sums.’
‘Well, we’ll just have to wait and see. I’m keeping me fingers crossed, and saying a few prayers. I’m sure God must be sick of the sound of me voice by now ’cos I’ve never prayed so much in all me life.’
There was a light tap on the door before it was opened and a girl who looked to be about seventeen came in carring a tray set with two cups of tea and a plate of digestive biscuits. She was dressed in a plain navy blue cotton dress with short sleeves and a round white collar, a white pinny tied around her waist. She seemed pleasant enough and this encouraged Ginny to ask, ‘Is there a cafe in the shop?’
‘Oh, I don’t work in the shop, I work in the staff canteen.’ The girl was curious. ‘Have yer been taken on?’
‘We don’t know what’s happening, worse luck,’ Marie said, her winning smile having deserted her again. ‘I wish we’d been told straight away, this waiting is turning me into a nervous wreck.’
‘Look on the bright side, girl, ’cos if it’s anything to go by, yer must be still in the running. If yer weren’t, yer’d have been sent home by now.’
Then Ginny had a thought. ‘Are there any girls in other rooms? I mean, have yer taken tea to anyone else? Yer see, there were three girls interviewed before us and we don’t know where they’ve disappeared to.’
‘Yer’ve got me there, kid, ’cos I haven’t seen no one else. I certainly haven’t taken tea to anyone and I know no one else has ’cos I’m the skivvy in the canteen, being the youngest, yer see. The general dogsbody in other words.’
‘Don’t yer like yer job, then?’ Ginny asked, thinking skivvy and dogsbody didn’t sound very nice.
‘Oh, I love it! Wouldn’t swap it for any other job. I get on with all the women in the canteen and we have a good laugh.’ She was a tall slim girl, with black hair and brown eyes which she now rolled to the ceiling. ‘I’d better get back to work. I’ll be sent later to pick up the tray so drink the tea while it’s still hot.’
‘What’s yer name?’ Ginny asked as the girl was about to close the door behind her. ‘Just in case we see yer again.’
‘Me Sunday name is Marjorie, but I get Margie. And yer will see me again ’cos I’ll be back for the tray in about fifteen minutes. So hurry up and get cracking on those biscuits.’
‘Ay, she seems nice, doesn’t she?’ Marie lifted a cup and saucer from the tray and her usual smile reappeared. ‘I feel proper posh now, getting waited on. This is how people with money live all the time. Waited on hand and foot, and they take it for granted.’
‘They’re welcome to it.’ Ginny helped herself to a biscuit. ‘I’m happy with me family being just as we are. Although, I must admit, I’ll feel a lot happier if I get this job.’
‘What will yer do if yer don’t?’
‘Start looking around other shops in earnest. I’d like to get fixed up somewhere before Christmas. Oh, I don’t mean I want to start work before the holiday, that’s not possible, but at least I’d like to have the promise of a job to start the week after.’ Ginny tutted when she saw part of Marie’s digestive biscuit break off and fall into the cup. ‘Ye’re a dirty beggar, look what yer’ve done! Yer dunked yer biscuit so long, yer’ve lost half of it. That cup will be in a right state by the time yer’ve finished.’
‘No, it won’t, clever clogs, ’cos I’ll fish it out with the spoon.’ But Marie’s intentions didn’t work because the biscuit had disintegrated. ‘Oh, dear, what am I going to do? Yer were right, I’ve made a mess and I feel ashamed.’
Ginny was sorry she’d said anything. ‘Don’t worry, no one of any importance is going to see the cup. If that Marjorie comes back, just explain and say ye’re sorry. In fact, if it’ll stop yer from worrying, we’ll swap cups when we’ve finished and I’ll pretend it was my fault.’
‘Oh, that’s the gear, Ginny, thank you.’
They had no way of knowing the time, except that for them it was dragging. It was only when Marjorie came to collect the tray that she told them it was around eleven o’clock. ‘The shop staff get fifteen minutes break morning and afternoon, and they take it in four shifts.’ She giggled. ‘They couldn’t all come together otherwise there’d be no one to serve the customers so the breaks start at ten and finish at eleven. And when I left the canteen the fourth shift were getting ready to go downstairs, so I knew it was nearly eleven.’
‘That means we’ve been here over two hours,’ Ginny said. ‘I wonder how much longer we’re going to have to wait?’
‘Listen, kid,’ Marjorie picked up the tray, ‘if there’s a job at the end of it yer shouldn’t mind if yer’ve got another two hours to wait.’
‘I know.’ Ginny pulled a face. ‘I’m not usually a moaner, it’s just that this means so much to me. I’d sit here for twenty-four hours if I thought it would help.’ She saw the waitress reaching for the knob on the door and remem
bered her promise. ‘Oh, before yer go, I’ve got a confession to make. I was dunking one of the biscuits and half of it fell off into the cup. I tried to get it out with the spoon but it all broke up. I’m sorry.’
‘There’s worse things happen at sea, girl, so don’t worry yer head about it.’ With that the girl left and the two classmates were once again on their own.
‘Miss Bond will be wondering where we’ve got to,’ Marie said. ‘She will have expected us to be back by now.’
‘That’s just what I was thinking, but it can’t be helped.’ Ginny leaned forward, and in a conspiratorial whisper asked, ‘Ay, what are we going to tell her about the other two, Doreen and Alice?’
‘The truth, of course! I’m not telling lies and getting meself into trouble over them. If Miss Bond asks, I’m going to tell her . . .’ Marie’s words were cut short when the door opened and Miss Harper popped her head in.
‘Marie Whittaker, Miss Ormsby will see you now.’
Left alone, Ginny was wishing her friend well while at the same time wishing she’d been asked to go first. In her head she was telling herself she wasn’t being selfish, it was just that she wanted to get the ordeal over. But she wouldn’t have long to wait now, and even if Marie couldn’t speak to her when she came back, she’d know by her face whether she’d got a job or not because that wide, winning smile would be in evidence.
Ginny expected to have a long wait, so she was surprised when after ten minutes the door opened and Marie walked in, her smile reaching from ear to ear. You could see she was bursting with excitement and dying to tell her friend what had happened, but she was told by Miss Harper to take a seat. ‘Wait here and I’ll be with you in a moment. Come with me, Virginia.’
Miss Ormsby nodded to the chair facing her. ‘Sit down, Virginia, I won’t keep you long now.’ Interviewing young people was the one part of being Personnel Officer that Sarah Ormsby disliked. To see the eagerness on young faces being replaced by disappointment, and even the threat of tears, was something she didn’t enjoy. Today had been no exception. Twelve or thirteen applicants, she couldn’t remember now exactly, and of those at least nine had left the building full of despair. But in this job you had to put your own feelings to one side, and this she did willingly now as the task in front of her was a pleasant one. There was a smile on her face when she leaned forward and met Ginny’s eyes. ‘It has been decided to offer you the position of counter assistant. Your employment will start the Monday after New Year.’ She pushed the envelope containing Ginny’s school report across the desk. ‘You can take this with you, but not the card from the Labour Exchange. We will be notifying them that the positions have now been filled.’
‘Oh, thank you, Miss Ormsby! I won’t let yer down, I promise. I’ll be punctual and hard-working, you’ll see.’
‘I don’t doubt you, Virginia, that’s why you have been chosen. Now, at this moment, Miss Harper will be giving all the details of employment to Marie Whittaker so wait in the corridor until she’s free to see you. She will explain to you what being a junior assistant in the firm of Woolworth’s entails. The hours you will be working, your wages, everything you need to know. And if there’s anything you’re not sure of, don’t be afraid to ask questions.’ Sarah Ormsby put her palms flat on the desk and pushed herself to her feet. She held out her hand and smiled. ‘I’m sure you’ll be a very valuable member of the staff, Virginia, and I wish you well. I also hope you and your family have a very happy Christmas.’
Ginny gripped her hand. She was so happy she felt like giving the Personnel Officer a hug and kiss, but she restrained herself. ‘Oh, I’ll have a wonderful Christmas now, Miss Ormsby. Yer’ve just given me the best present I’ve ever had. Thank you.’
Once again Ginny faced the expanse of floor from the desk to the door. Only an hour ago she could barely walk across it because her legs had turned to jelly with fear. Now she felt so happy she wanted to skip across. Do cartwheels even. But she settled for walking sedately and turning back at the door. ‘Merry Christmas, Miss Ormsby.’
There was a separate entrance to the stairway leading to the offices above Woolworth’s store, so when the two girls were leaving they came straight down on to Church Street. It was a wonder they managed to get down safely because they were both waving their arms about in excitement, their voices trying to drown each other out and their eyes everywhere but on the steps.
‘The way we’re going on it’s going to take us all day to tell each other what happened.’ Ginny glanced briefly at the front of the big store. She would have loved to have gone in and had a good look at the place where she’d be working very soon, but Miss Bond’s face was imprinted on her mind. The headmistress would be wondering how they’d got on, and they owed it to her to let her know as quickly as possible. ‘You go first, Marie, and tell me all about the job you’ve been given, then I can tell yer about mine.’
‘I’m to start off working in the stock room because Miss Ormsby said I wasn’t good enough at arithmetic to be put as a sales girl. But she said she’d give me a chance to improve meself, and she’s going to review the situation in six months’ time.’ Marie was walking sideways so she could see the expression on Ginny’s face. ‘The wages are only six shillings a week in the stock room, but if I bring me sums up to scratch and I get taken on as a counter assistant, the wages will go up to seven and six. Plus a shilling a week to help with the tram fares.’ She did a hop, skip and a jump. ‘So you must be starting on seven and six, yer lucky beggar.’
Ginny nodded. ‘Yeah, plus the shilling for the tram fares. I’ve to clock on at a quarter to nine, I’ll have two tea breaks and a half-hour lunch break. The store shuts at five-thirty, but we have to tidy the counter before we can leave so it’ll be a quarter to six before we get away. But it’s only half day on a Wednesday, so we’ll be on our way home before half-one.’
‘Yeah, everything’s the same for me, except I’ll be working in the stock room and getting eighteen pence a week less than you. But it won’t be for long ’cos I’m determined to get behind a counter. I’ll ask me mam to give me some sums to do every night, and she won’t have to shout at me no more about going on a message for her. She’ll think I’m sickening for something when I offer to go to the shops, but it’s one way of learning if I keep me eye out and count the change proper.’
‘This is our tram coming,’ Ginny said. ‘I can’t wait to tell Miss Bond ’cos after all if it wasn’t for her we wouldn’t have got the jobs. I bet she’ll be proud of us. Two job vacancies and they both go to girls from her school – that’s a real feather in her cap.’ She boarded the tram and made for the stairs. ‘Let’s sit on top ’cos it’s not usually crowded up there.’
As they flopped on to the hard wooden seat at the very back of the tram, Marie said, ‘It was only supposed to be two jobs, kid, but Miss Ormsby decided to make it three. It was Miss Harper what told me. She said I was a borderline case, not quite good enough from the school report to be offered a job behind the counter. But as it was only me sums what let me down, Miss Ormsby decided to give me a chance. She said it was up to me whether I wanted to be someone in life and have a decent job. So I’m going to show them I can do it, I’m determined.’
‘Of course yer can do it, Marie! It’s not as though ye’re thick like some of the girls in class. Yer’ve just been too lazy and couldn’t be bothered. But now yer’ve got a goal, something to aim for.’ Ginny giggled. ‘And just think, kid, yer’ll have the honour of travelling backwards and forwards to work with me. Now the thought of that should make yer work twice as hard!’
‘I said yer were getting big-headed, Ginny Porter, and that just proves it. Yer don’t half think ye’re someone.’
‘And that just proves you’ve no sense of humour, Marie Whittaker! Yer’d better hurry up and find one if yer want to travel with me every day. I can’t stand a misery guts.’
The walls of the two-up-two-down houses were very thin, and Dot could hear voices coming from next door.
Especially Flo Henderson’s. Now what was she doing there at this time of the morning? Perhaps there was something wrong with Hannah? Then Dot shook her head when she heard the low voice of the elderly woman. She couldn’t make out the words, but it didn’t sound as though there was anything wrong with her. Probably Flo had run out of something and was on the cadge. That was it, Dot told herself, and went on cleaning out the grate. Many’s the time she’d been caught short herself and had to go to Beth’s on the cadge.
But fifteen minutes later, when the sound of Flo’s voice could still be heard, Dot told herself there was definitely something going on. The prospect of a long, cold, bleak day loomed large in her mind. She wiped her hands on the towel hanging behind the kitchen door, then reached for her coat. If there was something happening that could liven up her day, then she wanted to know what it was.
Beth looked surprised when she opened the front door. ‘You’re early, aren’t yer? There’s another hour at least before our usual time for the shops.’
‘I heard voices, girl, and I wondered if there was something up?’
Flo waddled to the front door and peeped over Beth’s shoulder. ‘Oh, blimey, yer might have known. It’s that nosy cow from next door.’
‘I came in good faith, girl, to offer help if help was needed, so we’ll have less of the nosy cow. And I’d like to be asked in, if yer don’t mind. Apart from me being ruddy well freezing, it’s bad manners to keep anyone standing on the step.’
Beth moved aside. ‘Yer’d better come in or I’ll never hear the end of it. But God knows when I’m going to get me housework done at this rate.’
‘Oh, blow on it for one day,’ Dot said, stepping into the hall. ‘No one will notice the difference.’
Observing the goings on from across the street was Lizzie O’Leary. She had been polishing the sideboard which stood in front of the window, but when she saw Dot Flynn knocking on Beth’s door, she stopped polishing and peeped through her net curtains. There seemed to be a lot of activity going on over there this morning. First she’d seen Flo going in, with her pinny and mob-cap still on. This signified there was something up, otherwise she’d never leave the house in her working clothes. And now Dot Flynn was being invited in, the mystery deepened. There was definitely something in the wind, and Lizzie, like all women, hated to miss anything. So the duster was left on the sideboard while she donned her coat and slipped the front door key into her pocket. The polishing could wait, her curiosity couldn’t.
