by Joan Jonker
‘Aye, well, I hope all goes well with him. Give him my regards when yer go in tonight.’ Maisie turned her head to look up and down the road. ‘Can I come in a minute, Ann, I want to talk to yer about something?’
‘Of course you can.’ Ann held the door wide. ‘The girls are upstairs playing school. They go back on Monday, and Madelaine said they’re rehearsing.’
‘I’ll be glad to see the back of mine, they’ve been a menace,’ Maisie said, wiping her feet on the cord mat. ‘Seven ruddy weeks is far too long for a holiday, the kids don’t know what to do with themselves.’
‘Would you like a cuppa?’
‘No thanks, Ann, I’ve left me front door open. The truth is, apart from asking after George, I wanted to talk to yer about the Critchleys. I don’t know whether it’s me imagination, but they seem to be fading away before me eyes.’
Ann nodded. ‘I know, I can see the difference in them. But if you ask, they say they’re fine.’
‘Well, I’m convinced they’re not. And if anything should happen to them, how would we feel? It wouldn’t be very neighbourly of us to let two old people die without trying to do something about it.’
‘Maisie, I’ve asked and asked, but each time they tell me there’s nothing to worry about. I’m going over in a minute, so I’ll have another go, but they’ll still tell me the same.’
‘Bloody pride, that’s what it is. I’ve got a bee in me bonnet, and I’m sure I’m right. So I’ll go over with yer. And don’t think I’ve lost me marbles if yer see me doing something I shouldn’t, just go along with me, I’ll only be doing it for their good.’ Maisie made for the door. ‘I’ll just take me bucket in, take me pinny off and comb me hair. I’ll be with yer in five minutes.’
‘Ooh, two visitors this morning, me and Arthur are very lucky.’ Freda Critchley was a shadow of the woman she’d been a month ago. Her face was thin and lined, and there wasn’t a pick on her body. ‘Come on in.’
‘Good morning, ladies!’ Arthur tried to put some life into his voice but it didn’t come off. Like his wife, he didn’t look as though he had the strength to even blink.
The women sat down and they talked for a while about this and that. Then, out of the blue, Maisie asked, ‘Did yer have a good fried breakfast?’
The old couple were taken by surprise, and after exchanging glances Freda said, ‘No, we don’t have a fried breakfast, we don’t feel like it in the mornings. We just have a round of toast. When yer get to our age, yer don’t need to eat as much.’
‘Yer need to eat, Freda, yer can’t live off fresh air. If yer haven’t had a decent breakfast, I hope yer’ve got the making of a pan of stew in the house, or a sheet of ribs.’
‘We’ll be having a hot dinner, so you don’t have to worry about us.’
‘Have yer got the makings of yer dinner in? If yer have, I’ll get it started for yer, save you bothering. I’ve done all me own housework so it’s no trouble to get a pan of stew on the go for yer.’
Maisie’s direct approach was causing Ann to feel uncomfortable. But drastic action was required and she herself didn’t have the guts to be so outspoken. And she knew Maisie was doing it out of concern, not curiosity.
Freda looked flustered. ‘No, I can manage meself. I’m not in me dotage yet.’
‘Nobody said yer were, Freda,’ Maisie said, her voice gentle. ‘It’s just that me and Ann are concerned for yer. And it’s no good yer telling us there’s nowt wrong, because our eyes tell us different. Yer can throw me out if yer want, but I’ve got to speak what’s in me mind. You and Arthur have lost so much weight in the last month, since Arthur wasn’t well, really, and I’m afraid that for some reason ye’re starving yerselves.’
It was Arthur who answered. ‘We’re not exactly starving ourselves, lass, but we have cut down a lot on everything. Yer see, it was me having that turn what started it. Freda was worried sick that if I died, she wouldn’t have enough money to bury me.’
‘Blimey, that’s being cheerful! You were getting better, so there was no point in her worrying.’
‘Yer don’t think like that when yer get to our age, Maisie,’ Freda said. ‘We do have a small insurance policy each, but it wouldn’t pay for a decent burial. And I don’t want either of us to have to go in a pauper’s grave.’
Ann shook her head. ‘And you’ve cut down on your food so you can save for a decent funeral? But don’t you see, you’re both starving yourselves to death?’
Maisie was tutting loudly. ‘I’ve never heard anything like it! Are the pair of yer just sitting here waiting to pop yer clogs? My grandmother lived until she was ninety-two, Freda, and she was doing her own shopping until the week before she died. She used to wear a man’s cap, smoked a clay pipe and enjoyed a milk stout every night. Now while I’m not suggesting yer should wear a man’s cap or smoke a clay pipe, I am saying she was over fifteen years older than you and Arthur are, and there’s no reason on God’s earth why you shouldn’t live to that age. Unless yer starve yerself to death before then, of course.’
Arthur was grinning. ‘I’ve been telling the wife, but she wouldn’t listen. Too worried about what the neighbours would think if there was only one funeral car. I told her, I don’t care what happens to me when I’m dead, ’cos I won’t be here.’
‘Yer’ve got ten good years ahead of yer if yer look after yerselves,’ Maisie said. ‘So can we stop this starving lark, so me and Ann can sleep at night?’
‘Ann’s got enough to worry about without bothering her head about us. You worry about yer husband, love, we’ll be all right.’
‘I will if you promise to look after yourselves.’
‘I told her it was a daft idea,’ Arthur said. ‘I was beginning to feel fine until she told me how worried she’d been. Now we’re both as weak as kittens. But seeing as Maisie has predicted we’ve got a good ten years to look forward to, I’ll make sure she’s in that kitchen every day cooking and baking me favourite dishes.’
‘Thank God for that!’ Maisie said. ‘Now I can go home and do me work with a peaceful mind. Well, perhaps not peaceful, not with my two shouting and fighting with each other. But I’ll be more settled. And me and Ann will still take it in turns to nip over and make sure ye’re all right.’ Maisie struck up the pose of a panto dame. Her arms folded, she hitched up her bust and said, ‘Eh, she can’t half talk, can’t she? I don’t think her mouth’s stopped for a single second since we got here. I haven’t been able to get a word in edgeways.’
‘That’ll be the day when I can out-talk you, Maisie,’ Ann said. ‘But I’m learning and I’ll catch up with yer one of these days. For now, though, can we go and see to our children?’
Ann stood with her daughters outside the school gates. It was the first day back after the summer holidays and there was a lot of noisy chatter as classmates met up for the first time in seven weeks. Maddy saw one of her friends and waved. ‘There’s Dorothy, Mam, I’ll go in with her.’ She took hold of her sister’s arm and grinned. ‘Good luck, Tess, I’ll look out for you at playtime to see how you got on.’
‘We’ll wait until all the children have gone in, Theresa.’ Ann could practically feel how taut her daughter’s nerves were and knew that nothing she could say would help to release the tension. But she tried. ‘Don’t look so scared, there’s nothing to worry about no matter what happens. You can only do your best, no one can do more than that. If you’re asked any questions try and answer them clearly and politely and you won’t go far wrong.’ Ann took her arm. ‘Come on, perhaps we can catch Miss Bond before she goes into assembly.’
Tess hung back. ‘I don’t want to go into the junior school, Mam, they’ll all make fun of me.’
‘Let’s cross that hurdle when we come to it, love. I have no intention of standing back and letting that happen.’ She smiled to try and lighten the mood. ‘So the headmistress has got two of us to contend with. Two against one, we can’t lose, can we?’
There were a few stragglers in the corridor
, hastily making their way to the assembly hall. Lateness was frowned upon, and unless the hapless victim had a good excuse then there would be a punishment. ‘This is Miss Bond’s office, let’s see if she’s still here.’ The door was open and the headmistress could be seen rifling through one of the drawers. Taking a deep breath, Ann crooked a finger and rapped with her knuckle.
The headmistress looked up and gave a slight jerk of her head as though impatient that someone would delay her when she was already late for assembly. Her very appearance was intimidating, with her ramrod-straight back, pince-nez spectacles resting on a long thin nose and iron-grey hair combed back severely from her face and tied in a chignon at the back of her head. ‘Yes, Mrs Richardson?’
‘I wanted to speak to you about Theresa coming back to school.’
Miss Bond waved a hand as though in dismissal and went back to searching the drawer. ‘You should know this is not the time. Make an appointment and come and see me this afternoon or tomorrow.’
‘I’m prepared to wait until after assembly, Miss Bond. This is the first day of term, and as my daughter’s education is a priority to me and my husband, I would like it sorted today.’ Ann stretched to her full height, her face set in determination. ‘I know she has missed a lot of schooling, but she hasn’t missed lessons because I have been taking her for them. Her whole future is at stake, and I’m sure you will understand my concern.’
‘One of the teachers informed me that your husband met with an accident and is in hospital, Mrs Richardson. I was sorry to hear it and hope he is on the road to recovery.’
‘That I can’t tell you. I am hoping for some definite news when I visit him tonight. I also hope to be able to tell him that Theresa is back at school and in the seniors where she belongs.’
Miss Bond pushed the drawer closed with a look of annoyance on her face. It would appear she couldn’t find what she was looking for. ‘If you wish to stay until after assembly I will talk to you then. Please take a seat in the corridor.’
‘Would you kindly allow Theresa to sit in the hall with the rest of the pupils, please? At least she could join in the prayers.’
For a second it looked as though the headmistress would refuse, then her stern expression relaxed and she nodded. ‘Very well, come with me, Theresa.’
While Ann sat in the corridor her thoughts were with her husband. He still wasn’t sitting up, and he was still in pain. But yesterday he’d seemed brighter in himself, and this was due to the doctor informing him that today they would be able to tell him exactly what damage had been caused to his back. And as the voices of the children praying came to her, she said some prayers of her own. That today there would be good news when she got to the hospital, and that Theresa would be allowed to take her place in the senior school.
The doors of the hall burst open and the children poured out. They would all go to their old classrooms first, and from there they would be directed to their new classrooms and new teachers. Ann stood up and scanned the faces for Theresa, and when she saw her, she pulled her to one side. ‘Stand here, love, until the corridor is clear.’
‘I enjoyed that, Mam. It was nice sitting with all the girls, saying our prayers. I hope Miss Bond lets me stay.’ Tess leaned closer and whispered, ‘Don’t tell her, but that was one of my prayers.’
‘Come, Mrs Richardson.’ The headmistress strode towards her office like a soldier on parade. Back straight, arms swinging and steps uniform. When she entered the room, she picked up a chair near the door and placed it next to the one facing her across the desk. ‘Be seated, please.’
‘Sit down, love,’ Ann said to her daughter, who was looking decidedly nervous. ‘Miss Bond isn’t going to eat you.’
A rare smile crossed the stern face. ‘Not now, anyway, dear, it’s too soon after breakfast.’ The headmistress looked for something on the desk to busy her hands with, but it was clear except for a few papers. So she opened the narrow drawer in the middle of the desk and took out a pencil. This she rapped on the desk as she looked from daughter to mother. She was aware that Ann had once been a teacher herself, and so treated her a little less brusquely than she would perhaps have treated any other parent. ‘Right, Mrs Richardson, tell me why you think Theresa is ready to move up to a senior class when she’s missed so many months away from school?’
‘I’m sure you expect honesty, Miss Bond, so I’ll be straight with you. Theresa has missed school through ill health, no other reason. And I don’t want her to suffer because of this. She is exceptionally good at English and arithmetic, and I’m sure she could hold her own in those two subjects. To my mind they are the most important subjects when it comes to her seeking employment when she leaves school. She is not good at history or geography, but with a little patience and understanding I’m sure she could reach an acceptable standard. She will certainly be given extra tuition at home.’
Miss Bond turned her attention to Tess. ‘Does Madelaine help you, Theresa?’
Mention of her sister’s name brought a smile to the pale face. ‘Oh yes, me and Maddy write letters to each other. And we give each other sums to do.’ Forever thoughtful of others, Tess added, ‘And my mam helps me a lot.’
‘Your sister is one of our best pupils. She is never far from the top of the class in every subject, she is willing, pleasant and polite. A sister and daughter to be proud of.’
‘My husband and myself are very proud of both our children,’ Ann said. ‘Madelaine is two years older, so Theresa has time to catch up. She has surprised me over the last month or two, far exceeding my hopes. I’m sure you too will be agreeably surprised if you give her the chance to prove herself.’
Miss Bond had doubts about that. The few times the girl had attended school she was way behind the other pupils. And with an average of twenty-five to thirty children in each class, the teachers didn’t have time to concentrate on one pupil. ‘Perhaps it would be better if Theresa stayed in the juniors for a while, say a month, to see how far she has progressed?’
Ann shook her head. ‘Miss Bond, I really am prepared to do battle for my daughter. She’s suffered ill health through no fault of her own, missed the companionship of school friends, missed playing out with other children, and all without complaint. Now she deserves something good for a change, and I’m begging you to help her. Instead of putting her in the juniors for a month’s trial, why not put her in the seniors for the same length of time? In fact, if you are harbouring thoughts that I’m just another mother who thinks her child is better than she really is, why not try her out for today? Set her an essay to write on any subject at all, and test her arithmetic by giving her sums that a girl of her age would be expected to answer correctly. But don’t disappoint her by turning her down without even giving her a chance.’
The headmistress raised her brows. ‘By Jove, you really are prepared to do battle, aren’t you, Mrs Richardson? And you argue your case well. So, well, I wouldn’t sleep tonight if I didn’t agree to do as you ask.’ She tilted her head to look at Tess. ‘Are you afraid of me, Theresa?’
The girl considered this for a while, a frown on her face. ‘I don’t think so, Miss Bond. I’m only afraid of people who have loud voices and I think they’re telling me off.’ Her humour came to the fore. ‘I’m glad you’ve had your breakfast, though.’
A smile on the stern face was rare, a chuckle even more so. ‘I have something in mind, but it’s only if you agree, Theresa. How would you like to spend the morning in this room with me? At least I wouldn’t be here all the time, I have classes to attend to. But I could set you some lessons and pop in now and again to see how you’re getting on. Would you like that?’
The girl’s eyes rolled. ‘You mean I could sit at your desk? Oh yes, I would like that very much.’ She glanced at her mother. ‘Aren’t I lucky, Mam?’
‘You are very lucky, Theresa, and you must do your best to show Miss Bond that her kindness and trust in you is appreciated.’
‘Now that is settled, I’m going t
o have to ask you to leave, Mrs Richardson. The first day of term is always hectic, with most girls moving to higher classes with different teachers, while others who haven’t made the grade stay where they are for another term. So there is much to be done. However, I will not neglect Theresa, I promise, and I’ll give her enough work to keep her going until twelve o’clock. I suggest you come back then and we can discuss the situation in more detail.’
Ann got to her feet. ‘I really can’t thank you enough, I wasn’t expecting such co-operation.’ She bent to kiss Tess and gave her a hug of encouragement. ‘You’ll be fine, love, don’t worry. I’ll see you at twelve o’clock.’
When Ann turned the corner of the road, the first thing she noticed was her neighbour’s legs sticking out on to the pavement, and every few seconds Maisie’s bottom would appear briefly as her body moved with the scrubbing brush. The paths in front of the houses in Hanford Avenue were very short, barely a yard or so of square tiles up to the step. But her neighbour spent half an hour on path, two steps and windowsill every morning without fail. The only time she missed was when the snow was inches deep, and even then she was out first thing in the morning with a shovel and stiff brush to clear it away so it wouldn’t be trodden into the house. ‘This has become an obsession with you, Maisie, you’re addicted to it. Your path is cleaner than most living rooms. You put the rest of the road to shame.’
Maisie sat back on her heels. ‘It’s a habit, I admit. But me mam used to do her front every morning and I must take after her.’ She threw the floor cloth into the bucket and rubbed her hands on her pinny. ‘Tess gone to school, then?’
Ann explained briefly what had happened. ‘I’m going back at twelve, so keep your fingers crossed for us. If all goes as I hope, and as I think it should, I’ll have some good news to take in to George tonight that will cheer him up.’
‘How is George? Anything definite yet?’
‘Not as yet. But he’s having more tests today, and the doctors are hoping to find out exactly what the problem is. All the way from the school I’ve been praying for two lots of good news today. Theresa moving into the seniors, and George with a date for coming home. If I get both my wishes, I’ll be the happiest woman in the world.’
