Many a Tear has to Fall

by Joan Jonker

  ‘And what arrangements have you come to?’

  ‘I said I’d let them know after I’d spoken to you. And the girls, of course, they’ll have to be asked. If we’re all in agreement, Lizzie said she’d come with me one day to see the landlord. He’s got an office on Hawthorne Road, and she said when we’ve decided you can let her know and she’ll take a tram down in her dinner break and meet me outside.’

  ‘Whatever you decide is all right with me, you know that, love. And I can’t see the girls having any objection. The fact that Lizzie lives in the same street will be enough for them, they’ll be over the moon.’ George cupped her face and his smile was tender and full of love. ‘All I ask is for you and the girls to be happy.’

  ‘I’d be a lot happier if we were to have good neighbours, but beggars can’t be choosers.’ Ann repeated all that Peggy Caldwell had told her about what she’d had to put up with from the Binghams over the years. ‘She’s only leaving because of them, she said she can’t take any more.’

  ‘Will you be able to take that sort of behaviour? We’ve always had such good neighbours.’

  ‘I’ll put up with it until something better comes along. I can be quite tough when needs be, George, and I’ll not be browbeaten by a loud-mouthed bully. And although I’ll have to pay the rent in advance for Willard Street, it’s over five shillings less than this and that will be a godsend.’

  ‘When will you tell the girls?’

  ‘In the morning when they’re having their breakfast. All being well you can tell Lizzie on Wednesday morning in work, and I’ll meet her that day. I can’t leave it any longer to find out for sure whether we can have the house, because I need to give a full week’s notice to our landlord.’

  ‘You’re not leaving yourself much time for packing, are you? And how are you going to find the cost of hiring a removal van?’

  ‘First things first, George. Once I know we’ve got the house, then I’ll start to worry about those things. By hook or by crook I’ll find the money we need, because I have to. My girls are not going to spend a miserable Christmas if I can help it. I want them to wake up on Christmas morning to find presents, fruit and sweets in their pillowcases, a lovely fire in the grate and good food on the table. Oh, and if I can stretch to it, we’ll have a tree as well.’

  George bent his head and made a silent vow that he’d find some way to help his dear wife’s dream come true. Several ideas were running through his mind, but he kept them to himself in case they came to nothing. ‘Shall we make our way to bed? It’s turned eleven and that’s late for us.’

  ‘I doubt if I’ll be able to sleep,’ Ann said. ‘My mind is in a whirl.’

  ‘I’ll hold you in my arms until you drop off. Clear your head of everything until tomorrow.’

  ‘That’s easier said than done, but I will try.’ She took his hand and pulled him to his feet. ‘I think the comfort of your arms is just what I need. Come on, love.’

  George had taken to leaving the house a bit earlier in the mornings to give himself some time to check the previous day’s figures in his books. And after seeing him off the following morning, Ann shouted up the stairs to tell the girls it was time to get up. They washed and dressed before they came down, giving Ann time to make their breakfast. And today, as she was keeping an eye on the toast, she was going over in her mind how she should approach the subject. Should she do it in a roundabout way, or straight to the point? In the end it was Tess who made it easy for her.

  ‘Did you see Mrs Lizzie’s rose, Mam?’

  ‘Yes I did, love,’ Ann lied, because she’d never given a thought to the rose. Anyway she hadn’t been in the house very long. ‘But it didn’t even say a word.’

  Maddy bit into her toast. ‘Has Mrs Lizzie got a nice house, Mam? I wish we could have gone with you, I’d love to see it.’

  ‘Yes, she’s got a lovely little house. Very warm and friendly.’ Ann was chewing on the inside of her cheek, telling herself she’d never have a better opportunity. She took a deep breath and tried to stop her mouth from trembling. ‘As a matter of fact there’s a house coming empty in her street, and I wouldn’t mind taking it. What do you think?’

  ‘Oh, yeah!’ Tess coughed as a piece of toast went down the wrong way, and her eyes began to water. But it didn’t stop her from spluttering, ‘In the same street as Mrs Lizzie, that would be the gear!’

  Maddy was watching her mother’s face closely. Particularly her eyes, which told her more than words could. ‘Are you really thinking of moving, Mam?’

  ‘Only if we all agree. Your father is easy, he’ll do whatever we decide. So really it’s up to you. The house is the same as Uncle Ken’s, no parlour and the toilet is at the bottom of the yard. But on the plus side, it’s much easier to warm, and the rent is a lot less, so you would get pocket money again and we could afford a few luxuries.’

  Tess was bobbing up and down on her chair. ‘Say we’re going, Mam, please? I’d love to live near Mrs Lizzie.’

  ‘What about you, Madelaine?’ Ann’s eyes locked with her elder daughter’s. ‘You don’t seem keen, are you not in favour?’

  ‘I’ll do whatever you want, Mam. And like Tess, I think it would be nice to live near Mrs Lizzie. And we’d still go to the same school, wouldn’t we?’

  ‘Same school, same doctor, nothing would change.’ Ann thought Madelaine should be told a little of the truth. It was the least she deserved. ‘Instead of having to scrimp and scrape every week, love, we could have a little more of everything. A week in Wales next year, perhaps, instead of four days.’

  ‘Oh, goody!’ Tess was really excited. ‘When are we moving?’

  ‘I haven’t got the house yet, Theresa, so don’t go telling people until we’re sure. It’s possible I’ll know tomorrow night when you come home from school. Until then, though, not a word to anyone, even Nita and Letty. I want Mrs Wilkins to hear it from me, not from other people.’ The worry over now, Ann breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn’t been sure what to expect, what her daughters’ reaction would be, and was dreading seeing disappointment on their faces. But they both seemed quite happy. Particularly Theresa, who was highly delighted. ‘Don’t dally over your breakfast, otherwise you’ll be rushing at the last moment. And put all thoughts of moving out of your head until we know something definite.’

  ‘I hope you get it, Mam,’ Maddy said, ‘if you’ve set your heart on it.’

  ‘We’ll see what tomorrow brings, love.’ Ann poured a cup of tea out for herself. ‘If all goes well, we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us if we want to be out of here in ten days’ time.’

  ‘I’ll help with the packing, Mam, and so will Tess.’

  ‘You bet!’ Tess would have started packing now, so excited was she about living in the same street as Mrs Lizzie and her talking rose. ‘We’ll be a good help.’

  Ann felt a surge of love for them. ‘I know you will, because you’re good girls. But hurry up now and eat your breakfast so you won’t be late.’

  George tapped his pencil on the top of his desk. He had seen the boss go into his office and was trying to pluck up the courage to follow him. George wasn’t a resentful man, nor would he hold grudges. But seeing his wife so distressed was making him question why it should be so. He’d had a fairly good job which, although it didn’t pay a good wage, was one he enjoyed and which enabled the family to have a decent standard of living. They weren’t living in luxury, but neither were they living in poverty. Then suddenly, through no fault of his own, everything changed and the family were struggling. Whichever way you looked at it, it wasn’t right that they should suffer because of an accident caused by the carelessness of another person. The injustice of the situation had been building up within him for several weeks now and had been brought to a head last night when he’d seen the state his wife was in. It was time now for him to share some of the burden.

  George got to his feet quickly, not allowing himself time to dwell on it and perhaps lose his nerve. He threw the pe
ncil on the desk and turned in the direction of Mr Fisher’s office. He straightened his shoulders and walked briskly, purpose in his step. The front of the office was glass, and when he knocked Mr Fisher lifted his head, smiled and beckoned him in.

  ‘Can you spare me a minute, I’d like to have a word?’

  ‘Certainly, George, sit down. I hear good reports about you from Joe Brogan, he said you’ve taken to the job like a fish to water.’

  ‘I’m glad I’m good at figures, otherwise I’d never have been able to take it all in so quickly. I’m getting my head around it now, but it’s quite a responsible job keeping account of all deliveries and sales, and making sure the figures tally. And that’s why I’m here, Mr Fisher, to ask if you could see your way clear to giving me a pay rise. I honestly believe the job warrants more than I’m getting, besides which, I can’t keep a family on what you’re paying me now.’

  Gerald Fisher sat back in his chair and crossed his legs. He was roughly the same age as George, with dark colouring and a florid complexion. But he was carrying a lot more weight due to lack of physical exercise. ‘I’ve been half expecting this, George, because Albert Hancock said the wage was too low for the work involved. So shall we say a half a crown a week rise, would that suit you?’

  ‘Starting from when, Mr Fisher? You see, we’re having to move to a smaller house because we can’t afford the house we’re in now, and we’ll need money to hire a removal van. We’re hoping to be given the tenancy of a two-up two-down off Hawthorne Road, and we’ll know for certain tomorrow. If we’re accepted as tenants then we’ll be moving a week on Saturday, which doesn’t give us much time to get the money together. And as I’ve never borrowed in my life, I have no wish to start now.’

  Gerald Fisher bent his head as he laced his fingers and placed them on his desk. He was silent for a few seconds, deep in thought. When he looked up, he smiled across at George. ‘Your rise will start from yesterday and will be included in this week’s wage packet. And you won’t need to hire a removal van, I’ll get two of my drivers to do the job for you. Jim and Harry are good grafters, they’ll have you moved out of your old house and into your new one in no time at all. It will have to be on the Saturday afternoon, though, as they’ll have deliveries to do in the morning.’

  George felt like pinching himself to make sure he wasn’t imagining it. ‘I don’t know what to say, Mr Fisher, except it’s very kind of you and I really appreciate your help. It will certainly be a load off my wife’s mind.’

  ‘It’s the least I can do under the circumstances, George. And we’ll discuss your wages again in a couple of months, eh?’ Gerald uncrossed his legs and pushed his chair back from the desk. ‘As soon as you know definitely that you’ve got the new tenancy, let me know and I can have a word with Jim and Harry.’

  Feeling light-headed with relief at the way things had worked out, George got to his feet. ‘I can’t thank you enough, Mr Fisher, you’ve certainly eased the situation.’

  ‘You’ve worked here a long time, George, and given good service, so I’ll help when I can. Now you get back to your job, I have a meeting in an hour’s time and I want to prepare myself for it. Give my regards to your wife and say I hope the move will be a good one and you’ll be happy in your new home.’

  When Lizzie brought his tea later in the morning, she noticed a change in George. He looked in a good mood, as though all his cares and woes had disappeared. ‘What are yer looking so happy about, lad? Has yer fairy godmother waved her magic wand over yer?’

  George felt mean not telling Lizzie the truth, because she’d been so kind to him and his family. A real friend. But he wanted everything to be signed and sealed before saying anything. ‘I should be lucky enough to have a fairy godmother, Lizzie, then all my troubles would be over. But I do feel a bit better, I must admit. Ann and I had a good talk last night, and all being well, we should be a neighbour of yours pretty soon. She was putting it to the girls this morning, and if they weren’t too upset by the prospect of moving, she asked if you could meet her tomorrow dinner time and take her to see the landlord.’

  ‘Yeah, I told her I would!’ Lizzie narrowed her eyes. ‘I know she liked the Caldwells’ house, and it is a little palace. But did she tell yer all about Nellie Bingham and her feller?’

  George nodded. ‘Ann told me the lot, the good and the bad. But we’re prepared to give it a try and see how it goes. If our lives are made unbearable, then obviously we’ll start looking for somewhere else. However, all the talk is a bit premature, because we may not get the chance of the house. The landlord might already have someone else in mind.’

  ‘Well, all will be revealed tomorrow. Tell Ann I’ll meet her outside the office at half twelve if she’s still of a mind to go ahead. I’ve told her where the office is so she shouldn’t have any trouble finding it.’ Lizzie was about to walk away when she remembered something. ‘Oh, tell her to bring her rent book with her in case they ask for it.’

  ‘She’s a couple of bob in arrears, Lizzie, for the first time in her life.’

  ‘So what! There’s not many people can say they’ve never been in arrears. And Mr Collins will be able to tell by the rent book that it’s the first time. Anyway, I’m well in with him, so I’ll use me powers of persuasion. You know, George, I’ll pout me lips and flutter me eyelashes at him. No one can resist when I turn me charms on them.’ She walked a few steps away, stopped, then came back. ‘That’s except my feller. If I was to flutter me lashes at him he’d ask if I had something in me eye.’

  George chuckled. ‘And if you pouted your lips?’

  ‘Oh, he’d say I was a bit old to be sucking a bull’s-eye.’ With a wave of her hand Lizzie went about her business, leaving George to drink his tea and relish going over the good news Mr Fisher had handed him. He would have given anything for a cigarette at that moment, but they were one of the luxuries he’d had to forgo.

  George kept his news to himself until the girls were in bed. They’d been so talkative, especially Tess, that no one had noticed his eyes were brighter than usual and his laugh came more easily.

  ‘I’ve got something to tell you, love, that I didn’t want to mention in front of the girls. So will you make a cup of tea and we can sit and talk in peace and quiet?’

  Ann looked suspicious. ‘I hope it’s not bad news.’

  ‘On the contrary, love, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.’

  ‘Then I want to hear it now, don’t keep me in suspense.’

  ‘I don’t want to gabble it out, I want to take my time and savour every word. And I want to be able to see the expression on your face. For the first time since I had the accident, I feel as though I’m pulling my weight, and not leaving you to carry the burden. So make a cup of tea, love, and we can perhaps get ourselves organised to cope with the next week or so.’

  Ann wasted no time. She put just enough water in the kettle for two cups and as soon as it started to whistle she whipped it off the stove and poured the boiling water into the dark brown earthenware teapot. After stirring the tea-leaves in the pot, she carried it through to the living room. ‘It’ll need to stand for a few minutes to brew. I’ll get the cups.’

  Five minutes later, a cup and saucer in her hand and sitting in a chair next to a fire that had long since given up the fight to stay alive, she said, ‘This had better be good, George Richardson, after getting me all worked up.’

  ‘Don’t sit miles away from me, come here.’ George patted the empty space on the couch. And when she was settled he began. ‘I went in to see Mr Fisher this morning to ask for a pay rise. It’s been playing on my mind for weeks now, that the whole thing was so unfair. I didn’t expect him to see it my way, and thought he’d probably throw me out of his office with a flea in my ear. Anyway, he was all right about it and agreed to my getting a half a crown a week rise, starting from yesterday and included in this week’s wage packet.’

  Ann leaned forward to put her saucer on the table, then she flung her arms a
round him. ‘Oh, that’s wonderful news, George, I’m so proud of you.’

  ‘Well, it’s not much, but it’s better than a kick in the teeth.’ He was thanking God he hadn’t lost his nerve over going to see his boss. ‘And Mr Fisher’s agreed to review my wage again in a couple of months. So that sounds hopeful for the future.’

  ‘That’s marvellous, it really is. And the half a crown will be a godsend for the next two weeks, because we’ll be counting every penny.’

  ‘I haven’t finished giving you all the news yet, love, there’s more to come.’

  ‘I’m on the crest of a wave now,’ Ann said, her eyes willing him to leave her there. ‘So I hope you’re not going to bring me down to earth with a bump.’

  ‘Far from it, I’ll hop on the wave with you. You see, while I was giving Mr Fisher the sob story about the struggle we were having making ends meet, I mentioned we were moving to a smaller house. And guess what?’

  ‘I’d be here all night guessing.’ Ann began to gently pummel his chest. ‘Come on, sweetheart, tell me!’

  ‘He’s going to arrange the moving for us.’ George saw his wife’s eyes widen in surprise and it made him feel so good to be able to give her news that would cheer her up. ‘Once I let him know for sure that we are moving, and when, he’ll organise one of the vans and two of the men. But it would have to be in the afternoon, they’re out delivering Saturday mornings.’

  Ann laid her head on his shoulder. ‘It would appear we’re having a run of good luck for a change. It took some guts for you to ask for a rise, but it paid off, and I’m glad. And I want you to thank Mr Fisher for offering to help out with one of his vans. The only thing is, how much will the two men charge for their time?’

  ‘The boss didn’t mention that, but I’ve got a feeling he’ll fork out for the few hours’ overtime the blokes work. I don’t think it’ll cost us a penny.’