by Joan Jonker
‘Twenty-seven and sixpence, queen, and that’s practically giving it away. One like that in the shops would knock yer back a fiver, and that’s givin’ the shops the benefit of the doubt. But if yer haven’t got the money, queen, then yer haven’t got the money, that’s all there is to it. I’ll keep me eye open for yer when yer give me the nod, but I can’t promise one in this condition again.’
‘Thanks.’ Sadie tried to hide her disappointment. ‘I’ll nip over and see yer next week.’
When she got back to the stall, Mary Ann was busy serving three customers while having a good gossip at the same time. It was her friendliness and willingness to talk to all her customers, old and new, that brought them back week after week.
‘Mary Ann, d’yer mind if I sort some of these clothes out?’ This was something that Sadie had always wanted to do. There were some really good clothes mixed in with the ‘tuppence with a hole, thruppence without a hole’, and she was sure Mary Ann could charge more for the good stuff. ‘If yer get busy, give us a shout.’
‘Yeah, okay.’ Mary Ann raised her eyebrows at Lizzie. ‘She’s wastin’ her bleedin’ time sortin’ that lot out. They’ll be as bad as ever in five minutes. Still, when I was her age I always thought I knew best too – an’ many’s the clout I got off me mam for it.’
Sadie was busy sorting the clothes out, putting the ones she thought were in good condition to one side, when Mary Ann sidled up to her. ‘Here comes yer mate, Elsie.’
Sadie looked up, a smile covering her face. She waved and called, ‘Hi, Elsie, come over here a minute. I’ve got some things to show yer.’
Elsie’s head went up with pride and her magnificent bust seemed to shoot out even further. It wasn’t everyone who got special treatment and she revelled in it. ‘What is it, Sadie, love?’
Mary Ann folded her arms and looked on with a smile on her face. Making sure no one could overhear, she whispered to Lizzie, ‘The girl has certainly tamed that one. She’s changed her from a tiger to a pussy cat.’
Sadie was busy with her sales talk. ‘Seein’ as yer one of me favourite customers, Elsie, I wanted yer to see these before they go out on the table. They’re far superior to anything that’s on show and I know how yer like good quality clothes. They’re sixpence each, and while I’m not expectin’ yer to buy one, I wanted yer to have first choice.’
Lizzie touched Mary Ann’s arm. ‘I didn’t know yer had superior clothes, girl.’
‘I didn’t know me bleedin’ self, Lizzie. And if Sadie gets a tanner off her for one of those, I’ll eat me flamin’ hat.’
Sadie was busy holding different coloured blouses up for Elsie’s inspection. They were all in excellent condition and in Sadie’s opinion well worth sixpence. ‘They’re all nice, aren’t they, Elsie? But as soon as I saw this pale green one I thought of you.’
‘Yes, it is nice,’ Elsie fingered the blouse, ‘but I like the beige one as well.’
‘Yeah, they’re both nice,’ Sadie said diplomatically, ‘but yer can’t afford two in one week, Elsie, or yer feller will have yer guts for garters.’
‘My husband let’s me have everythin’ I want, and he likes to see me all dolled up.’ Elsie looked from the pale green to the beige. ‘He’s got a decent job and he doesn’t keep me short.’
A customer attracted Sadie’s attention. ‘Excuse me, but could I have a look at that beige blouse, please?’
That quickly decided Elsie. ‘I’m sorry, missus, I’m buyin’ both of these. But there’s plenty more nice ones if yer come over here.’
Lizzie showed her toothless gums when she grinned. ‘Did yer say yer’d eat yer hat, Mary Ann?’
Mary Ann was flabbergasted. ‘She sold her two! I can’t believe it!’ The stall-holder didn’t utter the words she was thinking. Sadie had made sixpence more for those blouses than she would have done. ‘D’yer know what, Lizzie? I’ve a good mind to buy a bleedin’ hat, just so I can eat it!’
Sadie’s new customer also bought a blouse and the girl was as proud as Punch. ‘There yer are, Mary Ann, one and sixpence.’
The stall-holder looked at the money in Sadie’s outstretched hand. ‘Yer did good, there, girl, and I’m proud of yer.’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘D’yer really think there’s a call here for sixpenny stuff?’
‘Definitely! I’ve thought that since the day I came. Those dresses yer sold me for a tanner – yer could easily have got a shillin’ for them.’
Mary Ann thought hard before she spoke. ‘How would yer like to work on the market when yer pack in the job yer’ve got?’
There was a gleam in Sadie’s eyes that was as bright as the hope in her heart. ‘Doin’ what, Mary Ann?’
‘Working for me, of course – what d’yer bleedin’ well think? With your talent, I’m not likely to let yer go to one of the other stalls, am I?’ If Mary Ann had wanted to say more, she didn’t get the chance because Sadie was hugging her so tight she could hardly breathe.
‘Oh, yes please! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Ooh, I love the bones of yer, Mary Ann, I really do.’
‘In that case, yer wouldn’t want to kill me, would yer? Let go of me, for God’s sake, I can’t get me breath.’
Lizzie was watching from a distance. ‘Hey, Mary Ann. Tell the girl about yer eatin’ yer ruddy hat … that’s if yer had one, of course, which yer haven’t.’
Mary Ann pulled a face as she smoothed her bright red hair. ‘I said if yer sold Elsie one of those blouses for sixpence, I’d eat me ruddy hat. And Tilly Mint over there is staying to see if I keep to me word.’
‘Do yer really mean it about giving me a job?’ Oh, wouldn’t it be wonderful, Sadie was thinking. Seeing Mary Ann every day, and the customers she’d grown fond of. And leaving the market each night to go home to Sarah … Oh, it all sounded too good to be true. ‘Tell me I wasn’t hearing things, Mary Ann, please?’
‘Yer weren’t hearin’ things, girl. I said it and I mean it. But we’ll have to take more money than we do now to pay yer wages. So let’s hope your superior quality, sixpence-a-go clothes find favour with the customers. But I’ve got a feeling that they will, and that you an’ me will make a good team.’
Sadie was thrilled. ‘I’m goin’ to give me notice in on Monday and tell them I’m leaving the week after. I’m over the moon at the thought of getting away from that house and goin’ to live with Sarah, but I’m also nervous. I’ve only got a few friends, but I’m going to feel lousy telling them lies. I’ve known Harry all me life and he’s the best friend I ever had. And Brenda at work. She gets on me nerves sometimes, but we’ve been mates since the day we started at the factory together. And there’s a boy at work, his name’s Bobby – he’s been good to me as well. I’m going to tell them I’ve got a better job, but I can’t tell them where in case they come down and see me. And as I’ve never told them about me family, they wouldn’t see any harm in telling them where I am. So I’ll have to tell more lies … It seems to be all I do these days.’
‘Yer’ll make new friends, girl, yer only young. But I noticed yer never mentioned the other boy yer see a lot of – Geoff.’
‘I don’t know what to do about him.’ Sadie’s eyes looked troubled. ‘I suppose I could go on seeing him because he knows nothing about me at all – where I live or where I work.’ She let out a deep sigh. ‘I’ll think about that over the next week. At the moment I’m going to dwell on the nice things that are happening for me. Like coming to work for you and living with Sarah. I won’t know I’m born, will I?’
‘Talking about old Sarah, how did yer get on about the bed? Was it a good one?’
‘Almost brand new – and he only wanted twenty-seven and six for it, so it’s a real bargain. I explained to Andy that I didn’t have the money now, so he’s going to keep his eye open the week after next to see if he can pick up another good one.’
Mary Ann made a quick decision. ‘I’ll lend yer seven bob to put to what yer’ve given me, that’ll make it up to a pound. Take it to Andy an
d tell him to hang on to the bed until next week and I’ll make sure he gets the difference.’ She saw the doubt on Sadie’s face. ‘He’ll do it for yer, girl, ’cos once he’s got the pound in his hand he can’t lose, can he? If yer don’t come up with the rest of the money, he hangs on to what yer’ve paid him, and the bed. But he knows I won’t let him down, so go and see him and take the pound. Oh, and yer can tell him he won’t have far to go to deliver it.’
‘Yer mean he’ll take it to Sarah’s? How will he do that? It’s very heavy.’
‘How d’yer think he’ll get it there? On his bleedin’ back? He’s got a big handcart, yer daft ha’porth.’
‘Ooh, that’s handy, isn’t it?’
Mary Ann looked at Sadie with amusement twinkling in her grey-green eyes. D’yer know when yer stayed late last week and helped me bundle all the clothes up? And when yer left I had all those bleedin’ big bundles around me feet? Well, what did yer think I was goin’ to do with them?’
Sadie pursed her lips, a frown on her face. ‘I don’t know – I didn’t think about it.’
‘Well, I’m sure yer didn’t expect me to carry that lot home on me head, so I’ll tell yer. I was waitin’ for my feller to bring our handcart so we could pile everythin’ on it and push the ruddy lot to a little wooden hut we rent off some man who lives at the top of our street.’
Sadie grinned. ‘I’m learning, Mary Ann, and I learn fast. I promise I’m not as thick as yer seem to be thinking.’
‘Ay, sunshine, anyone that can sell two blouses to Elsie is definitely not thick. And to get sixpence each for them – well, that puts yer in the genius class.’
‘Will I get to meet yer husband, Mary Ann? I’ve often wondered about yer family.’
‘Where d’yer think I get all these clothes to sell?’
Sadie shook her head. ‘I imagined yer bought them off people.’
‘No, my feller goes around the streets with his cart. He goes to the posh districts like Allerton, Orrell Park and Mossley Hill – that’s where he gets your superior quality goods from. The other stuff he collects locally. He comes every morning to give me a hand to set up and then at night to clear away.’ Mary Ann grinned. ‘Yer gettin’ me whole story in one go instead of gradual. But before I go an’ see to Tessie, who’s callin’ me for all the lazy bastards under the sun, I’ll rattle the rest off quick. I’ve got two kids, a boy of twelve and a girl of eight who yer’ll meet when yer come to work here. They don’t come on a Saturday because I’d never get anythin’ done with them under me feet.’ Mary Ann walked away, saying, ‘Second instalment next week, girl.’ She had a wide smile on her face when she approached the customer. ‘For God’s sake, Tessie, keep yer ruddy hair on! Even a slave is allowed a five-minute break!’
‘Five minutes? More like flamin’ fifteen, if yer ask me. There yer were, yer hands goin’ as quick as yer ruddy mouth, and me standin’ here, gormless, willin’ and waitin’ to spend me hard-earned money with yer.’
‘Ah, yer poor thing! Why don’t yer buy yerself a violin, Tessie, an’ yer could really tug at me heartstrings.’
‘Heartstrings? What ruddy heartstrings? It’s not a heart you’ve got, Mary Ann, it’s a bloody brick!’ That was a good answer, Tessie thought, considering I didn’t have much time to think. I must remember to tell my Jack when I get home – he’ll enjoy that. ‘D’yer want me to prove yer’ve got a brick where yer heart should be, Mary Ann?’
‘Yeah, go on, Tessie, baffle me with bleedin’ science.’
‘Well, see this man’s shirt I’ve got in me hand? I’ll bet yer goin’ to ask me for thruppence for it when anyone with half an eye can see it’s only worth tuppence. That’s because yer’ve got no heart, yer see, Mary Ann.’
Sadie was in a happy frame of mind when she came back from seeing Andy. He’d agreed to take the pound and keep the bed for her until next week. She was in time to hear the latter end of the teasing exchange and decided to join in. After all, she’d be working here permanently in two weeks and she wanted to be on friendly terms with all the customers. ‘Excuse me, but that shirt should be on our sixpenny superior-quality stall, over the other side. I can’t imagine how it got mixed up with these.’
Tessie’s jaw dropped. ‘What the bleedin’ hell is she on about? Sixpenny superior-quality! I’ve never heard nothin’ like it in all me born days. Yer can sod off if yer think I’m goin’ to give yer sixpence for a shirt what’s got two buttons missin’.’
‘Now be reasonable, Tessie,’ Mary Ann said. ‘The missing buttons are at the very bottom; no one will notice when your feller’s got it tucked in his trousers.’
Tessie raised her thick bushy eyebrows and adopted what she thought was a haughty stance. ‘I’ll thank you not to be so personal about what my feller keeps in his trousers, Mary Ann.’
The stall-holder was ready as usual with a quip. ‘Now, Tessie, yer should know me better than to think I’d talk about a little thing like that.’
The two women looked at each other and burst out laughing. ‘Ooh, I enjoyed that, Mary Ann.’ Tessie wiped at the laughter tears running down her cheeks. ‘But just wait until I tell my feller yer insulted his manhood.’
‘Tessie, all is pure to the pure. I can’t help it if you’ve got a dirty mind. And before we lose track of what started all this off, I can’t take less than thruppence for the shirt because I’ve got a husband and two kids at home that happen to like the taste of food.’
Tessie clicked her tongue as she opened her purse. ‘Does that brick yer’ve got beat like a proper heart, Mary Ann?’
‘Yeah, it’s just like a normal heart, Tessie.’ Mary Ann pocketed the coins. ‘The only thing is, it sometimes gets a bit heavy.’
‘So yer took me money off me with a heavy heart, did yer?’ Tessie was delighted and amazed at her own wit. Her Jack would be in stitches when she told him. ‘That’s a bit of consolation for me, girl. Makes parting with me money that much easier.’
Mary Ann leaned across the table. ‘Yer in fine form today, Tessie, I’ll say that for yer. But will yer bugger off home now an’ let me get on with me work?’
‘Yeah, okay, Mary Ann, I’ll see yer next week.’
Mary Ann turned to see Sadie busy at one of the far tables. She shouted across, ‘How did yer get on with Andy?’
Sadie smiled and lifted a thumb. ‘Just like you said.’
‘Yer doin’ well if yer not caught, girl. A good day all round for yer.’ Mary Ann was smiling when she attended to another customer. She was happy things were working out for the girl, God knows she deserved something better out of life than she’d been getting.
Sadie was on pins when it was time for her to head for home. She was meeting Geoff at half-seven and she had to go home and get changed first. But she couldn’t leave without airing her fears. How to do it though, after Mary Ann had already done so much for her? There’d come a time when the stall-holder would get fed up and tell her to sort her own problems out, but Sadie hoped it wouldn’t be today.
Mary Ann threw a bundle of clothes onto the sheet spread out on the ground then came to stand in front of Sadie. ‘Yer like a cat on hot bricks, girl. If yer’ve got somethin’ to say, spit it out.’
‘It’s about the bed, Mary Ann. How am I goin’ to pay the seven and six to Andy? The most I’ll have next Saturday is half-a-crown.’
‘I’ve got it all under control, girl, so yer can rest easy, I’ll put five bob to what you’ll have, which means yer’ll owe me twelve shillings altogether. Yer can pay me that when yer draw yer two weeks’ wages.’
Sadie gave a sigh of relief. ‘I’ll be able to do that, and pay Sarah me keep. But if I have to work a week in hand for you, I’ll be stuck the following week.’
Mary Ann laughed. ‘Yer don’t work no week in hand here, love. Yer’ll get paid on a Saturday as per usual. If I pay yer the same wage as yer getting now, will that do yer while we see how things go? If your high-class superior-quality clothes stall does well, yer can have a ris
e. How does that sound to yer?’
‘It sounds like music to my ears,’ Sadie said. ‘I thank God every night for sending you into my life, Mary Ann. He was certainly lookin’ after me that day.’
‘Just wait until I’m yer boss, girl – yer might see a different side to me. I get a right temper on me sometimes.’ She patted Sadie’s cheek. ‘When God gave me this red hair, He gave me the temper to go with it.’
‘I’ll take me chances,’ Sadie said. ‘Anyway, I’m very quick at ducking.’ She cupped the stall-holder’s face in her two hands. ‘When I come to work for yer, I’ll work like a demon to pay yer back for all yer’ve done for me.’ She kissed both cheeks. ‘And that’s a promise.’
‘You’re looking very bright and cheerful tonight, love,’ Geoff said as they swayed from side to side with the rocking of the tram. ‘What’s happened to make yer so happy?’
During the long walk to Everton Valley Sadie had changed her mind half-a-dozen times over Geoff. First she was going to cut him off completely, as she was her other friends. Then she changed her mind because she needed one friend, someone to go out with, and she wouldn’t find anyone better than Geoff. And as he didn’t know anything about where she lived or what her family was like, he couldn’t cause her any trouble. She could tell him she was going to live with her grandma for a while – he wouldn’t see anything strange in that. He could even call for her if Sarah and her husband didn’t mind. So she could safely tell him part of the story and leave the rest a secret.
‘I am feeling pleased with meself – very pleased, in fact.’ Sadie bestowed a beaming smile on him. ‘I might be goin’ to live with me grandparents for a while and I’m made up. I’ve told yer I don’t get on very well with me mam and dad, they’re not easy to live with, but I get on smashin’ with me grandma. She’s lovely, like an angel.’