One Rainy Day

by Joan Jonker

  ‘Not Peter? He’s certainly got it bad where you are concerned. And I think he’s of the opinion you feel the same.’

  ‘He’s a lovely man, and he’ll make a wonderful husband for some lucky girl. But I’m not that girl, David, I’m afraid. The more I see of him, the more I know he’s not the man for me.’

  David pushed his empty plate away. ‘I enjoyed that, our kid. And I’m very relieved to know you can turn your hand to cooking. For if all else fails, and we never find our soulmates because we’re too fussy, we could be stuck with each other for life. So if you do the cooking, I’ll make the beds.’

  Poppy laughed. ‘I don’t think it’ll come to that. I have great hopes that I take after our mam. I don’t fancy being left on the shelf, a spinster with a cat for a companion.’

  It was David’s turn to laugh. ‘So have I, sis. I’m pinning my hopes on coming across a very pretty girl, with a good sense of humour, who will fall into my arms and swear undying love. Someone I will feel comfortable with, and love. And she’ll come along one day, I know she will.’

  For some reason, a mental picture of Charlotte crossed Poppy’s mind. ‘I know a very pretty girl who has a very good sense of humour, and she fits the description of your dream girl perfectly. Unfortunately, she is way out of your league.’

  ‘Why is she out of my league?’ David’s eyes showed interest. ‘I’m not missing anything. I’ve got one head, two eyes and ears, ten fingers and toes, plus arms and legs and a face that would pass inspection. What more could any girl ask for?’

  ‘I was only pulling your leg, David, and I’m sorry ’cos it wasn’t remotely funny.’

  David pretended to be disappointed. ‘Just my luck. Here was me building my hopes up with the image of a dream girl floating around in my head, and my own sister bursts the bubble and tells me she was only pulling my leg.’ He dropped his head in his hands, and with a long, dramatic sigh, said, ‘I had visions of walking down the aisle with a beautiful girl with blonde hair, wearing a flowing wedding dress and a veil on her head held in place by a diamond tiara.’

  Poppy was shaking with quiet laughter. ‘The girl I had in mind doesn’t have blonde hair, it’s more an auburn, and it’s curly.’

  ‘Is this a real person?’ David asked. ‘You talk about her as though she’s real.’

  ‘Actually it’s a friend I’ve described. But not a close friend, so there’s not much chance of my ever bringing her here. She is nice, but there’s thousands of girls as pretty as she is. So start looking around, big boy, and I’m sure it won’t be long before you’re snapped up.’

  Poppy reached for her brother’s plate and put it on top of hers with the cutlery. ‘Come on, dear, you’ve had your meal and now it’s time to pay the bill. But I’ll let you off the tip.’

  Brother and sister worked in harmony, and in no time at all the dishes were washed, dried, and put away. ‘I’ll make a pot of tea now,’ Poppy said. ‘You go and sit down and read the paper you brought in with you. We can have a few lazy hours before Mam and Marg come home.’

  ‘Did they say what time they thought they’d be home by?’

  ‘Mam really didn’t get a chance to say much. You know what Marg is like when she’s in full flow, no one can get a word in. But she is so funny she really cheers me up. And she’s been good for Mam since our dad died. We’ve got a lot to thank Marg for. When the going is tough, she’s always there to help, so I was glad when she asked if I could do something for her for a change. Sarah wants to go to the Grafton, but is too shy to go on her own, so I’ve promised to take her on Tuesday. I haven’t told Peter yet. I don’t think he’ll be very happy.’

  ‘Anyone can go to the Grafton if they want. It’s open to the public, so Peter couldn’t stop Sarah even if he wanted to. But surely he wouldn’t object to her going. Why should he?’

  Poppy didn’t want to tell him how possessive Peter was, and how he didn’t like her dancing with anyone else. It wasn’t fair to him, for although Poppy didn’t like him being so clinging, he was a good man and would never overstep the mark. Oh, I’m sure he’ll be all right about it. And he’ll ask Sarah for a dance if he sees she’s not being asked up.’

  Brother and sister spent the next two hours reminiscing. They talked of their dad, how he used to take them to the park and give them turns on the swings and the seesaw. And they remembered how he used to throw his head back when he laughed at something funny. How gentle he was with them, and how he used to tell them every night, when they were going to bed, that he loved them.

  They were deep in conversation when David suddenly cocked an ear and held up a hand to silence his sister. ‘I can hear voices. It must be Mam and Marg. I didn’t expect them back so soon – it’s only four o’clock.’

  Poppy jumped to her feet. ‘There’s an argument going on. I can hear Marg’s voice, and I’m sure she’s shouting at Florrie Lawson over the road.’

  David was first out of the front door, with Poppy close on his heels. ‘What’s going on, Mam?’ David took hold of his mother’s arm. ‘Don’t waste your time and energy on Mrs Lawson. She’s not worth it.’

  However, it wasn’t Eva who was shouting, it was Marg and Florrie Lawson swapping insults with each other.

  ‘You two been out on the town have yer?’ Florrie looked fearsome, standing with her feet apart, her huge arms crossed and resting on her enormous tummy. She was wearing an old-fashioned mob cap, and a wraparound pinny with a large safety pin keeping it fastened. And on her chubby face there was a look of satisfaction. For Florrie liked nothing better than a fight: it was more exciting than going to the pictures. It wasn’t often she got the chance to trap her neighbours into a confrontation, for they kept out of her way. The only one brave enough to take her on in a slanging match was Marg Boden.

  ‘What’s it got to do with you where we’ve been?’ Marg asked, putting her shopping bags on the pavement by her feet. ‘Get inside and mind yer own business, yer nosy cow.’

  David stepped in front of his mother and reached for Marg’s arm. ‘Come inside, Marg. She’s goading you on, looking for a fight. Don’t give her the satisfaction.’

  ‘I’ll give her more than satisfaction, lad. I’ll give her a black eye if she doesn’t shut her bleeding mouth.’

  ‘I’d like to see yer try,’ Florrie shouted across. ‘You and yer mate there come walking up the street in yer new coats and think yer own the place. Talk about mutton dressed as lamb isn’t in it. Yer look like a couple of tarts.’

  David tried once again to cool things down. ‘Mam, will you and Marg come in the house, please.’

  Eva shook her head. ‘I wouldn’t miss this for the world, son. It’s about time someone took on Florrie Lawson. I wouldn’t ’cos I’m a coward. But I’ll help Marg out if she gets stuck.’ Eva patted David’s cheek. ‘Don’t worry, lad, no one is going to come to any harm. Florrie’s all mouth. She trades insults with everyone from her path. It never comes to fisticuffs, only name-calling.’

  Marg was enjoying herself. In all the years she and Eva had lived in the street, they’d put up with the shenanigans of the woman opposite. They’d never really retaliated, only to tell her to shut up. Now she was going to get a taste of her own medicine. ‘Yer’ve set me thinking, Florrie. When yer said me and Eva were mutton dressed as lamb, I got to wondering what animals you reminded me of. And I’ve fitted you out perfectly. Yer’ve got the body of a rhinoceros, and the skin of an elephant. And if yer think I’m exaggerating, go inside and take a good look in the mirror. Stand well back, though, ’cos if the mirror cracks with fright, yer might end up getting bits of glass in yer face. And yer really can’t afford to look any uglier than you are, or yer’ll frighten the postman.’

  Florrie was blazing. She wasn’t going to let that go, or her status as a woman to be feared would be in jeopardy. She could see curtains twitching and realized half the street was listening, so her reputation was at stake. With a roar like a lion, she stepped down on to the path. ‘I’ll br
eak yer bleeding neck, talking to me like that. Come on, yer stupid cow, let’s see what ye’re made of. Yer’ll wonder what’s hit yer by the time I’m finished with yer.’

  ‘Oh, aye! You and whose army, yer daft cow?’ Marg shrugged off David’s restraining arm and started to cross the street towards her adversary. ‘Stay where yer are, Florrie. I don’t want yer to tire yerself out, so I’m coming to you.’

  Florrie was waving her arms, the fat swinging from side to side, as torrents of threats, complete with bad language, poured from her mouth. She was going to blacken both of Marg’s eyes, break her nose and knock out every tooth in her head. That was until she saw Marg hand her new coat to Eva, then roll up her sleeves as she neared Florrie’s gate. It was then the big woman realized she was dealing with someone who was more than a match for her. And she decided she couldn’t fight with her false teeth in, in case they got broken and she couldn’t afford a new set. To take the teeth out and put them in her pocket would make her a laughing stock. So she did the unthinkable. With a speed she’d never moved at before, she reached her gate before the enemy, and closed it quickly.

  ‘You coward,’ Marg said, when she stood outside the closed gate. ‘Come out here, and say to me face what yer’ve been calling me and me mate. Come on, look me in the eye and tell me again what yer said we looked like. A couple of tarts, I think that’s what yer said, but correct me if I’m wrong.’

  Behind many a curtain, women were waiting with bated breath. Was the street bully about to get her just deserts? There would be no tears shed for her if she did. There wasn’t a family in the street that hadn’t fallen victim to her vicious tongue. And they would be delighted to see her suffer the same humiliation she’d meted out to others.

  They weren’t to be disappointed, thanks to Marg Boden. For the determined expression on her face when she leaned over the gate and grabbed hold of the neck of Florrie’s pinny caused the big woman to quickly change her tactics. Common, blowsy, and a bully she may be, but a fool she wasn’t. ‘What the hell are yer doing? It was a joke! Can’t yer take a bleeding joke?’

  ‘You’re the biggest joke of the lot, Florrie Lawson, and I can’t stand yer! It’s about time someone brought yer down to size, and I’m just in the mood. If yer’ll open the gate, so I don’t have to climb over it, I’ll prove to yer exactly what size you are.’

  But Florrie hung on to the gate like grim death. ‘It’s coming to something when yer can’t even crack a joke without being attacked.’ She looked across to where the Meadows family were standing. ‘I’m surprised at you, Eva Meadows. Ye’re usually as quiet as a mouse. You and me have never had no trouble.’

  ‘Seeing as I’ve never had a conversation with you, Florrie, it would be difficult for us to have had any trouble. Half a dozen words we’ve exchanged over the years, and that has suited me fine. I don’t like anyone who has a loud mouth, and who thinks being a bully is clever. Hitler was a bully who thought he was clever, but look what happened to him. He lost the war.’ Eva picked up the shopping bags and handed them to David to take inside. ‘Put her down, Marg, and come in for a cup of tea. I’m spitting feathers and me feet are killing me.’

  ‘I’ll put her down gladly, queen, ’cos I can’t stand the woman. But I won’t come in yours for a cuppa. I’d better get home to my feller, or he’ll have a cob on.’ She released Florrie and dusted her hands as though to brush dirt off them. ‘I’ll come in for me shopping, then I’ll get off home. My feller is easy-going, but he does have a limit.’

  However, when Marg went into the Meadows house, and put her new coat back on for them to admire, she forgot about her husband. The deep mauve coat was military style, with gold buttons down the front, and two on each cuff. It fitted perfectly, and Marg, slim and elegant with hands on hips, paraded it like a professional model.

  ‘It’s lovely, Marg,’ Poppy said. ‘Did you get it from the same shop me and Mam went in?’

  ‘Yeah. It’s a little treasure is that shop. A coat like this for four pound, I couldn’t believe it.’ Marg chuckled. ‘Mind you, it cost five pound as far as my feller is concerned, so I don’t want any of yer to let the cat out of the bag.’

  ‘That’s a lousy trick, Marg,’ Eva said. ‘Yer sweet talk him out of the money, then lie about the price. I couldn’t do it if he was my husband.’

  ‘It won’t hurt his pocket, queen. He’s not short of a few bob. What he doesn’t know isn’t going to worry him.’

  ‘I won’t tell Ally, sweetheart,’ Eva said, ‘but if he asked, I wouldn’t tell a bare-faced lie. So don’t bring me into any discussion over the price of the coat.’

  Marg’s eyes rolled. ‘Ye’re too bleeding good to be true, you are, missus. Yer don’t drink, don’t smoke, and only swear once in a blue moon. It’s a wonder yer haven’t got a permanent headache with that ruddy halo on yer head all the time.’ She winked at Poppy. ‘How does it feel to have an angel for a mother, queen? Yer’ve got a lot to live up to, both you and David, if in later life yer want to hear people say, “Ah, they both take after their mother, she was an angel.”’

  David chortled. ‘Ay, Marg, don’t be putting years on us. We’ve got our lives ahead of us, me and Poppy. And when we’ve sown our wild oats, and settle down to old age, then we’ll start taking after our mam.’

  ‘Marg, will yer go home, sweetheart, to that fine man who is your husband?’ Eva started to gently push her neighbour towards the door. ‘I don’t want him to blame me for keeping you out so long, so don’t you tell him I’ve kept you talking.’

  David picked up the two bags, saying, ‘These are heavy. Have you had a spending spree?’

  ‘The big bag has me old coat in, that’s why it’s heavy. The other has some groceries, nothing exciting.’

  ‘I’ll carry them to your door,’ David said. ‘And if Ally tells you off for being out so long, I’ll stand like a man and take the blame.’

  When they were alone, Poppy reminded her mother, ‘Don’t forget Peter is calling for me, Mam. Can we get the tea over early and tidy around before he comes? I’m not a snob, but I’d like the place looking nice.’

  ‘It won’t take long to make our tea, sweetheart. I’ve brought some boiled ham for sandwiches, and a tin of pears for afters. And I gave the room a good going over this morning before you were up.’ Eva gave her daughter a hug. ‘He won’t be looking for faults, love. He’ll only have eyes for you.’

  ‘Ay, that’s the title of a song, Mam! Ooh, I can feel myself dancing to that tune, and the words are really romantic.’

  ‘Yes, I know, sweetheart. I’m not so old I don’t keep up with the latest songs. I know all the tunes and the words that go with them, ’cos the girls in work are singing all day.’ Eva chuckled. ‘I couldn’t grow old if I wanted to. I wouldn’t be allowed. But I wouldn’t have it any different, for life would be very dull if I couldn’t keep up with the times.’

  ‘Me and David will make sure you don’t ever grow old or lonely, Mam, don’t worry about that. We’ll both get married eventually, and then you’ll have grandchildren to keep you young. There’s a lot to look forward to, for the three of us.’

  ‘I know that, sweetheart. I couldn’t ask for more loving children than you and David. When yer dad died, I thought it was the end of the world. That’s how I felt. I was never going to be happy again, not ever. But I hadn’t reckoned on my children turning into kind, caring, loving adults.’ Eva didn’t mean to be emotional, but tears were very close when she said, ‘Your dad will be looking down on us now, and he’ll be happy that I’m not lonely, and that I’m surrounded by love.’

  Poppy brushed a hand across her eyes. ‘Don’t set me off crying, Mam. I don’t want to go to the dance with red eyes.’

  They didn’t hear David coming into the room, and looked guilty when he asked, ‘What are you two cooking up, huddled together like that?’

  ‘We’re not cooking anything, love, we’ve decided on an easy tea. How does this sound? Slices of lean boiled ham on thick
slices of homemade bread from Gregson’s bakery? And then pears and cream for afters? Unless yer prefer chips from the chippy?’

  David had felt the tension when he’d walked into the room, but was wise enough to let well alone. ‘I don’t want chips, Mam. I’ll settle for what you and Poppy feel like. I’m easy over food, you know that.’

  ‘It’s only just turned a quarter past five, so we’ve plenty of time to have our meal and tidy away before Peter comes,’ Poppy said. ‘And it doesn’t take long for me to get meself dolled up.’

  Eva was on her way to the kitchen when she had a thought. ‘David, what did Ally think of Marg’s new coat? Did he like it?’

  ‘Yeah, he seemed pleased with it. But you know what men are like, they don’t make a fuss the same as women. The girls liked it, though. They were taking turns trying it on when I left.’

  Eva raised her brows. ‘Did Ally ask how much Marg paid for it?’

  ‘I didn’t stay long, Mam, because I was expecting Ally to ask, and I’m a coward. Walk away from trouble, that’s my motto.’

  ‘That’s the best thing to do, sweetheart, then yer can’t lose any friends. Not that it makes any difference to Marg; she’s got loads of friends. She doesn’t keep anything back. If she thinks something, she’s right out with it whether yer like it or not. But she gets away with it, and she’s popular with friends and neighbours.’ Eva smiled. ‘Except for Florrie, across the road. Marg can’t stand her.’

  ‘I gathered that, Mam,’ David said with a chuckle. ‘When I saw her nearly choking the woman, I said to myself that she mustn’t like Mrs Lawson. And I made up my mind, right then, that I would never get on the wrong side of Marg.’

  ‘Her bark is worse than her bite, David,’ Poppy said. ‘You should know that by now. She got in a temper today because of what Mrs Lawson said about her and our mam. And it’s about time someone gave that terrible woman a taste of her own medicine. I bet all those watching Marg were cheering her on. She had the guts to do what everyone in the street would like to do. I wouldn’t ’cos one puff from Mrs Lawson would blow me over. Anyway, I’m going to get washed and changed now before tea. Then I won’t be in a mad rush later.’