MB07 - Three Little Words

by Joan Jonker

  ‘Nah, my backside’s tough. It wouldn’t worry about a little thing like a splinter. And anyway, if the chair was bad enough to do that, I’d give it a real hard time by swinging me legs back and forth. Chairs don’t like that.’

  Molly nodded. ‘Yeah, my chairs have complained to me about yer swinging yer legs. I promised I’d have a word with yer about it.’

  Gertie, Harriet and Alice were drinking in every word. Sally had told them that the couple were a good laugh, but they weren’t just a laugh, they were hilarious. Nellie’s bosom was resting on the table, and her tummy fitted in nicely underneath. That was unless she moved. Then her tummy pushed the table up, and her bosom pressed it down again. This was much better than going to the pictures any day. And it didn’t cost anything.

  ‘Sally’s coming in with the tea now, sunshine, so sit back and give her room on the table. And don’t be swinging yer legs, ye’re a big girl now.’ Molly stood up to take the tray off Sally. ‘My mate has changed her seat again, but as this is your house, yer have a right to tell her to move if you wish.’

  ‘No, I don’t care where I sit, queen.’ Sally began to pour the tea out. ‘Besides, as you are guests, we’ll indulge yer.’

  Nellie bent her head, her brow creased in concentration. Then, after a few seconds, she waved her hand in the air. ‘It’s no good, I have to ask or I won’t be able to sleep tonight. What did Sally say she’d do to us, girl, because we’re guests?’

  ‘She said she’d indulge us, sunshine.’

  ‘I heard what she said, soft girl, but what does it mean?’

  ‘Sally meant we would get special treatment because we’re guests.’

  Molly’s words had Nellie sitting up straight in the chair, shoulders back and bosom to attention. Proud as a peacock, she was. ‘Ah, that’s real nice of yer, Sally, but me and Molly won’t take vantage of yer.’

  Molly shook her head. ‘Advantage, sunshine! We won’t take advantage.’

  ‘Yeah, that’s what I said, girl.’

  Molly closed her eyes. ‘Don’t answer that, Molly,’ she said aloud. ‘Life will be much easier if yer pretend yer never heard.’

  ‘Ooh, it’s a bad sign that, girl,’ Nellie said, her lips pursed. ‘Talking to yerself is the first sign ye’re going doolally. But don’t let it worry yer, girl, ’cos I’ll always be here to look after yer. I’ll take yer to the shops and make sure no one diddles yer. And I’ll make sure yer get plenty of fresh air every day, even though yer won’t know where yer are, or how good I’m being to yer.’

  ‘Nellie, if I ever reach that state, God forbid, then there’s something yer should know. That you’re the cause of it.’

  Sally had placed a cup and saucer in front of each of the ladies, and now showed that she too had a sense of humour. ‘Before you two come to blows, can I say that this is me best tea set, real bone china. And it’ll be woe betide anyone who breaks anything. It only sees daylight on high days and holidays, so yer should all be honoured.’

  ‘I was going to say I’d never seen it before,’ Harriet said. ‘Not that I object to the mugs yer normally use, Sally, ’cos that’s all I use at home. I don’t have any bone china ones, sad to say.’

  Alice shrugged her shoulders. ‘Me neither! At one time, if I had a few coppers to spare, I’d take the tram down to T.J.’s and buy meself a china cup and saucer. And over the weeks I managed to get a set of three. I thought I was Lady Muck, but soon found it didn’t pay to show off. Instead of keeping them for best, I started using them every day, and within a week all the cups and one saucer were broken. My feller’s got hands as big as shovels and I must have been crazy giving him a small china cup to drink out of. Anyway, it taught me a lesson I’ll never forget. Never show off, ’cos it’s not worth it.’

  Sally took the empty tray out to the kitchen, and came back to sit at the table, next to Molly. ‘Time marches on, so shall we get down to business?’

  Nellie was very eager. ‘Good idea, girl. Time and tide wait for no man.’

  ‘Well, I’ve explained to me mates here what yer said about the bloke with the leaflets, and how yer think he’s not to be trusted. And they’re willing to go along with anything yer have in mind.’

  ‘I’d got some stuff ready for him,’ Gertie said, ‘’cos I have to say a few bob would come in handy. But I wasn’t keen on the man. There was something about him I couldn’t take to. He spoke proper posh and was dressed like a toff, but I got the feeling he was too good to be true. That’s why I said if I sold him anything, it had to be cash in hand.’

  ‘Me and Alice didn’t see him. We were at the shops when he came, and he’d put a leaflet through our doors,’ Harriet said. ‘So we haven’t a clue what he’s like to look at, or talk to. But when Sally told us she’d met you, and what yer’d said, we took a good look at the leaflet. And as she said, it seems fishy that he hasn’t put his name or address on it.’

  Molly leaned forward. ‘Look, we don’t want to stop yer from doing something yer want to do. He’ll buy whatever yer want to sell, but will he give yer what the item is really worth? We think he’s a crook, and he won’t be doing yer any favours. Yes, he speaks frightfully far back and dresses in only the best, but why would a wealthy man go round delivering leaflets? It doesn’t make sense. But as I’ve said, you must do what yer want to do.’

  ‘Have yer ever met him?’ Alice asked.

  ‘No, we haven’t met him. We’ve seen him several times, and we’ve heard him speak. We know exactly the patter he uses when he’s trying to talk someone into telling him unwanted pictures, glassware or ornaments. And we are quite sure that his clothes and lifestyle are paid for by the likes of yourselves.’

  ‘Sally said you could get them valued before he comes on Tuesday,’ Harriet said. ‘How would yer go about that?’

  Molly nodded her head to where Nellie sat. ‘My mate knows a way she might be able to do it. But before she tells yer, can I say that while she acts daft, she is far from it. We both act daft, come to that, and have done for twenty years, but we know a crook when we see one. And now Nellie will tell yer the rest while I drink me tea before it goes cold.’

  Once again Nellie sat up straight and squared her shoulders. Then she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. This was a drama queen, preparing herself for the big moment. There wasn’t a sound. It was like sitting in the theatre waiting for the curtain to roll back and the play to begin.

  When Nellie let out her breath, five people joined her and it sounded like a light breeze rustling the leaves on a tree. Then Nellie’s voice brought them down to earth. ‘I bet there isn’t a woman in this room who hasn’t, at some time in her life, been forced to pawn something to put food on yer table. Me and Molly had to do it when the kids were little, and we’re not ashamed to say so.’ She saw heads nodding knowingly, and went on. ‘Well, I believe the man behind the counter, in any pawn shop, would know the value of any item at first sight. They have to otherwise they’d be giving too much out. They couldn’t afford to do that, ’cos if they gave too much, the person would never be able to redeem what she’d pawned, and they’d lose all the interest. They rely on people like us, and they wouldn’t be too happy if they knew this bloke was knocking on doors and putting them out of business.’

  Gertie nodded. ‘Ye’re dead right, queen. I go along with every word what yer said, ’cos it stands to sense.’

  ‘It does make sense,’ Harriet agreed. ‘But I can’t see how yer can get them valued without having to pay. Pawnbrokers don’t do nothing for nothing.’

  ‘They’re not all skinflints,’ Molly said. ‘The one me and Nellie used to go to didn’t have a heart of stone. He wouldn’t do yer any favours, but he was fair. And he was friendly – always had a smile and a cheery word for us.’

  Sally spoke for the first time. ‘Well he would, wouldn’t he? For his smile and cheery word, he was taking money off yer. As Harriet said, pawnbrokers don’t do nothing for nothing.’

  ‘They might if they though
t their livelihood was in danger,’ Molly told them. ‘If leaflets are put through every door in this neighbourhood, then it could take a lot of business away from them. Anyway, we can only try! If it doesn’t come off, then that’s just too bad. But before parting with anything in my home, I’d want to know I wasn’t being taken for a ride.’

  All eyes turned to Nellie. ‘Would yer really have the nerve to go in a shop and ask the man behind the counter to value, say, a picture, for nothing?’ This was from Gertie. ‘Yer’ve got some guts if yer do.’

  ‘Of course I will! The worst that can happen is being chased out of the shop. And that wouldn’t worry me.’

  ‘Which pawn shop would yer try?’ Alice asked. ‘One near where you live?’

  Nellie shook her head. ‘The nearest one to here is in Scotland Road, and it’s the one me and Molly used to go to. We don’t live round here, but we used that shop ’cos no one would know us. The same man won’t be there because we’re talking about ten to fifteen years ago. But if there’s no joy there, I could try the one near Everton Valley. It’s not too far to walk to.’

  This situation had brought interest into their lives, and Harriet wanted to know the ins and outs. ‘How would yer go about it, Nellie? What would yer say to the man behind the counter?’

  ‘Ooh, I don’t know, girl. I’ll worry about that when I’m facing him. But I’d like all the leaflets yer’ve got, to prove I’m not having him on.’

  ‘There’s four of them on the draining board in the kitchen, queen,’ Sally told her, ‘with a picture belonging to Gertie, an ornament of Alice’s, and a crystal bowl of Harriet’s. All the items belonged to their parents, so they are really old. They’re in very good condition, and should be worth more than a few bob.’

  ‘To be honest,’ Gertie said, ‘I don’t think I’d sell the picture no matter how much I was offered. It belonged to me mam and she was so proud of it. I’d never be able to live with meself if I sold it for a few bob. Her memory is worth a lot more than that.’

  Harriet nodded. ‘Me and Alice feel the same. We were talking about it before we came here, and neither of us want to part with something that meant a lot to our parents.’

  Molly’s smile was understanding. ‘I know how yer feel. I’m lucky to still have me ma and da, and I could never bear to part with anything of theirs ’cos I love the bones of them.’

  Nellie thought of the picture on the wall in her living room. That had belonged to her ma, and even in the days when they were really skint, she had never once thought of selling it. She had pawned it, but it was never out of the house for more than a week. As soon as George handed his wage packet over, she was down to the shop to redeem it. ‘Don’t sell those things to anyone, then. Yer’d regret it as soon as yer’d spent the money yer got for it. And yer’d have to live with that for the rest of yer life.’

  ‘It’s not like you to be sentimental, sunshine,’ Molly said. ‘Yer always make out ye’re so tough. But I know different, ’cos I remember yer’ve still got that picture on the wall.’

  ‘All this aside,’ Nellie said, ‘we can still put a stop to some poor buggers being robbed. So are yer all willing to go along with it? I could take the things to the pawn shop now, and yer’d have them back in half an hour. I’ll tell yer what the bloke in the shop values them at, and yer can see what the queer fellow offers when he comes next Tuesday. If he offers yer more than the figure I’ll have given yer, then me and Molly are wrong. But I somehow don’t think we are.’

  It suddenly hit Molly that these people didn’t know her and Nellie from Adam, and may worry that once their goods were taken away they might never see them again. It was asking a great deal, expecting them to trust strangers. So she sought to relieve their worries. ‘I’ll go in the shop with Nellie for a bit of moral support, but there’s nothing to stop yer coming with us. Yer could always stand outside and wait for us. And it’s a nice day for a walk.’

  This brought a very favourable response. ‘That’s a very good idea. As yer say, it’s a nice day for a walk.’ This was from Gertie. ‘It’s better than sitting here wondering what’s going on.’

  Harriet and Alice nodded. ‘We’ll all go,’ said Alice. ‘We could help pick yer up if yer get thrown out.’

  Nellie’s bosom swelled. ‘It would need a very strong man to throw me out, girl, and a very foolish one. He’d be lying flat out on the pavement before he knew what hit him.’

  Sally jumped up, having made a decision. ‘I’m coming with yer, even though I never had any intention of even opening the door to the man. I’d kick meself if I didn’t go along and missed some excitement. I’ll leave the table as it is. It won’t take long to clear when I get back.’

  Nellie spread out her hands. ‘I need the picture and other things, girl. It’s no good going empty-handed. And they’ll have to be well wrapped up so they won’t come to any harm.’

  ‘There’s some newspapers under the cushion on the couch, Gertie. Will yer get them out for me? I keep them here, handy for when the fire wants lighting in the cold weather.’ Sally hurried out to the kitchen. ‘I’ll put them in me basket when they’re wrapped up. Oh, and I’ll put the leaflets in with them.’

  ‘Leave the leaflets on the top, girl,’ Nellie called to her. ‘I want to show them to him first to get him interested.’

  When Sally closed her front door, Molly took the basket from her. ‘I’ll carry this, sunshine.’ Not for the world would she say she didn’t trust Nellie with it. Her mate never walked in a straight line, and it was possible the basket would end up being banged against a wall. But there was no need for the other woman to know that. ‘It’s not heavy. I can manage it.’

  The ladies paired off, with Molly and Nellie leading. It would normally have been a brisk ten-minute walk to the shop, but with the weather being so warm the ladies took their time. Nellie talked non-stop, and there was much laughter. No one would have thought she was about to ask a pawnbroker something no one else would have dared to. But then Nellie never was afraid of anything, or anybody.

  ‘Right, here we are.’ Molly brought them to a halt a few yards from the pawn shop. She noticed it had been recently painted, and the three brass balls hanging above the door were highly polished. ‘The shop is looking a lot smarter than it used to, sunshine. Business must be good.’

  ‘Well, let’s go and get it over with, girl,’ Nellie said, her face bright as she looked forward with anticipation to the challenge ahead. ‘We might be fifteen or twenty minutes, ladies, it depends how easy he is to get on with.’ She smiled at the four new friends. ‘Not to worry, the worst he can do is show us the door.’

  ‘She’s got more guts than me,’ Gertie said, when the two mates had disappeared into the shop. ‘I couldn’t do that to save me life.’

  Harriet agreed. ‘Me neither. Anything for a quiet life, that’s me.’

  ‘I wish they lived in our street,’ Sally said. ‘It wouldn’t half liven the place up.’

  Alice asked, ‘D’yer think she’ll get away with it?’

  ‘I’ll lay odds that she will.’ Sally sounded very definite. ‘Nellie’s got a lot more on top than she lets on. My money’s on her.’

  Nellie walked straight to the counter, leaving Molly to close the door. The man behind the counter was of medium height and heavily built. He had grey hair, and looked to be in his late fifties. ‘Can I help you?’

  ‘We haven’t come to pawn nothing, we’ve come to tell you about something that might interest yer. It’ll certainly do yer business a lot of harm.’ Nellie put one of the leaflets on the counter. ‘Did yer know these are being put through every door in every street in the neighbourhood?’

  The man looked at her under bushy eyebrows before picking up the leaflet. Then he scanned the white piece of paper. ‘Where did you get this?’

  Nellie picked the other three leaflets out of the basket and put them in front of him. ‘There’s thousands of them floating around. The bloke’s been going down every street knocking o
n doors. If he gets an answer he tells the people he’ll pay good money for anything they sell to him, and he’ll be back on Tuesday. And he’s promising cash in hand for anything they have, as long as it’s in good condition.’

  Again the man peered under his bushy eyebrows. ‘Why are yer telling me this? It’s got nothing to do with me.’

  Nellie pulled a face as she snatched the leaflet out of his hand, and gathered the three off the counter. ‘Oh, well, I thought I was doing yer a good turn, but if yer don’t mind yer bleeding business going bust, it’s no skin off my nose.’ She turned her back on him. ‘Come on, Molly. Whatever happens is his own lookout.’

  ‘I thought there was something familiar about you both!’ The man’s voice rose. ‘It’s Mrs McDonough and Mrs Bennett, isn’t it?’

  Molly looked surprised. ‘It’s not Bob, surely?’

  The man nodded. ‘A much older Bob, as you can see.’ He shook his head. ‘I knew I’d seen you before, but I’d never have guessed if it wasn’t for hearing you being called Molly. Like meself, yer’ve both changed. Not as much as me, though, I must say.’ Now he was shaking his head. ‘Nellie Mac and Molly Bennett! Who’d have thought I’d see you again?’

  Nellie chuckled. ‘We didn’t think yer’d recognise us, seeing it’s so long ago. And I’m twice the size I was then. Molly hasn’t changed so much ’cos she doesn’t eat as many cream cakes as me.’

  ‘I wondered why you suddenly stopped coming in, then decided you must have left the area. Did you move house?’

  ‘We never did live round here, Bob,’ Molly told him. ‘We came here because we were snobs and didn’t want our neighbours to know we were pawning things. And because we always got a fair deal off yer.’

  Bob pointed to the leaflets in Nellie’s hand. ‘If you don’t live round here, why are you so interested in those?’

  ‘It’s a long story, Bob. If yer’ve got time to listen I could explain why we want to know about the bloke who’s flooding the area with the leaflets.’ When Bob nodded, Molly said, ‘I’ll just nip outside and tell our friends we’ll be a bit longer than we thought we’d be.’