Stay as Sweet as You Are

by Joan Jonker

  ‘I wouldn’t know, she never mentioned it to me. But when I see her I’ll ask and let yer know.’ Titch turned his attention to Steve. ‘I believe you do odd jobs, son?’

  ‘Yeah, when I get the chance.’

  ‘Have yer ever painted anything? I don’t mean a picture, or a house. I’m thinking of whitewashing a wall.’

  ‘Yeah, I’ve done a couple of walls, and an outhouse. It’s easy work, that.’

  ‘Me ma wants her yard wall doing, and she asked a bloke how much he’d charge. He said it would be four bob, including the whitewash. If yer feel like having a go, the money would be better in your pocket than his.’

  ‘I’ll say it would!’ Steve was beaming. Four bob would keep him and his mam in food for nearly a week. ‘When does Mrs Aggie want it doing?’

  ‘Hadn’t yer better look at the job first, see what ye’re letting yerself in for?’ Titch dropped his head back and roared with laughter. ‘Me ma’s terrible fussy to work for. Spill a drop of paint on her yard and she’ll have yer guts for garters.’

  It was so long since the house had heard the voice and laughter of a man, Olive and her son savoured the sound before allowing their faces to break into a smile. ‘Will yer ma stand over me with a broom in her hand?’ Steve asked. ‘Or will it be the poker?’

  ‘That all depends, son, on the mood she’s in. If her corns are giving her gyp, she’ll likely as not have both broom and poker. And every twinge she gets, she’ll lash out at yer. But ye’re lucky, ’cos her eyesight’s not what it used to be and I guarantee she’ll miss yer more often than she hits yer.’

  ‘I’m good at ducking and running, Mr McBride, so unless Mrs Aggie’s nifty on her feet I should be safe.’ Steve was thinking that for four bob he’d work for a maniac, never mind Mrs Aggie, who was liked by everyone. ‘But what about the bloke she’s asked? Won’t he be expecting to get the job?’

  Titch was safe in saying what he was going to say because there was no such bloke. And he’d have a lot of explaining to do to his ma, as well. ‘No, there was nothing definite arranged so he won’t know the difference. Anyway, come up and see the yard for yerself. I’ve got another week at home, so if yer decide yer want to do the job, I can get the whitewash for yer on Monday. I need to make a call on someone now, so will yer give me fifteen minutes and then follow up?’

  The pleasure on Steve’s face was a joy to behold, and wasn’t lost on his mother. ‘Thanks, Titch, yer’ve made him a happy lad. And d’yer know why he’s happy? Because he’ll have a few bob to give me. He won’t keep a ha’penny for himself no matter what I say. There’s not many mothers can say that about their sons.’

  Titch chuckled. ‘Me ma would argue with yer on that, Olive. She’s always saying that I’m a gift from God.’

  ‘Your ma always doted on yer. Spoilt yer soft, she did.’

  ‘Well, yer must admit, I’m a very lovable bloke. Yer don’t get many like me in a pound.’ Titch got to his feet. ‘I’ll see Irene tonight and have a word with her. I think the pub job might be too much for you, but we’ll see. I’ll give yer a knock tomorrow and let yer know. And I want to see yer off that couch, Olive, even if yer’ve got to wear a curtain to hide yer modesty. I’ve got a kink in me flippin’ neck looking down at yer.’

  There was a trace of colour in Olive’s thin face now, as she said, ‘Still the same old Titch. Yer haven’t changed a bit, have yer?’

  ‘Now who would want to change perfection, Olive?’ Titch grinned as he picked up one of her hands and held it in his. All he could feel was skin and bones, and this saddened him. But not for the world would he let this once proud woman see how her appearance had affected him. ‘I’m glad I came, it’s been great seeing yer. There’s no friends like old friends, eh?’

  Olive’s eyes were shining with unshed tears. ‘I’m glad yer came, Titch, yer’ve bucked me up. And I’m glad yer were cheeky enough to barge in after being told I didn’t want to see no one.’ She gave his hand a squeeze. ‘Yer didn’t give me time to hide behind the door.’

  ‘Now I’m up to yer little tricks, I’ll come the back way in future.’ He laid her hand down on her lap. ‘I’d better skedaddle, but I’ll see yer tomorrow. And you, Steve, I’ll see in fifteen minutes.’

  The boy followed him to the front door. ‘Thanks, Mr McBride. Not just for the job, which I’m grateful for, but for cheering me mam up. She looks better than she has for ages.’

  ‘Don’t thank me, Steve, because I feel like a heel for not coming to see her before now. But we’ll talk about yer mam, later, eh? Right now I’ve got to be on me way. Ta-ra for now.’

  Chapter Nine

  Titch covered the ground quickly. He could do with more than fifteen minutes to talk his mother round. She’d lay a duck egg when she knew what he’d done. Still, it was all in a good cause so he’d just have to try and out-talk her. A grin covered his face as he told himself it would take some doing to out-talk his mother. She said herself she’d been born with the gift of the gab. To which she’d added, with a smile, that she’d passed the gift on to him.

  He let himself in and, as he was taking the key out of the lock, he called, ‘It’s only me, Ma! Yer don’t need to put yer false teeth in or take yer knickers off the fireguard.’

  ‘Well, I know it’s not the bleedin’ coalman, yer silly bugger.’ Aggie was sitting watching the door when he came in. ‘Well, how did yer get on? Was Olive pleased to see yer, or did she die of shock?’

  ‘I’ll tell yer that in a minute, Ma, but tell me this first. Didn’t yer once say that yer’d like the backyard wall whitewashing?’

  ‘Yer what? I’ve never said I wanted no backyard wall whitewashing!’

  ‘Yes yer did, Ma, I distinctly remember. Some time last year it was.’

  ‘Ye’re imagining things, son, ’cos it’s never entered me head. I don’t want me wall whitewashed, and as it’s my wall, I should know.’

  ‘Yer only THINK yer don’t want it doing, Ma. But deep down yer one ambition in life is to see yer wall whitewashed.’

  ‘D’yer know, son, I often wonder about you. An hour ago yer went out of here to go and visit Olive, who yer haven’t seen for years. But yer come back, not with news of her, but with some notion about the state of me backyard! Am I missing something, or have yer lost the run of yer senses?’

  ‘There’s nowt wrong with me mind, Mam, yer can rest assured. I just thought it would be nice to look out of the window and see it all nice and white. Those brown bricks are enough to give anyone the willies.’

  ‘Okay, son, spit it out. What have yer been up to?’

  Titch grinned. ‘I’ll tell yer, Ma, if yer promise me yer’ll stay in that chair and not reach for the poker.’

  Aggie was having trouble keeping a smile off her face. ‘Okay, I’ll hear yer out. But I’m not making no promises about the bleedin’ poker until I know what yer’ve let me in for. I can’t be up to you, I don’t know what ye’re going to do next.’

  Titch glanced at the clock. Time was running out and he’d better make it snappy. So with the words tumbling from his mouth, he told the whole story in as few words as possible. But they were enough to have Aggie hanging on to every one of them. When he’d finished, he asked, ‘Shall I pass yer the poker, Ma?’

  Aggie looked shocked and was shaking her head. ‘Is it as bad as that, son?’

  ‘It’s worse. There’s not a pick on Olive, she’s as thin as a rake. If she doesn’t get off that couch soon, and get some decent food down her, she’ll just fade away. Some fresh air would do her good, too. And the house is bare, not a bit like the bright home it used to be. It’s my belief that Olive has got herself in a rut and hasn’t got the energy or the inclination to pull herself out of it. But it’s not fair on the boy, he worries himself to death about her. Something needs to be done there, and quick.’

  Aggie’s sigh was deep. ‘Are yer going to see Irene? If anyone can do anything, it’s her. And I’ll do me bit, too. That’s if Olive will let us help,
of course. I wouldn’t want to stick me nose in where it wasn’t wanted.’

  ‘I’ll go and see Irene when we’ve had our tea. But Steve will be here any minute, so it’s make-yer-mind-up time, Ma. D’yer want yer yard wall whitewashed or not?’

  ‘It’s like yer said, son, I didn’t think I did, but yer’ve shown me the error of me ways. As long as you’re forking out, ’cos I couldn’t afford it.’

  There was a loud ran-tan on the knocker and Titch jumped to his feet. ‘This will be Steve. Don’t mention anything I’ve told yer, Ma, just let’s play it by ear.’

  ‘I’m not thick, Titch McBride,’ Aggie said as he left the room. ‘You go and teach yer grandmother how to milk ducks.’

  There was a smile on Titch’s face when he opened the door. ‘Come in, lad, me ma’s waiting to see yer.’ In a loud whisper, he added, ‘Just humour her. She’s getting on in years so yer have to make excuses for her.’

  ‘Ay, I heard that, buggerlugs,’ Aggie said. ‘I may be getting on, but I can still run bleedin’ circles around you.’ The smile she bestowed on Steve was warm and friendly. ‘It’s nice to see yer, lad. Take a pew and make yerself at home.’

  ‘Is it true yer want yer yard walls whitewashing, Mrs Aggie?’ Steve couldn’t bear the suspense any longer. The last fifteen minutes had seemed like an eternity. Getting this job meant so much to him and he was afraid of having his hopes dashed. ‘Mr McBride said that yer did.’

  ‘Don’t be so formal, lad,’ Aggie said with a smile. ‘All the youngsters call him Mr Titch, so why don’t yer do the same? Sounds more friendly, like.’ She sat back, set her rocking chair in motion and tried to keep her eyes on the lad’s face, not on the rags that were almost falling off his back. ‘I’ve always wanted me yard doing, but never seemed to get down to it.’ She gave a broad wink. ‘That’s because I’m getting on in years, yer see, lad.’

  ‘I’ll do it good for yer, Mrs Aggie. I won’t spill no paint or anything, and I’ll clean up after meself.’ The flicker that Steve had felt the minute he stepped in the room and saw Aggie’s smile had grown into a warm glow coursing through his whole body. These two people weren’t put off by his appearance – in fact, they seemed not to have noticed. I bet they wouldn’t treat me any different if I was dressed like a toff, he thought. And this made him daring enough to say, ‘So yer won’t need to stand over me with the broom and poker when yer corns are giving yer gyp, will yer?’

  Aggie forgot it was wise to alert her false teeth before she laughed, and she just caught them before they parted company from her gums. Beating the chair-arm with a curled fist, she shook with laughter. ‘I can see me son’s been telling yer tales, eh? Well, lad, you and me are going to get along just fine. And don’t you worry none about me corns, they only bother me every blue moon.’

  Steve’s face was eager. ‘When can I start?’

  ‘As soon as yer like, lad. But don’t you come knocking on the door at six o’clock in the morning ’cos then I might take the broom to yer.’

  ‘Would nine o’clock be all right?’

  ‘Ay, hang on a minute.’ Titch knew these two were going to get along like a house on fire and was delighted. ‘We haven’t got the blinkin’ whitewash yet.’

  ‘The shops open at nine, son,’ Aggie told him, knowing it would spoil his lie-in. But the lad was really eager to start. The poor bugger was probably thinking about the money. He could do with spending it on himself, but from what Titch had said, he would turn every penny over to his mam. ‘Yer could be waiting outside when they open up.’

  ‘I would go for yer, Mr Titch, save yer getting up early, but I don’t have any money.’

  ‘We’ll go together,’ Titch said. ‘I’ll do without me lie-in for once.’ He explained that they had a brush and a tin for mixing the whitewash in. ‘So give me a knock before nine and we’ll have yer hard at work by half-past.’

  Now everything was arranged, Steve thought he should leave. He was rising from the chair when Aggie said, ‘I believe yer mam’s not too well, lad?’

  ‘No, she’s been sick for a long time. But she seemed better when I left the house and I think it was Mr Titch calling that bucked her up.’

  ‘Yeah, he’s good at bucking people up, is my son. He’s good at a lot of things, like springing surprises on yer when ye’re least expecting them. And he’s a bugger for playing tricks that no one thinks are funny but himself.’ Aggie could see the lad was far more relaxed than he had been and she was pleased. So she told him the tale about Titch hiding her purse on her. ‘He watched me searching high and low and didn’t say a dickie-bird. The club woman was banging hell out of the door and I was nearly having a heart attack. Then the bold laddo passes it over as cool as yer like. He thought it was hilarious and couldn’t understand why I was hitting him over the head with the poker.’

  Steve roared with laughter. ‘Ooh, I’d love to have seen it.’

  ‘Yer wouldn’t have liked it,’ Titch told him, his face deadpan. ‘There was blood everywhere. I had to be carted to hospital and they put a hundred stitches in me head. The doctor said I was lucky to be alive.’

  Aggie’s whole body was shaking. ‘That’s why he’s not quite with us in the head. So while ye’re keeping an eye on me, lad, to make sure I haven’t got a weapon in me hand, keep the other one on the queer feller here. Yer never can tell when he’s going to have a funny turn.’

  Not to be outdone, Titch said, ‘She’s right, yer know. Our captain was sick once, and he asked me to steer the ship. We only ended up in China when we were supposed to be going to India. And d’yer know what? The miserable so-and-so has never let me steer the ship since. The trouble is, he’s got no sense of humour.’

  ‘Wait until I tell me mam all these things,’ Steve said. ‘She won’t half have a good laugh.’

  ‘Yeah, you tell her, lad.’ Aggie was wiping her eyes on the corner of her pinny. ‘And while ye’re at it, ask her if I can call one day to have a natter with her.’

  The smile dropped from Steve’s face. ‘Me mam doesn’t like visitors, Mrs Aggie, ’cos our house is like a dump and she doesn’t like anyone to see it.’

  ‘Listen to me, lad, and tell yer mam what I said. People see what they want to see, and in my case I want to see an old friend. If she was living in the workhouse, I’d still like to visit her. Tell her she should know better than to think her old mates are snobs. We’ve all hit rock bottom some time in our lives, but we’ve managed to claw our way up. And you and yer mam will, too, lad, take my word for it.’

  ‘We’ll be a bit better off when I leave school.’ Steve felt some of the weight being lifted from his shoulders. It was good to have someone to talk to. ‘I know I won’t earn much, but I’ll still help out at the corner shop, and do any odd jobs I can to bring in a few coppers. I’m not frightened of work, Mrs Aggie.’

  ‘I know ye’re not, sweetheart,’ Aggie gave him a smile, ‘even when there’s an old biddy standing behind yer with a poker in her hand.’

  ‘I can’t wait.’ Steve was eager to be away, to tell his mam the good news. And to brighten her up with the tales he’d heard. ‘I’ll see yer in the morning, then.’

  Aggie eyed him up and down. ‘Ye’re a big lad for yer age, aren’t yer? I’d say yer were only a few inches shorter than Titch.’

  Steve drew himself up to his full height. ‘Me mam said me dad was very tall and I take after him.’

  ‘Yeah, yer dad was tall all right, and good-looking. If yer take after him yer won’t go far wrong.’ Titch made a move towards the door. ‘I’ll see yer at nine in the morning, Steve. And tell yer mam I’ll be calling, but not that early.’

  When he came back after seeing the lad out, Aggie was in the kitchen. ‘I’m putting the spuds on, then I’m going upstairs to sort yer clothes out.’

  Titch leaned against the door jamb. ‘What d’yer mean, sort me clothes out? Everything in the drawers and wardrobe are all neat and tidy.’

  ‘There’s clothes there yer haven�
�t had on yer back for years, and probably never will. Rather than let the moths get at them, they may as well go where they’ll do some good. And that’s on the back of the boy who’s just walked out of this house. The poor bugger, me heart went out to him.’

  ‘Be careful Ma, ’cos yer could embarrass him. And Olive might not take too kindly to it, either. If she thinks ye’re doing it out of pity, she could shut the door on us for good. And I wouldn’t want that.’

  ‘Me neither, son.’ Aggie put the pan of potatoes on the stove and struck a match under them. Then talking to herself, she asked, ‘Now have I salted them or not? Better put a bit more in, just in case.’ The salt in the water, the lid on the pan, she turned to Titch. ‘So ye’re going to have to be very diplomatic, aren’t yer, son?’

  ‘What d’yer mean?’

  ‘When yer ask Olive if she would mind yer giving Steve some of yer clothes. If yer use the right words, I’m sure she won’t take umbrage.’ Aggie bit on her bottom lip to keep a smile back. ‘And if anyone knows the right bleedin’ words, it’s you. Look what yer’ve achieved today! The last thing on me mind was having me yard wall whitewashed, but tomorrow morning there’ll be a lad out there whistling his head off as he slaps the stuff on in good style. All because I couldn’t resist yer smooth tongue and yer charm.’

  Titch chuckled as he held his arms wide. ‘Come here and give us a kiss.’ He held her close and whispered in her ear, ‘I love the bones of yer, Ma, and it’s not me smooth tongue or me charm talking, either.’

  ‘Away with yer,’ Aggie said, loving every minute of it. ‘Keep yer eye on the spuds, and lower the light when they come to the boil. Then come up and make sure I’m not giving something away that yer want to keep.’

  Titch looked at the lone pan on the stove. ‘What are we having with them?’

  ‘I was going to say fresh air, but we haven’t got time for jokes. We’re having bacon, sausage and egg. And I’m going to mash the potatoes with butter. How does that sound?’