by Joan Jonker
Ginny felt Helen squeeze her arm before she answered. ‘No, the woman I’m working with isn’t like that. She’s a bit starchy, real prim and proper.’
They reached the cloakroom and as Helen’s coat was at the far end, it was time to part company. ‘I’ll see yer tomorrow, Ginny, goodnight.’ She smiled at Pat. ‘See yer.’
‘You’re lucky making a friend so quick,’ Pat said. ‘She seems nice.’
‘Well, I don’t know her very well yet, but I hope we’ll be friends.’
They were both startled when Marie appeared before them like a whirlwind, grinning from ear to ear. ‘So we’ve found yer at last,’ she said to Pat. ‘We wondered where yer’d got to when we didn’t see yer here this morning, or at lunchtime.’
‘I saw you this morning, but I was with the junior off the next counter and we sat at the other end. And I didn’t come here for me lunch, I met me mam outside and she took me to the Kardomah for a cup of tea and a toasted tea-cake.’
Ginny raised her brows. ‘Aren’t you lucky! We had to make do with cheese butties.’
‘It’s not something that’ll be happening every day,’ Pat told them. ‘Today was a bit special ’cos it’s me mam’s birthday.’
‘Ooh, er!’ Marie did a little dance as she winked broadly at Ginny. ‘We’ll do that one day when we’re getting pocket money. See how the other half live, eh? Mingle with the rich and famous.’
‘I said the Kardomah, kid,’ Pat said, ‘not the ruddy Adelphi.’
Ginny lifted her coat to make sure her handbag was still hanging beneath it on the hook. They weren’t allowed to take bags or purses into the shop with them, or money of any description. She could understand why, but was afraid of leaving the few coppers tram fare in her purse in case it got stolen. She’d be in a fine pickle if it did, ’cos it would be a very long walk home. ‘Me and Marie get the twenty-two tram, how do you get home?’ she asked Pat.
‘I could get that with yer, but it would mean a bit of a walk. I live in Westminster Road so I’m better getting the right tram or bus, whichever comes first. I’ll see yer here in the morning, though, eh?’ With a wave of her hand Pat walked quickly away.
Marie struggled into her coat. ‘Yer seem a lot happier than yer did at dinnertime. How did yer get on with misery guts? Was she any more friendly with yer?’
From the time Helen Bleasedale had stood in front of her with a smile on her face, and Miss Sutherland had waved to her, Ginny had decided not to tell her family or friends about how her day had been spoilt by Miss Landers. They probably wouldn’t believe her anyway because it would be hard to find the right words to say how worthless she’d been made to feel. And she really did feel much better about the job now. She’d made a few friends, and she was happy in the knowledge that every lunchtime Miss Sutherland would be taking over the counter. It would be childish of her to let Miss Landers ruin her first day, or any other for that matter. ‘Oh, she’s not so bad. A bit grumpy and has no sense of humour, but I can put up with that. I’ve been allowed to tidy the counter – putting the buttons in the right boxes and making sure the ends of the ribbons aren’t loose, that sort of thing. And I’ve learned a lot of the prices which I’m very pleased about. I’ll be lying in bed tonight going over everything in me head.’
‘I’m going to ask me dad to set me some sums,’ Marie said. ‘If I do that every night until I’m good at it, then I can ask Miss Ormsby if she’ll consider giving me a job in the shop as an assistant. D’yer think she would?’
‘There’s no harm in asking, Marie. But yer want to get yer arithmetic up a bit before yer think about it.’
‘I’m going to try very hard, every night. And it’s not that I don’t like being in the stock room, ’cos the people there are brilliant. But I think I’d stand more chance of getting on if I was an assistant behind the counter. So I’m determined to buckle down and do what I should have been doing all the years I was at school.’
‘Is yer dad good with figures, then?’
Marie looked surprised. ‘He’s bound to be at his age, isn’t he?’
For the first time that day, a genuine chuckle left Ginny’s mouth. ‘It’s to be hoped so! But if he’s not and doesn’t like to say so, he could be ticking yer sums when he should be putting a cross by them. Yer’d better get yer mother to double check.’
Marie’s smile was wide. ‘Yeah, I’ll do that. And just to be on the safe side, I’ll ask the woman next door.’
The two girls were laughing when it was time to go their separate ways. ‘I’ll see yer here in the morning,’ Ginny said.
‘Yeah, and we won’t be so scared ’cos we’ll know what’s coming.’ They’d walked a few steps when Marie turned and called, ‘Don’t be surprised if I bring me homework with me for you to check. Yer were always top of the class, so yer’ve probably got more brains than me dad, me mam, and the woman next door put together.’
Ginny waved. ‘You do that, Marie, ’cos I wouldn’t mind. I could do it on the tram if yer’d keep yer mouth closed long enough for me to concentrate.’
Her friend’s smile was wide as she did a little jiggle with her shoulders and bottom. ‘I’ll be as quiet as a mouse. And I’ll even tell the conductor to keep his voice down when he’s collecting the fares.’
There was a spring in Ginny’s step as she walked down her street. Her friends more than compensated for the dreadful Miss Landers, and she wasn’t going to allow the woman to spoil her life for her. She’d put up with the sneers and the sarcasm, she wouldn’t let them get to her.
‘Do I get me pocket money on Saturday, then?’ Joey asked, his eyes eager. ‘Yer did promise me, and I have helped me mam today.’
‘I don’t get any wages this week, Joey, I have to work a week in hand.’ Ginny stood her knife up straight while looking across the table at her brother. ‘It’s me mam yer should feel sorry for, ’cos she’s got to give me the money for me tram fares.’
‘We’ll manage for one week, sunshine, it just means cutting down a bit.’ Beth leaned her elbows on the table. ‘I’m glad yer enjoyed yer first day at work, it’s a load off me mind. And I’m glad yer made friends so quickly.’
Ginny had only mentioned Miss Landers’ name once. Instead of dwelling on her she described all the items they sold on the counter, how she was to learn all the prices, and the tea breaks in the canteen where they didn’t have to pay for the tea. Then there were the nice things that had happened and the friends she’d made. And she had them laughing over Pat and the tin of elbow grease. ‘That Marie Whittaker is a scream. She’s never got a smile off her face and some of the things she comes out with are hilarious. She repeats everything her mam says – like girls who wear a lot of make-up look like clowns, and are as common as muck.’ Ginny pursed her lips and nodded her head, just as she’d seen Marie do. ‘This is what she looked like when she was telling me what her mam said. “Good time girls they are, up to no good. And if I ever see yer looking like a painted doll I’ll put yer across me knee and take me slipper to yer. And I’ll disown yer into the bargain.” ’
‘She sounds a nice girl, this Marie,’ Beth said. ‘Yer’ll have to ask her round one night.’
Andy put his knife and fork down neatly on the empty plate. ‘Yer haven’t said very much about the woman yer work with. The one that’s over yer.’
‘There’s not much to say about her, Dad. She’s very old-fashioned and seldom smiles, except when she’s serving a customer. Even then the smile looks stiff, as though it’s forced. I suppose she must be a good worker ’cos she’s been there for years, but I can’t honestly say I like her. I’ll work with her, but she’s not the type yer could have a good laugh with or make a friend of. But it won’t worry me, I’ve made four good friends and I’m very pleased with me little self.’
Beth jumped to her feet when a knock came on the door. ‘Oh, my God, who can this be? Just look at the state of the place, we haven’t even cleared the table.’
‘It’s Joan Flynn,’ Joe
y said. ‘I’ve just seen her passing the window.’
‘Blimey, they got their dinner over quick.’ Beth moved fast, stacking the plates. ‘You open the door, Ginny, she probably wants to tell yer how she got on at work, and find out how you fared.’
And Beth was right. Joan was no sooner in the door than she asked, ‘How did yer get on, Ginny? D’yer like it?’
Ginny grinned. She’d never thought of it before, but Joan was very like Marie in her mannerisms: the way they held their heads, arms folded across their tummies, and the words pouring from their mouths as though they couldn’t get out quick enough. ‘I got on smashing, and I love it. What about you?’
‘Not very impressed, kid, not very impressed. The job wouldn’t be so bad but the smell of flipping rubber is everywhere. It gets up yer nose and stays there. And it sticks to yer clothes.’
Beth came through from the kitchen where she’d plonked the plates on the draining board so she could hurry back and not miss anything. ‘Yer wear an overall, don’t yer, sunshine? That should keep the smell off yer clothes.’
‘It doesn’t, yer know, Auntie Beth. It’s still on me clothes and in me hair.’ Then the humour she’d inherited from her mother came to the surface. ‘Me mam said I’ll never get a feller ’cos they wouldn’t come within a mile of me.’
‘Yer dad and David have worked there for years, lass,’ Andy said, ‘and it doesn’t seem to have done them any harm.’
‘Ah, yeah, I thought of that meself, but me mam helped me solve the mystery.’ At that moment, Beth thought Joan looked the spitting image of Dot. ‘Yer see, I didn’t know it, but me mam’s just told me she’s got no sense of smell. And as for David, well, he’s sixteen and he’s never had a girlfriend.’ The girl nodded as though the facts that she’d just given proved the point she was making. ‘So me dad said the only way out of it for me was either to find another job, or look for a boyfriend what hasn’t got no sense of smell.’
There was much laughter as Joan pulled out a chair and made herself comfortable. ‘Tell me about your day, Ginny. But if yer’ve been put on a counter selling fancy perfumes, then I’d better warn yer not to tell me ’cos I wouldn’t be able to stop meself from clocking yer one.’
‘No, nothing so swanky. I’ve been put on haberdashery, with the pins and needles, buttons, ribbons and cottons. It’s a nice counter and I’m quite happy with it, although I’ve got to admit that another girl who started with me and Marie this morning was put on cosmetics and I was dead jealous.’
‘Can I ask yer to shift yer arms while I take this cloth off?’ Beth took the four corners in her fingers and carried the cloth out to shake in the yard. ‘Start putting the chenille cloth back on, Ginny, in case we have more visitors. I don’t want to be caught napping twice in one night.’
And Beth was thanking her lucky stars she’d just made it when the knocker sounded. ‘I’ll go, Mam,’ Ginny said. ‘It’s probably one of the neighbours.’ But when she opened the door to Bobby and Amelia Bailey, Ginny was wishing she’d combed her hair. She just knew it looked a mess. ‘Come on in.’
There was no greeting from Bobby, who looked as though he would burst if he didn’t get his news off his chest. He went straight to Andy. ‘I did as yer said, Mr Porter. I got a card from the Labour Exchange this morning and went down to George Parr’s. And guess what? I got a job!’
Andy and the others in the room acted just the way Bobby was hoping they would. ‘I don’t believe it! Yer got a job, just like that?’
‘I was dead lucky, Mr Porter. The man who owns the business doesn’t live in Liverpool. There’s a foreman runs the building side of it, and a manager in the shop. Anyway, I managed to see the foreman and I gave him the reference I had from me last employer. After reading it, Mr Sellers asked me a few questions about the trade, then he took me to a part of the shop where there was a wash basin. He said, “There’s a leak in that tap, show me how yer’d put a washer on.” I was surprised ’cos there’s not many people who can’t put a washer on. Still, I wasn’t going to argue, and I did as I was told. Then when I was finished he took me through to his office and explained they already had an apprentice but he was hopeless at the job, and stayed off sick at least one day in every week. He’d actually stayed off today, which was in my favour. Anyway, they’d already decided to give him a week’s notice and were going to look for another apprentice.’
Bobby had calmed down a bit now he’d got the most important bit off his chest. And he was able to smile when he said, ‘Mr Sellers said my reference was one of the best he’d ever seen, and based on that he would like to offer me the job and could I start tomorrow!’
Four voices chorused, ‘Tomorrow!’
‘I know, I couldn’t believe it meself. I felt like pinching me arm to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. But, as Mr Sellers explained, their gas fitter had been mucked around with the other boy being so lazy and taking so much time off. And he really needed, and deserved, a decent apprentice to help him because he had a lot of work on.’
‘Oh, I’m made up for yer, sunshine, I really am,’ Beth said. ‘I bet yer mam and grandma are proud of yer?’
‘They both burst into tears when I told them.’ Bobby jerked his head as if to say that women weren’t half soft. ‘But I’m really made up that I’ll soon be bringing a few bob in. And Mr Sellers said there’d be a couple of hours’ overtime every week. That would be a big help ’cos the flat wage isn’t very much.’ He held Andy’s eye. ‘I’ve got you to thank for it, Mr Porter. I didn’t even know George Parr’s existed until you told me.’
‘I’m glad I told yer then. I didn’t think yer’d get a job to start right away, mind, but I’m highly delighted for yer. It’ll be a big help to yer mam.’
‘And I won’t be the only one bringing in a few bob next week.’ Bobby turned to where his sister was sitting next to Ginny. ‘Our Amelia will be bringing in nearly as much as me.’
‘Oh, of course,’ Beth said, ‘I’d forgotten you were starting work at Hartley’s today. How did yer get on, sunshine?’
Attention was now on the shy girl who blushed. ‘I’m only on washing jam jars, so the pay is just five bob a week. But I saw the supervisor and explained about me dad, and how I needed a job that paid a bit more, and she’s promised to see personnel tomorrow and ask if it’s possible to move me to another department. It might only be an extra shilling or eighteen pence a week, but it all helps.’
What caring children they are, Beth thought. Their dad must have been very proud of them. And if he was looking down from heaven now, he’d be proud that they were trying their best to help their mam. Swallowing the lump that was beginning to form in her throat, she said, ‘It’s been quite a day all round for the young ones. Four of yer get sorted with jobs in the one day. That’s pretty good going.’
‘I think I’ve grown a couple of inches since this morning,’ Bobby said. ‘And if I sound big-headed, well, that’s because I feel it right now.’
‘I bet yer grandma was pleased with yer,’ Ginny said. ‘And when ye’re going home, I’ll go with yer to tell her all about my job.’
‘Oh, ye’re not leaving me out,’ said Joan, looking very determined. ‘I’ll come with yer as well. But I’d like yer all to come and let me mam and dad know what’s going on as well. Yer know how me mam hates to miss anything, she’d give me the rounds of the kitchen if I kept all this away from her.’ She looked from Amelia to Bobby. ‘I don’t suppose either of yer was born with no sense of smell, were yer?’ When they looked bewildered and shook their heads, she tutted. ‘No, I thought it was too much to ask for. Still, if the smell gets too much for yer, just give me the wire and I’ll get a couple of me mam’s pegs to put on yer nose.’
‘Listen, sunshine, I’ve been going in and out of your house for years,’ Beth said, ‘and not once smelled rubber. It’s you, ye’re imagining things. When yer’ve been working there for a week or so, yer won’t even notice it.’
‘Does that mean I’ll be able t
o get meself a feller?’ Joan opened her eyes and mouth wide, and held up her hands in a dramatic pose. ‘Oh, I’ll be saved from being an old maid, living alone with only a cat for company.’
‘It doesn’t necessarily follow that because yer don’t smell of rubber yer’ll get yerself a boyfriend, soft girl.’ Ginny shook her head. ‘I’d feel sorry for any boy who was caught in your trap, ’cos even if yer smelt like a rose, it wouldn’t stop yer from being as soft as a flipping brush.’
‘Listen, if you don’t tell them, they won’t know. So if ye’re a true friend, yer’ll keep yer mouth shut and only you and me will know I’m two sheets to the wind. And now that’s been sorted out to our mutual satisfaction, are yer all in favour of going to see me mam before we pay Mrs Bailey a visit?’
‘I’ll come next door with yer,’ Beth said. ‘It’ll pass an hour away for me, and you can read the Echo in peace, sunshine.’
‘Oh, so now ye’re saying that ye’re going out for my sake?’ There was a chuckle in Andy’s voice. ‘Ye’re not going to have a good old jangle with Dot, ye’re going so I can read me paper in peace and quietness?’
‘Yeah, something like that, love. But if yer’d rather I stayed in, then yer only have to say so, ’cos your word is my command.’
‘Don’t say nothing, Dad,’ Joey piped up. ‘While ye’re reading yer paper in peace and quiet, I can read me comic without going over the same line half-a-dozen times.’
‘Come on then, kids,’ Beth said. ‘We know when we’re not wanted. Just make sure that kettle’s on the boil at nine o’clock.’
It was noisy in the Flynns’ house for the next half-an-hour as each of the youngsters gave their account of the day’s happenings. Joan thought it only right, seeing as it was her house, that she should be allowed to shout louder than the others, but her brother soon cut her down to size when he couldn’t hear what Bobby was saying to him. ‘I don’t know why yer don’t get a job on the market, our kid, with the voice yer’ve got,’ David said. ‘I bet yer could outdo a ruddy foghorn.’