by Joan Jonker
Frances Landers didn’t even exchange a greeting with her, just turned her back on the woman taking over from her and stormed away. Dorothy grinned at Ginny. ‘Was that smoke I saw coming from her nostrils? She looks as though she’s ready to do battle.’
Ginny was about to say she’d already been the butt of her senior’s bad temper when she saw the customer who had stuck up for her earlier coming towards the counter. ‘Hello, dear, I see that dreadful woman isn’t here. Has she been given her marching orders?’
‘She’s gone to her dinner,’ Ginny told her, blushing. ‘This is Miss Sutherland, she takes over every day, just for the dinner break.’
Dorothy had been listening with interest. ‘What’s all this? Who is this terrible woman you’re talking about?’
‘The assistant who was serving behind the counter this morning. I work across the street in Henderson’s, and I nipped out in my morning break to buy some ribbon and other bits and pieces. We sell everything in our store but they’re more expensive than here. So, although my bosses wouldn’t like to hear me say it, I do shop here quite often.’
Dorothy nodded. ‘I know, I’ve seen you. But what happened this morning, weren’t you satisfied with the service you received?’
‘Oh, I’ve been served many times by that assistant, and although I can’t complain about the service, I’ve always felt a smile from her wouldn’t go amiss. It would certainly attract more customers. No, what horrified me this morning was the way this young lady was spoken to. She was humiliated in front of me, and I find that totally unacceptable. I was very angry and made my views known to the person in question. I wondered afterwards whether this young lady would suffer because of me, and that’s why I’m here now, in my lunch break.’
Ginny’s lip quivered. Someone being nice to her made her want to cry. ‘I’m all right, thank you. After you’d gone, I stuck up for meself. My mam has always drummed it into me and me brother that you should respect your elders so I didn’t give her cheek, nothing like that. I just said what I thought, and Miss Landers apologised.’
‘Oh, well, no harm done then,’ the customer said, smiling. ‘I would be devastated if I’d been the cause of more trouble. Now I’ll have to put my skates on or my break will be over.’
‘Thank you,’ Ginny said. ‘It was very kind of you to come back.’
Dorothy was concerned that the miserable Frances may have lost them a customer. ‘I hope what happened won’t stop you from shopping here?’
‘Of course not! But I think the assistant concerned should be told a customer has complained about her conduct, and perhaps she’ll be more careful in future. Anyway my name is Miss Meadows, Alicia Meadows, if you wish to take the complaint further, and as I said I work in Henderson’s.’ With a cheery smile, she walked briskly towards one of the two front doors which opened on to bustling Church Street, the main shopping street in Liverpool.
‘I bet she’s no ordinary shop assistant,’ Dorothy said. ‘She’s very sure of herself, very confident. Anyway, tell me exactly what happened? And I want to know word for word.’
So Ginny recounted the whole episode. ‘It’s not only what she says, Miss Sutherland, it’s the way she says it, and the way she looks at me – as though she hates me. I don’t know why because she hasn’t even bothered to find out what I’m like. I was going to ask you about the other juniors who have worked on this counter with her. Was she nasty with them or is it only me she’s taken a dislike to?’
‘I really shouldn’t be discussing another senior assistant with you, Ginny, but I think you deserve to know that she’s been like that with them all. Some of them have stuck it out for a year, others six months. But the last young girl, Joyce Connor, she only stayed a matter of weeks. The thing is, not one of them went to Miss Ormsby about her, which of course they should have done. And young Joyce wouldn’t tell a soul why she was packing the job in. She just said she’d found something she thought more suited to her.’ When two customers came to the counter at that point, Miss Sutherland said, ‘You put the counter in order while I serve these ladies. We’ll talk later.’
There was a steady stream of customers. When twenty minutes had passed, Ginny thought there’d never be time to find out what she needed to know. Another ten minutes and Miss Landers would be back from her lunch break. But fate was on her side for once, and there was a break between customers.
Dorothy pretended to mop her brow. ‘That was a busy little spell. It certainly kept me on the move. Still, that’s what we need. If there were no customers, we’d all be out of a job.’ She raised her brows at Ginny. ‘But by the sound of things, pet, you wouldn’t worry if you didn’t have a job here. Am I right?’
‘Oh, no! I want to work here more than anything! I would really love the job if it wasn’t for the person I’m working with. She’s supposed to be training me in how to be a good counter assistant, but she hasn’t told me one thing about the job. All she’s done is bawl at me and make me feel like something that’s crawled from under a stone.’
‘I’ll tell you briefly what I know about her. It’s no excuse for her behaviour, but it’s the reason we all put up with her in the beginning. Why we all felt sorry for her and allowed her to get away with a lot of things.’ Dorothy took a deep breath. ‘Apparently she was courting a bloke and they’d talked of getting married. So she started a bottom drawer, fully convinced she was to be wed in the near future. However, didn’t her intended run off and marry another girl who was prettier than Frances! That was the tale we all got when she first started working here and everyone, from the bosses down, felt sorry for her and she got away with murder. It took a while for us to realise that misery and rudeness are second nature to her. And, of course, the poor bloke we’d called for everything had our sympathy and understanding then.’
Ginny listened in silence. It must have been terrible to have been let down like that, but it didn’t give Miss Landers the right to take it out on everyone else. ‘Lots of people have bad things happen to them, like one of our neighbours whose son died. Now that is a lot worse than being let down by someone, but Mrs Bailey didn’t take it out on those around her. She was very sad, and she cried, but she was never rude to anyone.’
Dorothy Sutherland grabbed hold of her arm. ‘She’s coming down the store now, so I’m going up to meet her. I want a word with her, but not in your presence. If she says anything to you, just say you didn’t hear anything and you know nothing.’ As she slipped through the opening in the counter, she said, ‘You keep your chin up, pet, and everything will turn out fine. It may not happen right away, but be patient and don’t do anything rash.’
Frances Landers was clearly taken aback when confronted by Dorothy. ‘Have you left that stupid girl in charge of the counter?’
‘Yes, I have left her in charge, and no, she isn’t stupid. I want a quick word and you would be wise to listen. A customer has complained about you humiliating Miss Porter in her presence. She had very strong views on the matter, and asked if I would pass her complaint on to the highest authority.’ Dorothy Sutherland asked herself what a few little white lies mattered if they had the desired effect – in this case, to frighten someone into treating a young girl with the respect she deserved. ‘I haven’t reported it, but I must warn you that unless you change your whole attitude, you’re likely to find yourself in trouble.’
‘All I did was tell the stupid girl to move. She’s forever getting under my feet and she’ll never make a good assistant because she hasn’t even bothered to learn the price of anything. Not even the buttons.’
‘If she hadn’t learned anything, then the blame would lie at your door because you are supposed to be training her. As it happens, she’s picked up all she needs to know without your help. I had quite a rush on while you were away, and for everyone I served she whispered the price of their purchases to me. She knows the cost of everything on the counter, and is quick at adding up in her head. And on top of that, she’s a nice kid who I for one would f
ind it a pleasure to work with. If you go too far, and one day get the sack, don’t say you weren’t warned.’
With that Dorothy spun around and hastened back to her counter where Helen was on pins waiting to find out what was going on. But the version she got was heavily censored, of course, for her senior assistant didn’t believe in gossip. If she had anything to say, she said it to your face and then it was over. She did not clat on a work colleague. However, that afternoon her eyes were constantly turning to the adjacent counter. If she’d seen anything amiss, she would have been there like a shot, colleague or no colleague. She would not allow the mind of a pretty young girl to be warped by someone who was bitter and twisted. Nor would she allow the bright smile she’d glimpsed to be hidden away because the girl was too intimidated to show it.
When Beth was waving Ginny off that morning, if she’d had the slightest inkling of the misery and heartache in store for her daughter she would never have allowed her over the doorstep. But as she had no idea, Beth was humming as she gave Joey his breakfast and sat talking to him for a while before it was time for him to leave for school. And once the door was closed on him, she set to on her housework. The grate was always the first job: raking the ashes into the ashcan and carrying them out to the midden, then adding just enough coal to keep the fire alive. Money was tight and to have a roaring fire all day when she was alone in the house would be a waste.
She was on her knees, wiping the hearth over with a floorcloth, when there came a thumping on the window. Sitting back on her heels, she muttered aloud, ‘What the hell does Flo want this time of the morning?’ She pushed herself up and smoothed down her pinny as she made her way to the front door. ‘What in heaven’s name are yer doing here so early? I haven’t even started to tidy up yet.’
Flo obviously had a cob on because her face was set as she brushed her friend aside and entered the house. By the time Beth had closed the door, Flo was standing in the middle of the room with her arms folded under her bosom. She was wearing a pinny that was a few sizes too small for her and a mob-cap that was hanging down over her eyes. ‘What the hell was going on here last night? All the coming and going, and the shouting and laughing, it sounded as though yer were having a ruddy party! But yer never thought of giving me a knock, did yer?’
‘Flo, is that the only reason yer’ve called this early in the morning? Surely it wasn’t so important that yer couldn’t wait a couple of hours?’
‘If yer’d given me a knock last night, I wouldn’t have had to bleedin’ knock this time of the morning, so don’t be trying to put the blame on me.’ Flo pursed her mouth and blew her breath upwards to chase away a strand of hair that was tickling her nose. ‘Some friend you are, I must say.’
‘Yer didn’t miss that much, sunshine, so don’t be getting a cob on. What yer could hear when yer had yer ear to the wall was Bobby telling Andy about getting himself a job. The lad was over the moon, and we were all pleased for him. Oh, and if ye’re that interested, he brought his sister with him.’
Without a by-your-leave, Flo pulled a chair from the table and plonked herself down. This was much to the detriment of the chair which made its feelings known by creaking loudly. ‘Seeing as I’m here, and I want to know everything that went on, yer may as well put the kettle on and we can talk over a cuppa.’
‘Oh, I may as well put the kettle on, may I? And what about the state of me room, which hasn’t been dusted, and me beds which haven’t been made? I’d much rather yer went home and came back when I’ve finished all me housework.’
‘To walk home now, and then come back again, would be a waste of good shoe leather. No, as I’m here and sitting comfortably, I may as well stay. And I may as well be sitting with a cuppa in me hand.’ Flo jerked her head back, catching her chins unawares. ‘If yer were a true friend yer would have the kettle on already, not make me beg for it. Yer’ll be asking me to get on me bleedin’ knees in a minute.’
Beth pretended to be indignant and tutted as she made her way to the kitchen. ‘I don’t know, me life’s not me own.’
‘Stop yer bleedin’ moaning, will yer, and see if yer can find any biscuits to have with the tea. Ginger snaps, if yer’ve got them, I don’t half love to dunk them.’
After putting a light under the kettle, and having a little chortle to herself, Beth strolled back into the living room. ‘Are yer sure yer wouldn’t like me to make yer a few slices of thick toast, dripping with best butter, and a jar of marmalade to complete the picture?’
‘Don’t be so bleedin’ sarky, queen, it doesn’t suit yer. And how would yer like it if, the next time yer come to mine for a cuppa, I was sarky with you? Yer’d soon have something to say.’
‘Flo, in the sixteen or seventeen years we’ve been neighbours, I’ve probably had half-a-dozen cups of tea in your house, so yer haven’t really had the occasion to be sarcastic. And not once in those years have I seen sight nor light of a ruddy biscuit!’
‘I can’t help that, queen, ’cos it’s our Amy and Wendy. When me back is turned they scoff the lot.’ Flo put a chubby hand across her mouth to hide the smile that was starting to appear, but it was no good, there was no keeping the laughter back. ‘God forgive me for telling lies! It’s not the girls that scoff the biscuits because there’s never any left for them to scoff. If me mind knows I’ve got biscuits in the pantry, then it nags at me, and forces me against me will to pinch a couple. Then the couple turn into a handful, and another handful, until there’s none left. Only then is me mind at rest.’
‘Yer should be ashamed of yerself, Flo Henderson, yer’ve got no willpower at all. Ye’re worse than a ruddy baby.’ Beth suddenly screwed up her eyes and groaned. ‘Oh, no! Dot’s just passed the window, I bet she’s coming here.’ And the words were barely out of her mouth before the knock came. ‘I don’t know, I’m sure you lot think this is an open house.’ On her way to the door she carried on talking. ‘The dust is an inch thick everywhere, and I’ve got ruddy visitors!’
Dot stood on the pavement, grinning. ‘Yer’ll be getting carted away, talking to yerself.’
Beth’s hands went to her hips. ‘What d’yer want, sunshine, ’cos I’m a bit pushed at the moment?’
‘Don’t come that with me, girl, ’cos I know yer have a visitor. In fact the whole street knows yer’ve got a visitor ’cos Flo’s knock would wake the dead.’ Dot hesitated, not being quite as forward as Flo. ‘Are yer going to ask me in, then?’
‘Have you finished yer housework?’ Beth asked, standing with feet apart in the middle of the top step.
‘Most of it, yeah.’ Then Dot realised that was perhaps the wrong answer. ‘Well, no, I haven’t. I’ve cleaned the grate out, that’s all.’
A voice floated out to them. ‘Let her in, for heaven’s sake, I’m having to hang on to the table so the draught doesn’t blow me off the chair.’
‘Okay, yer can come in then.’ Beth stood aside. ‘But only for twenty minutes. One cup of tea and then ye’re both getting turfed out.’
Dot nodded to Flo in greeting. ‘Was she as rude to you, girl? Honest, I feel like an unwanted tramp what’s knocked to try and sell her some pegs.’
‘She didn’t exactly welcome me with open arms, queen,’ Flo said, with a very exaggerated wink. ‘But I’ve got strong shoulders and a thick skin.’
‘You might have a thick skin, sunshine, but I’m the one what’s thick in the head,’ Beth said. ‘I want me bumps feeling for letting yer in before I’ve got me work done.’
‘We’ll give yer a hand, won’t we, Flo?’ Dot rubbed her hands together. ‘I’ll brush the floor and the queer one can dust. That only leaves you with the dishes to do.’
Beth resigned herself. Anyway, having a natter broke the monotony. ‘I’ll get another cup and saucer out.’
So the three neighbours sat for half-an-hour filling each other in with whatever news they had. And Flo sat swinging her legs under the chair, content now she knew as much as her friends. ‘So, Bobby’s got himself a job,
which I’m glad about. Ginny seems to like her job by what yer say, and your Joan thinks hers stinks!’
Dot tapped her chin. ‘I’m sorry I told yer that, Flo, ’cos I know yer can’t keep yer trap shut. I can just see it in me mind now. You meeting our Joan in the street and asking her what the smell is. She’d be mortified.’
‘I’m going to have to stretch me money out this weekend, with the tram fare I’m having to fork out this week and next,’ Beth told them. ‘I know it’s only two bob, but two bob goes a long way in this house. And there’s Ma Maloney to worry about, and her shilling interest.’
‘Take a tip from me, queen,’ Flo said. ‘Pay her, even if yer have to starve yerself. ’Cos sure as eggs is eggs, if yer don’t pay her Saturday, she’ll be knocking on yer door on Sunday.’
‘I daren’t let that happen, Andy would go mad. So, as yer say, even if I have to starve meself, I’ll make sure she gets her shilling. And I’ll have to see Hannah, make sure she pays her pound of flesh. It won’t be so bad in two weeks, when Ginny starts bringing her money in, but I’m going to be strapped this weekend.’
‘I’ll lend yer the shilling, girl, so don’t worry,’ Dot said. ‘I’m not loaded, but I do have our David’s money coming in. It’s not much, but I’m a bit better off than you. So yer can put yer mind at rest on that score.’
‘Thanks, ye’re a pal. I’ll remember yer in me will, sunshine.’
‘Ooh, if yer do, can yer leave me that vase Hannah bought yer?’
Flo’s chair groaned when she swivelled her bottom around to confront Dot. ‘You can sod off, you can! If anyone gets that vase, it’s me!’
‘Yer cheeky pair of articles! Well, yer can both sod off, ’cos I ain’t going anywhere and that vase stays right where it is. And when I said yer can sod off, I mean right now, so I can get some work done. I said twenty minutes, but yer’ve been here nearly an hour and it’s time for yer to go. I’ll see yer at eleven o’clock to go to the shops.’