Memories Are Made of This (2 page)

Peggy shouted a rude word at the driver before saying, ‘Well, what do you expect with three coppers and an ex-prison wardress in the house?'

Jeanette sighed. ‘Dad'll walk out after a few minutes and go into the parlour with the
Echo
. He hates raised voices at home, says that he hears enough dissension in his job.'

‘If you don't mind my saying so, I'd hate to be part of your family,' said Peggy, crossing the road. ‘At least you won't be joining the force, you're too short.'

‘I wish I wasn't,' said Jeanette, hurrying in her wake. ‘According to my brother, Sam, I take after my mother. He says she was petite, although I vaguely remember her appearing tall to me.'

‘Glynis Johns is petite,' said Peggy, reaching the other side of the road. ‘Maybe you should think about becoming an actress!' She smiled at her friend.

‘She's got another film coming out this year,' said Jeanette, wiping her damp face on her sleeve.

‘I know. It's in colour and she's a mermaid.' Peggy giggled. ‘Fancy being half a woman and half a fish. It makes you wonder how they do
it
!'

‘Hush, you!' hissed Jeanette, glancing about her. ‘Someone might hear.'

Peggy rolled her eyes. ‘Who cares! You are a prude.'

‘No, I'm not,' said Jeanette indignantly. ‘Anyway, you'd worry about being overheard if you had the old witch prowling around, trying to find out what you're up to.'

‘Well, she's not here, is she? Shall we go and see the mermaid film when it comes out?'

Jeanette nodded. ‘Although if the old witch
gets to know it's called
Mad About Men
, I can guarantee she'll do her best to prevent me from going. She's a real killjoy! When I was growing up she was forever warning me what punishment would befall me if I didn't toe the line.' She linked her arm through Peggy's. ‘Cor, I'm hungry!'

They began to walk in the direction of the T J Hughes department store. ‘Do you know what—' began Peggy.

Jeanette interrupted her. ‘I can smell chips!'

Peggy breathed in deeply. ‘So can I. It'll be the chippy just round the corner in Norton Street, near Gianelli's ice cream parlour.'

Jeanette wrinkled her dainty nose. ‘It's torture! I'm starving!'

‘What d'you say to us getting some then?' suggested Peggy.

Jeanette hesitated. ‘I don't know if I have enough money. Besides, unlike you, I've a bus to catch and I'm late already with us staying in to watch the second feature again.'

‘If you're already late, what difference is another ten minutes or so going to make? The chippy's not far.'

‘And what if there's a queue?'

‘But there mightn't be,' said Peggy sensibly, avoiding a shower of water pouring from a broken drainpipe. She tugged on Jeanette's arm. ‘Come on, I'll mug you.'

‘I can't be taking money from you!' said Jeanette, sounding scandalized.

‘Don't be daft. What are friends for?'

Jeanette's stomach rumbled. ‘All right, thanks. I do have some money but I need it for my fare for today
and
tomorrow.'

‘But we're not in work tomorrow,' said Peggy.

Jeanette smiled. ‘I need to go into town, anyway. Don't be asking why right now. If things go the way I plan, then I'll tell you on Monday.'

Peggy shrugged. ‘Be secretive then! I'm more interested in chips right now.'

Arm in arm, the two girls made their way to the chippy. Annoyingly, there was a queue, but they tagged on to the end, hoping they would not have long to wait. Jeanette heard one woman in front of them say, ‘It's just like when everything was on bleedin' rationing the way we still have to queue up.'

Jeanette thought that was the kind of remark her great-aunt would make. But as the minutes ticked by, she began to understand how the older woman felt and to worry about getting into trouble at home. She was about to say to Peggy that perhaps she should go when a young man wearing oilskins joined them. Rainwater dripped onto the floor in a circle about him and he looked miserable. Jeanette smiled at him sympathetically.

He returned her smile and she thought how it altered his whole appearance. He was not bad looking at all, with greyish blue eyes fringed with black lashes. A lock of damp black hair curled on his forehead, and he had sideburns, as well as a faint tan. What with his wearing a sou'wester, she was reminded of the seaman on a tin of Skippers' sardines. Of course, this bloke was much younger, but with Liverpool being such a busy port, he could easily be a sailor. All different races landed up in the city and she was curious to know where he came from.

‘Not a night to be out at sea,' she said.

He agreed, adding, ‘Although I've known worse.'

Jeanette detected a familiar accent. He was British but not a Liverpudlian. Before she could ask where he was from she felt a tug on her sleeve. She glanced at Peggy. ‘What?'

‘See that bloke getting served,' hissed Peggy. ‘He's Greg Riley who I told you about. The one I dated.'

Jeanette would rather her friend had not interrupted her, but she stared at the three lads at the front of the queue. Even from the back one could tell they were Teddy Boys with their DA haircuts, which was short for duck's arse and similar in style to that favoured by the film star Tony Curtis. They wore drape jackets and drainpipe trousers.

Peggy said nervously, ‘I could do without him seeing me right now.'

Vaguely interested in why that should be so, Jeanette asked, ‘Have you had an argument?'

‘It's not so much what I've done but my brother—' began Peggy, only to stop as Greg turned away from the counter with the two other Teds. She ducked behind Jeanette, but she might as well have not bothered because she had been spotted.

‘Hey yous, Peggy McGrath, I've a bone to pick with you!' shouted Greg, his swollen and bruised face twisted with anger.

A red-faced Peggy straightened up slowly. ‘Well, I don't want to talk to you, Greg Riley, if you're going to take that tone,' she said tartly, slipping her arm through Jeanette's. ‘Let's get out of here, Jeanette!'

‘What about our chips?' she said, forgetting that she too had thought of leaving in a hurry earlier.

Peggy pulled on her arm. ‘We can live without chips.'

‘But I'm hungry,' protested Jeanette. ‘Besides, we've been in this queue for ages and it seems daft to leave after waiting all this time.'

Greg seized hold of Peggy's sleeve. ‘You have some explaining to do, girl, and yer not getting away from me that easy. What did you tell your Marty about me? I didn't get a chance to get a word in edgeways with him!'

‘Ouch, you're hurting me,' said Peggy, flushing and attempting to tug her sleeve out of his grasp.

‘You leave her alone,' said Jeanette, wondering if his black eye and bruises had been inflicted by Peggy's brother. The next moment, not only was Peggy catapulted against Greg, but because she and Jeanette were linking arms, Jeanette was dragged along with her. ‘Let her go! You've no right to treat her so roughly.'

Greg squinted at Jeanette. ‘This is none of your business, doll, so keep out of it or you'll be sorry,' he snapped.

Jeanette did not live in a household of three members of Liverpool's police force for nothing. ‘Are you threatening me?' she said icily. ‘Because if you are I tell you now my dad and brother are policemen, and my sister is on the force, too.'

His face hardened. ‘So what? I can't see any sign of them here, so shut your mouth!'

‘Don't you speak to me like that,' said Jeanette, glaring at him.

‘I'll speak to you anyway I like,' said Greg. ‘You're not from around here, are you, doll?'

‘So what if I'm not,' said Jeanette, tilting her chin. ‘You can't go round bullying me just because of that!'

Greg's lips tightened and then he called over his shoulder, ‘Hey, Billy, grab hold of this one who doesn't know when to keep her bloody trap shut. I don't want her interfering with what's between me and Peggy.'

Jeanette felt her shoulder seized in a vice-like grip and gasped in pain. ‘Let me go!' she said through gritted teeth, her green eyes flashing as she stared up at the other youth.

‘Yous heard her, Billy,' said one of the women in the queue. ‘Leave the girl alone! You Teddy Boys are nothing but trouble. You'll end up in hell if you don't change your ways.'

‘Mind yer own business, yer old cow,' said Billy, swivelling his head briefly before giving his attention to Jeanette again.

She would have been a liar if she had said that she was not scared at that point. He was a big fella with shoulders as wide as a giant coat hanger beneath his drape jacket with velvet lapels. She felt not only powerless to prevent Peggy from being dragged outside by Greg, but unable to defend herself against this monster.

Then to her surprise came a voice from a different quarter. ‘Let her go!'

She had temporarily forgotten about the young man in the sou'wester, and obviously Billy and Greg had not given him a single thought. Billy looked round to see who had spoken and Jeanette made the best of the opportunity presented to her to grind her high heel into his ankle. He swore and tightened his grip on her shoulder, causing her to scream.

‘Didn't you hear me, you bloody bully?' said the young man, squaring up to him.

Jeanette could only stare at him in admiration, for he was not a big fella. In fact she could not help comparing him to the biblical David who had confronted the giant Goliath.

A smirk crossed Billy's face. ‘Wait yer turn, mate! I'll deal with you after I've finished with her.'

Jeanette's gaze flew from Billy's face to that of the young man and she saw his eyes turn the colour of flint.
Oh dear! He must think he can beat this gorilla!
Her thudding heart began to beat even faster.

‘If you know what's good for you, boyo, then you'll stop behaving like a louse and let the young lady go,' her David said softly.

Jeanette was not prepared for what happened next. Billy shoved her to one side and from his pocket he dragged a bicycle chain. She gasped in horror as he swung it and instinctively ducked as it whizzed through the air. She had no idea where it landed. Two women screamed and one threatened to send for the police. Then the two males grappled with each other. Jeanette could hear the breath whistling in their chests and the scrabbling of their feet on the floor. She had not expected them to fight over her and was at a loss how to stop them.

Then the other youth who had been in company with Greg and Billy launched himself onto her rescuer's back. She attempted to claw him off. He lost his balance and toppled backwards, knocking her off her feet, so that she landed on the floor with him on top of her. She could hardly breathe. As she struggled to push him away, she noticed the bicycle chain on the floor within arm's reach. But before she could seize hold of it, the youth on top of her grabbed it and threw it, shouting, ‘Here, Billy!'

Billy managed to catch the chain, but it whipped around in his hand and caught her rescuer on the side of his face. He let out an agonized yell as it tore into his flesh.

‘Oh my God!' gasped Jeanette, and pushed with all her might to rid herself of the youth who still had her pinned to the ground. He toppled sideways and she got to her feet. She hurried over to her rescuer, terribly aware of the blood seeping from his torn skin. She caught a whiff of oil as, with hands that shook, she removed the chain from about his head.

He was ashen beneath his tan and stumbled backwards against the counter, stretching out his arms and resting them on the ledge beneath the metal top. Blood dripped from his chin onto his yellow oilskins and he was gasping in pain. She was aware of the rain beating against the window and of her own rapid breathing. Then she felt a waft of cold, damp air on her neck as the door opened and someone entered the shop.

A deep male voice asked, ‘What's going on here?'

The tension broke and the woman behind the counter, who was twisting her hands nervously, said, ‘Father Callaghan, you've got to help us. I don't want to be losing me job by getting this place a bad name. I was just about to call the police, but if you can sort it out I'd really appreciate it.'

‘Calm down, Mary,' ordered the priest, his eyes scanning the faces of those present and coming to rest on the bleeding face of the man resting against the counter. ‘What happened here?'

‘None of your business, Father,' sneered Billy. ‘Why don't you just turn round and go out again?'

‘And why can't you stay out of trouble, you young fool!' Father Callaghan shot out a hand and thrust it in Billy's face, sending him sprawling against his mate. ‘If you must fight, come to the church hall. You can do a few rounds in the ring.' He turned to the young man in the sou'wester. ‘What happened to your face?'

‘Thanks for your concern, Padre, but I'm not of your flock,' gasped the young man.

‘Anyone in trouble is my concern, lad! That looks nasty and I think the police should be informed. Mary!' he bellowed. ‘Get on the phone!'

She scurried off to do what the priest said.

Immediately Jeanette wanted out of there. If this got back to her father and great-aunt there would be hell to pay, but she had to say her piece. ‘He didn't make the first move,' she said hastily. ‘It was those two,' she nodded in Billy and his mate's direction. ‘This man here only got involved because he came to my aid. You ask anyone here.'

‘It happened so fast, I couldn't see properly what was going on,' said one man.

‘Yous'll need to speak to Gregory Riley, Father,' said an elderly woman, dragging her black shawl tightly around her humped shoulders. ‘You knows him, and it was Billy who dragged the bicycle chain from his pocket. He needs a few rounds with yer champion in the boxing ring at the boys' club. Do him more good than being sent to any ol' Borstal.'