Tales of the Unknown

Episode 2

Episode 2

She didn't reply. If she thought about the implications of his words she would be physically sick. He'd stopped and was hammering on a door.

Jasnah opened it, dressed in a cheap print dress, her hair screwed up in curling papers. 'Oh, it's you! Well, he's takin' me out tonight, Andy MacDonald, so you'll have to go to your b****y Political Meeting on your own." Then she saw the figure standing beside him and her eyes widened. 'Holy Mother of God! Morla Macbeth!'

'I found her wandering up and down the street looking for this place." 'Morla! Sure, I never expected to see you again."

'Are you no' going to ask the lassie in, seein' as how she's come all the way from Liverpool?'

With a gentle push Morla was propelled into the room and Andrew followed, placing her bag down on the floor.

Jasnah shut the door as a second young man appeared in the room..

'I thought I heard you, Andy. Who's this?" "This is Morla, she's a friend of mine from back home. This is Archie.'

Morla nodded to the stocky young man with light, sandy-coloured hair and pale blue eyes. He smiled back. 'Nice to see you, Morla.'

'I told her to come up here any time she got fed up with Liverpool.

Archie nodded.

Are you coming to the Worker's Circle then, man?" Archie's gaze flitted from his friend's face to that of Jasnah and finally Morla.

'Oh, go on then the pair of you! But you're takin' me out tomorrow night, Archie Dalrymple, that you are!' His face cracked in a broad grin. 'It's a promise, hen.

I'll just get my coat and we'll be away. Come on, Andy, before she changes her mind.' And grabbing his jacket he kissed Jasnah on the cheek, nodded to Morla and followed Andy MacDonald, who was already half way out of the door.

Morla looked around. It reminded her of Aunt Maura's kitchen on the morning they had arrived at Lancaster Street and she felt exactly the same sense of despair, compounded with weariness and disillusionment. The tears welled up and trickled down her cheeks.

'So you've up and left them, then? Come on, sit down and tell me all about it. Sure, I couldn't put up with those two for long meself.' Morla broke down and between sobs told her the whole story. When she'd finished, Jasnah got up and pushed the kettle back on the hob.

'Blow your nose. God above! Every time I see you you're in a desperate state about something. I'll make us a cup of tea. The place is a bit of a mess, but beggars can't be choosers! It'll be a bit of a crush, you'll have to share with me and Eileen. She'll tidy up when she gets in."

'Who's Eileen?' Morla sniffed, feeling a bit calmer now.

Jasnah lit a cigarette and threw the match in the general direction of the range. 'Archie's sister. You don't think I'm "living in sin" with him, do you? God, we'd be lynched! It may not be much of a neighbourhood but they still have some standards.' Jasnah clattered around and then set two mugs of steaming hot tea down on the table and resumed her seat. 'If you've come here with all those fancy notions then you're in for a shock! It's out of the frying pan, into the fire! Oh, your accent won't matter much here, but your religion will.'

"Why?'

'Sure the place is full of Orangemen! "Billys" they call themselves, so if anyone asks you if you're a "Billy" or a "Dan" tell them you're a heathen or a Jew - there's enough of them here - I do! Though why they call us "Dans" I wouldn't be knowin'!' Jasnah stubbed out the cigarette in an old, cracked saucer already full of dog-ends. "The trouble is they don't tell you what they are first!'

It was getting worse. It was totally incomprehensible that she should have to deny her religion. First she had been humiliated because of her accent, now it seemed the same applied to her religion. Tears were threaten ing again.

Jasnah looked at her steadily. The trouble with you, Morla Macbeth, is that you've always had those two to take your side and look after you. Sure, there was no one in our class that would say "Boo" to you because of your Jasnah and her desperate temper. But you've left them. You're on your own now. You've got to grow up, Morla, because I can't look after you, I'm too busy lookin' after meself! Holy Mother! You're nearly twenty and you're cryin' and sobbin' like a six year old. Get a grip of yourself and grow up.

 I never had any of the things you had, so I don't miss them, but you've got to learn to do without all that. You'll have to stand up for yourself and you'll have to learn to grab what you want, fight for it and hang on to it. Expect nothin' and you'll not be disappointed me Ma always said and she's right. Mind you, you've made a good start.'

'How?'

'Big Andy MacDonald, that's how. Isn't he the most handsome man around and aren't half the girls in the Gorbals after him and tryin' to get him to "stamp their card"! And doesn't he pick you up off the street and bring you here, and carryin' your bag, too.'

I didn't think about him like that... What's "stamp their card"?'

Jasnah looked at her incredulously. 'God, but you're an innocent! Get them pregnant so he'll have to marry them.'

Morla stared back, just as incredulous, a blush spread ing over her cheeks. But that's... it's a Mortal Sin!' Tell that to them! It's the only way some of them will ever get wedded. Archie sleeps there.' She pointed to a curtained alcove next to the range, as if reading Morla's mind. Eileen and me share the bedroom.' She finished her tea. 'Bring your bag and we'll get you unpacked and tomorrow you can come with me to McFarlane's garment factory. They'll take you on, they're always mad busy this time of year. Don't go pullin' such a face, it's a job! I know it's not Copeland and Lye on Sauchiehall Street, but you've got to start somewhere." 'I've got some money, Jasnah, I can pay for my keep,' Morla opened her purse and passed the coins over.