Tales of the Unknown

Episode 3

Episode 3

I'll take this for now but when we get paid, we'll sort things out properly. I'll not have you sayin' I'm robbin' you blind.'

'Where does Archie work?'

'Dixon's Blazes, the big iron foundry. You must have seen its chimney belching out smoke and flames, you can see it for miles. Andy works there, too, most of the time. Sometimes they're laid off and then they have to go on the "Broo", the Unemployment.'

Morla picked up her bag but before she could move into the other room the door opened and a girl of about fifteen came in. She had the same sandy hair and pale blue eyes as Archie, but she was painfully thin. Her hair, scraped back into a loose plait, looked damp and her face shone as though it had been scrubbed. Under her arm was a rolled up towel.

'Oh, you're back then.'

"Who's she?'

'Morla, and she's stayin' with us. She's a friend of mine and before you start, Archie knows! Po face little b***h,' Jasnah muttered before going into the bedroom. Morla smiled at the girl before turning to follow Jasnah. Eileen turned mutely away.

Together they unpacked the bag with Jasnah exclaiming how 'grand' her things were and then bemoaning the fact that they were totally unsuitable and would soon get dirty and probably ruined and wasn't that a sin altogether? To Morla's surprise the room, although small, was clean and neat. The bedlinen was clean but on closer inspection was much darned and mended. The rag rug on the otherwise bare floor added the only touch of colour to the uniform drabness. The old, scarred chest was dusted and a cheap brush and comb were laid neatly side by side, on one half of the top. That's her half,' Jasnah informed her, as Morla put her brush and hair clips beside them.

'She drives me mad, that she does! Always scrubbin' and dustin' and tidyin' up and it's a pure waste of time around here!'

As if to emphasize that statement, the distinct rattling of dishes came from the kitchen. "A right dour little lassie" Archie calls her, takes after her Ma, he says.' Morla felt sorry for the girl. 'Where is her Ma?"

'Dead and her Pa, too.'

'Where's she been?'

'For a bath, she goes every Sunday. Waste of good money, it is. Sixpence a week!' Jasnah stopped covertly admiring Morla's cream blouse. 'I know what we'll do. There's nothing better than a good soak when you're worn out, why don't we go down to the Baths?'

'Won't they be back soon?'

Jasnah laughed. "Those two? They'll be hours setting the world to rights and don't they do it every night, too, but it's not made much difference that I can see. Come on, I'll get a towel and some soap.'

The thought of a hot bath was so tempting that Morla forgot about her plight momentarily. She took her own towel and wrapped her soap in it and went into the kitchen. The table had been cleared of dishes, the hearth had been swept and Eileen's towel was hanging over the back of a chair that had been set in front of the range.

As they went down the staircase and back into the street, the grim scene that confronted Morla brought down the cloud of depression to settle over her again. You don't seem to like Eileen, why."

'She doesn't approve of me. She thinks I'm not good enough for her Archie. You'd think he was a plaster saint, that you would, the way she goes on about him. She called me a s**t, did you ever hear the like? I told her a few home truths, I can tell you, and Archie told her he'd not have her calling me names like that and he wouldn't have us fighting like cat and dog either, so now she hardly ever speaks to me at all. Not that I care. My Archie's the only one I care about. He's the only person who has ever cared about me really cared, I mean.' -

They lapsed into silence and Morla could see both Jasnah's and Eileen's points of view. Jasnah in some people's estimation - was a s**t, but it wasn't her fault. Not with the home she'd had and the way she'd been brought up. Dragged up, more like. Obviously Eileen had had a better upbringing and having undertaken the running of the home, she wouldn't take kindly to Jasnah just walking in and taking over. Morla hoped her arrival and inclusion in the household wouldn't make matters worse.

'Are you sure I'll get a job?'

"They're always busy in the spring. Everyone knows that!'

But surely there are plenty of local girls wanting jobs?'

Jasnah frowned and cast a quick, appraising look in her direction. I told you they're busy, but.. well, you could be laid off in a few weeks, then taken back on again when business picks up. It's "last in, first out" but at least you'll have a few weeks' work, that's better than nothing, isn't it?" 'Yes, but maybe I can get a job in one of the big stores after a while, when I'm settled?'

Jobs like that don't grow on trees, Morla Macbeth and I don't know of anyone who lives around here and works in Sauchiehall Street. You just be thankful if MacFarlane's do take you on."

Jasnah was right. When she'd fled Liverpool she hadn't really given her future much thought, she'd only had one thing on her mind, to get away from Uncle Bart and find Jasnah. Well, she'd found Jasnah and she should be thank ful, but her thoughts returned to her new surroundings.

'Surely it's not all like this, the whole city?' she asked as they walked the short distance to Bedford Street where the Gorbals Baths were situated.

'Don't be an eejit, of course it's not! On the other side of the river there're plenty of nice areas and there are really grand houses up at Newton Mearns.'