Sister's Trio Squad

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The thought of a hot bath was so tempting that Lisa 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 Lisa 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 Lisa could see both Bernie's and Eileen's points of view. Bernie - 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 Bernie just walking in and taking over. Lisa 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?'

Bernie 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, Lisa O'Maxwell 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.'

Bernie 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 Bernie. Well, she'd found Bernie 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.'

Lisa thought about Clonmel on summer evenings. The air had been calm and clear and sweet-smelling, the houses and shops unblemished by soot and dirt. Of course there was poverty; there were families like Bernie's, but even they didn't live like this in a world of noise and dirt, the very air rank and noxious. This was poverty and squalor on a scale she had never thought possible. She was jolted out of her sober reverie by Bernie's announcement that they'd arrived, and looking up she wondered how such an ornate and imposing building, with its scrolls and cornices and stained-glass windows, could exist in such a wasteland.

She followed Bernie through the door marked 'Ladies' and along a corridor of coloured and moulded tiling that opened out into a large room partitioned into small cubi cles. A hefty woman, reddened arms below the rolled-up sleeves of her uniform, came towards them.

'Have you both the money?"

"That we have! Here, sixpence each.'

The woman took the money and led them towards two cubicles in each of which were a stoneware slipper bath, a wooden stool and a wooden platform raised off the cement floor. From the pocket of her smock-like garment she extracted a spanner and turned two bolts set into the wall at the head of the bath. Obviously they didn't trust you to have taps and even the two brushes - a long-handled back brush and a hand brush - were attached to the wall by brass chains and had 'Corporation of Glasgow' burned into their backs. The bath was half full and the attendant reversed the ritual with the spanner, tested the water with her hand and then shut the door with the parting instruc tion of, 'No longer than fifteen minutes!'

Standing on the wooden platfor Lisa stripped off her clothes and placed them neatly on the wooden stool. Then she stepped into the hot water and easing herself down, let it lap over her. The warmth made her drowsy and she began to relax, slowly going over the events of the last hours in her mind. Bernie was right. She'd always had Nancy and Margaret to take care of her, but now she was alone. When she thought about it she realized what a whining little fool she must have sounded. 'Expect nothing and you'll not be disappointed.' Well, she wasn't going to live by that maxim. From now on she'd take a grip of herself, as Bernie put it. No more blubbering like a baby, no more moaning. She couldn't go on being afraid of everything for the rest of her life. She'd have to grow up. If she was going to stay here she'd have to stand on her own two feet and grab what she wanted and hang on to it!

Lisa was taken on at MacFarlane's on the understand ing that she would be a 'temporary seasonal worker' and that when the spring rush was over she would be laid off. But, she was told, if her work and time-keeping proved satisfactory, she might be taken back on again. That was the way the system worked, Robbie Frazer, the Under Manager, told her. She could take it or leave it. She took it, but by six o'clock on the first day the firm resolve with which she'd left the baths on her first night, had gone. Her head was aching, her back and shoulders were aching and she'd never been so exhausted, not even after a day at Dunlop's. MacFarlane's was a nightmare of heat, noise and frenetic activity. The room where she worked was like a huge barn with rows of sewing machines set in double banks facing each other, the motorized belt that drove them, running on wheels slung from the ceiling. In the middle of the rows of machines was a shallow, wooden trough. The work was 'piece work' which accounted for the frenzied activity. Each worker relying on the others to keep the line going; stoppages or slowness resulted in a loss of pay for everyone.

At first Lisa couldn't keep up with the others and there had been curses and black looks cast in her direction. She'd tried to ignore them, remembering Bernie's warnings issued on their walk to the factory. Accidents often happened. The most common being the machine needle piercing the tip of the finger and often breaking, leaving half embedded in the nail. One girl had once had her hair caught and but for the prompt action of one of the pressers who had cut her free, she would undoubtedly have been seriously maimed.

As the day wore on Lisa became more proficient, forcing the material under the drumming head of the needle, her head bent, shoulders hunched, her eyes burning and smarting from the effort of concentrating on the straightness of the seam.

'Now that wasn't so bad, was it? And you'll get faster and the more you do the more you earn!' Bernie comforted her at the end of their shift.

'I feel terrible."

Bernie was also tired and stiff. 'Oh, for God's sake, Lisa, stop moaning. Didn't I tell you to grow up.' I'm trying,' she replied, gritting her teeth. 'But it's

not easy."

'What is? All you've been used to is O'Leary's and that's not work.'

In the light of the day she had just put in, Lisa silently agreed with her.

They arrived home to find the table set and the smell of cooking issuing from a pan on the range. Bernie sank into a chair. 'Eileen, put the kettle on, we're done in.'

The girl didn't answer but continued stirring the pan. 'I'll do it,' Lisa offered wearily, placing the kettle on

the hob, but she received no look or word of thanks. 'It's going to be a grand evening, if I can find the energy maybe Archie and me will go for a walk later."

'Our Archie'll be too tired.' 'Who asked you? He'll do as he pleases!'

Eileen slammed two plates on the table and ladled out a watery stew.

'Aren't you going to have any, Eileen?' Lisa asked. 'I've already eaten."

They ate in silence and afterwards the girl cleared the dishes and washed them. Bernie had gone into the bed room to 'perk myself up' as she put it, and although the only thing she wanted to do was to lie down and sleep, Lisa knew she had to write to Margaret. From her bag she took a small notepad and an envelope and placed

them on the table. For the first time Eileen's pale eyes held a spark of interest. 'What are you doing?'

'I'm writing to my sister in Liverpool, she doesn't know where I am and she'll be worried to death." She paused. Eileen, I don't want you to think that I'm going to be a burden on you. I don't want you to think I'm another stranger coming into your home

and expecting to be waited on. I don't mind helping in the house, I'm used to it. I always helped at home. I'm used to shopping and cooking, cleaning, sewing and ironing. If I'm going to live here, then I'll expect to do my share of the work, too, and pay my share of the expenses.'

Eileen didn't reply and so Lisa began to write, telling Margaret that she was living with Bernie and that she had a job and that she was not to worry about her, then she realized the girl was standing beside her, watching her, She looked up.

'Where do you work Eileen?'

'At Feinstein's Bakery. I scrub 'Can you read and write?"

out.'

Eileen shook her head slowly. 'Not very well. I had to look after my Mammy, I didna go to school often." 'Would you like me to teach you?' It seemed a small

gesture of thanks.

The ghost of a smile crossed Eileen's pale, thin face.

'Would you?'

Lisa nodded. 'But not tonight, I'm too tired.' 'Don't you go fillin' her head with all kinds of nonsense, Lisa O'Maxwell!'

They both turned. Bernie had changed into a print dress and had brushed her hair.

'What harm is there in it?" 'She'll go gettin' grand notions, like

you, that's what

and no good will come of it either!' The look Eileen directed at Bernie was one of pure

venom, but at the sound of boots on the landing she immediately went to the range and poured the remainder of the stew on to a plate and from somewhere she produced half a loaf of bread.

'Aren't you the little sneak then! You never said they'd

given you any bread.'

'It's for our Archie.'

The appearance of Archie, followed by Andy MacDonald, cut short the imminent argument and Eileen set the meal on the table for him.

I thought we'd go for a stroll, it's a grand evening,' Bernie put in, glaring at Andy. 'But obviously you've planned something else!'

Lisa is going to teach me to read an' write, our Archie.' Eileen announced. 'Is she now. That's good of her.' Andy sat, uninvited,

beside Lisa and his presence made her are you writing to, or is it a secret?' uneasy. 'Who He smiled at her and she hastily signed the letter, folded

the sheet and put it in the envelope, sealing it firmly. "There's nothing secretive about it at all. I'm writing to my sister.'

Have you a stamp?' he asked. 'I have. I bought some at the station.'

Then if you like, I'll walk you to the nearest postbox.' She looked at him, uncertain what to say or do. She was tired and she didn't feel in the mood to be sociable, but the offer was tempting. The letter would have to be posted.

'We'll all go!' Bernie chimed in. 'Archie, finish up your meal and tidy yourself up. We'll go to the Suspension Bridge; you get a good view from there."

Bernie had settled the matter and so Lisa rose, excusing herself while she brushed her hair and changed her blouse and to her surprise she found she didn't feel quite as tired as before.

They posted the letter and walked along Carlton Place towards the Suspension Bridge and the Custom House Quay on the opposite bank of the Clyde. After a while Bernie and Archie dropped behind a little and Lisa made no attempt to slow her steps, they obviously wanted to talk. She felt a little awkward as Andy MacDonald walked beside her, pointing out the Civic Buildings in the distance.

'You don't say much, do you?'

'It's all so new and strange to me. I come from a small country town.' You lived in Liverpool, that's a city.'