Sister's Trio Squad

Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Nancy tossed back her drink, her temper rising. How dare he! Here with everyone looking! She felt like slap ping his handsome face with those sardonic, laughing eyes. Instead, she smiled and held out her glass to be refilled. It was just one more thing to add to her mental list. Her day would come.

Lisa enjoyed working for Mrs Craig. The work wasn't as hard or as boring as MacFarlane's, but it was tiring. She didn't mind that, for everything was different, the people she worked with were interesting and it didn't give her much time to dwell on the past.

The fury that had consumed her that never-to-be forgotten day, had dwindled until it was just a dull ache and as the days and weeks passed, that, too, grew less. "Time heals' was another of Mrs O'Hagan's adages that had been passed on by Bernie, and she had found it to be partly true. Some nights she slept well, worn out by the day's exertions. But there were others - fewer now when sleep wouldn't come and she would get up and stand staring out of the window at the wall of the tenement next door. Those were the nights when she would re-live those hours and realize just how much they had changed her life and her personality. She knew now that she had changed. She was harder, less naïve, in fact she'd grown up and faced the reality of the harshness of the world.

She was still living with Bernie and Archie for she'd quickly found, after a few enquiries, that she couldn't afford to move out of the Gorbals yet. But with her tips she had begun collecting things for the time when she would have her own place - even if it were only a broom cupboard. Small items mainly linen, cushions, two lamps, a rug, some dishes and two pans and a kettle. She kept them all in boxes in the tiny bedroom. There were plenty of second-hand furniture shops where bigger items could be bought when needed.

In the first few days after her now almost legendary and humiliating attack on Andy's ego, Lisa had been shunned by all the men she came into contact with. They viewed her action as setting something of a precedent. Archie had followed her home in a highly agitated mood, but when he had started to lecture her she had turned to face him and the look in her eyes had silenced him abruptly. Bernie had had no such reservations. She had loudly applauded Lisa's actions and that fact had caused the first real row between them that Lisa had heard. And when the white-hot anger that had driven her for days had cooled, she noticed that many of the other women treated her with a new respect. As Bernie had remarked acidly, she had done what most of them had longed to do to their own menfolk for years, but hadn't the nerve or the guts.

Although she still lived in the same neighbourhood, but because she no longer worked at MacFarlane's and Andy no longer came to Warwick Street, Lisa had only seen him once, and that had been pure coincidence. She had been getting off the tram at the corner of Bedford Road on her way home from work and he had been waiting to get on. She had just stared at him until he had dropped his eyes and moved aside to let her pass. She had thought she would have felt sorrow, even longing, at the sight of him, but all she felt was cold contempt. She'd heard in the 'Steamy' that he and Maggie Baird were now 'courting' but strangely that hadn't hurt either. They deserve one another!' had been her vituperative comment to Eileen, uttered in a voice loud enough for everyone within earshot to hear.

Craig's was a firm favourite with the assistants of many of the larger shops and, as the lunchtime crowds found their way into the cafés, restaurants and tea rooms on were plenty of second-hand furniture shops where bigger items could be bought when needed.

In the first few days after her now almost legendary and humiliating attack on Andy's ego, Lisa had been shunned by all the men she came into contact with. They viewed her action as setting something of a precedent. Archie had followed her home in a highly agitated mood, but when he had started to lecture her she had turned to face him and the look in her eyes had silenced him abruptly. Bernie had had no such reservations. She had loudly applauded Lisa's actions and that fact had caused the first real row between them that Lisa had heard. And when the white-hot anger that had driven her for days had cooled, she noticed that many of the other women treated her with a new respect. As Bernie had remarked acidly, she had done what most of them had longed to do to their own menfolk for years, but hadn't the nerve or the guts.

Although she still lived in the same neighbourhood, but because she no longer worked at MacFarlane's and Andy no longer came to Warwick Street, Lisa had only seen him once, and that had been pure coincidence. She had been getting off the tram at the corner of Bedford Road on her way home from work and he had been waiting to get on. She had just stared at him until he had dropped his eyes and moved aside to let her pass. She had thought she would have felt sorrow, even longing, at the sight of him, but all she felt was cold contempt. She'd heard in the 'Steamy' that he and Maggie Baird were now 'courting' but strangely that hadn't hurt either. They deserve one another!' had been her vituperative comment to Eileen, uttered in a voice loud enough for everyone within earshot to hear.

Craig's was a firm favourite with the assistants of many of the larger shops and, as the lunchtime crowds found their way into the cafés, restaurants and tea rooms on Sauchiehall Street, Lisa, came out of her reverie and began to bustle about, laying places, taking orders, exchanging small-talk with the customers.

Mrs Craig, behind her desk, smiled benignly at her. Lisa was such an asset, she thought. She was efficient, tactful, honest, calm in an emergency and the regulars liked her. Mrs Craig had it in the back of her mind that one day, when the time came for her to retire, she might train Lisa to manage the shop.

'Four teas, four cheese and ham sandwiches, one pot of tea and a plate of "Specials", please, Kit!' Lisa called to the girl in the kitchen. Kit smiled back as she placed the order on Lisa's tray.

Weaving her way deftly between the tables, she went first to the young man who always sat alone in the corner, away from the window. He was a strange one, she thought. She judged him to be in his middle twenties, of medium. height but slim build. He had a fair complexion and light brown hair that was always neatly cut. His clothes were impeccable. He seemed to wear a clean shirt every day and his ties and the handkerchief in the breast pocket of his suit jacket always matched. And he wore cufflinks. She'd taken special note of them because he appeared to have as many different pairs as he did neckties. He was always pleasant in his manner, his voice quiet, even when they were rushed off their feet and he had to wait. She'd never known him to be abrupt, never rude or impatient. He came in every day for lunch, and sometimes in the afternoon as well, and occasionally he would be joined by another young man and they would sit chatting earnestly. But he usually ate alone. Lisa had never seen him accompanied by a girl, but perhaps he was just shy.

"There you are, Sir, a nice pot of fresh tea and your special sandwiches.' She smiled at him, as she placed the dishes down, adding a crisp, white napkin. 'Be careful, the pot is very hot!'

He smiled. "Thank you, that's considerate of you.'

Lisa served four other customers and exchanged a few pleasantries with them. Then she turned to a table where three girls, who worked in the Millinery Depart ment of Copeland and Lye, were sitting. Ever since she'd found out they worked there, she'd cultivated her acquaintance with them. She'd always been ready with a sympathetic ear to listen to their complaints about their health, their customers, their bosses. Now she felt that the time was ripe to approach them about the possibility of getting a job there. After all the new season's stock would be in and they might need more help. She got her pad and pencil ready and smiled brightly.

'Have you been busy then this morning, ladies? I expect everyone is rushing out to buy their new hats?" The oldest of the trio grimaced. "They've been rushing

out to buy everything, now the weather is changing!' Another one joined in. 'And did you see the one I had? Every hat in the place she tried on and she looked awful in the one she finally chose. It looked like an upturned pudding basin squashed on her head!' The third girl laughed. 'I had one who insisted on having a veil added to a wide-brimmed straw. Can you imagine it? Mind if I had a face like that, I'd want it covered up, too." you,

The older one nudged her. 'Keep your voice down, Kath, he's here again.'

Lisa smiled, although she didn't really approve of the way they made fun of their customers. After all, if there were no customers, none of them would have jobs. But she took a deep breath and under the pretext of brush ing some imaNancyry crumbs from the spotless tablecloth, leaned closer. 'I hope you don't mind, but I was wondering if there are any vacancies - in any department?' she added hastily. You see, ever since I came to Glasgow I've always wanted to work at Copelands. It's such a smart shop.

They all looked at each other with raised eyebrows and, although no one spoke, it seemed to Lisa that there was an invisible barrier between herself and them. 

'You could try the Packing Department,' the elder one said with a trace of amusement in her voice. 'What's that?"

'It's where they pack up all the china and crystal and ornaments to be delivered.'

They were making fun of her and she bit her lip, wishing she'd never spoken at all. Obviously, they thought that she was a cut lower than themselves. She was a mere waitress. "I would have thought you would have been happy with

the job you've got!' another said. 'I am! Are you ready to order?'

When she turned away, Mrs Craig gestured to her to come over and she prayed that she hadn't heard any of the conversation.

'Is there something wrong? A complaint?' Mrs Craig asked.

'No! No, nothing like that! I was just asking them if they would care to try a slice of your new cake, the "special" recipe one, but they weren't interested and I didn't press them.' Lisa leaned closer. 'You should hear what they say about their customers. It's not very nice at all, Mrs Craig!'