Bill's Festival Fling

Bill stood in a pool of near-painful brightness after emerging from the mine shaft. The day, which had not yet begun when he had gone underground, had turned into a fine one. The sun moved perceptibly closer every day now, only occasionally bobbing behind high white clouds. He wouldn’t need his coat as he walked home. He went to collect the heavy donkey jacket from the peg and searched the pockets for a handkerchief. He filled the grey piece of cloth with a dust and grit filled mucus, then draped the jacket over his snap tin and walked on towards the gates. He could now smell the approaching summer.

“Week’s holiday for you now isn’t it Bill?” An older miner began to walk in step with him.

“Yep, a whole week with the sun on my back.”

“Aye.  Don’t waste the week laying in your bed, letting your poor old Ma wait on you.”

“I won’t.  In fact I’ve got a trip to London all planned out.  Two bus tickets booked for the Festival.”

“Oh, the Festival is it? Peggy’s sister went when it first opened.  Not stopped talking about it since.  Still, it makes a change from hearing all about her ankles. Funny how she managed to walk all the way around this here dome but she can’t manage to stand by the kettle and make you a cup of tea when you visit.”

“Oh aye.  Moaning Mary isn’t it.  Bless the old soul.”

Both men rattled out a laugh.  They turned into Coppice Hill and began the steep climb up into town. Bill slowed his step so that George wouldn’t be left behind.

“I’ve got a problem, mind you George. Who do I give the other ticket to? I’m stuck between two women.”

“Go on then, who’s the lucky pair God help them?”

“Well first of all there’s Jackie Hargreaves.  Now I’ve been out with her on a few Sundays.  We’ve been to Bankworth Park for picnics and walks and the like.  And what a looker she is, I feel right proud to have her on my arm.”

“Well, she’s a classy girl. Always well turned out and her Father’s got a bit of dough.  His shop does well, you know.”

“I do know.  And that’s the trouble with this one.  She’s costly. She’s been used to getting everything that she wants so she’s a dear do everytime we go anywhere. Ice creams, cups of tea in the café…can you imagine how much that’d cost me in London? She wouldn’t stand for sandwiches on the bus.”

“Ah.  Yes, I can see that would be the case with her.  And don’t even think of going and marrying a lass like that.  It’d be the road to misery.  So who’s the other?”

“Barbara Jackson.”

George puffed out his whiskered cheeks and blew sympathetically.  “How’ve you got yourself mixed up with her?”

“She comes in the Feathers sometimes and I’ve ended up buying her a couple of drinks. She knows how to enjoy herself and she cheers you up when you’ve had a rough day.  I know people talk about her but she’s alright underneath it all.”

“Well, I suppose she didn’t get a right good start in life, her father clearing off like that wasn’t her fault. “

“Exactly.  She’d be good company.  Not shy of a sing song on the bus and she’d be happy with a pie and a bottle of stout.”

“Perhaps you’re the one who can sort her out then, lad.  Good luck to you.  You might need to get her to smarten herself up though.  Only the other day my Peggy said that she looked like she was wearing a potato sack.”

“Perhaps I ought to buy her a new frock.”

“Listen at him, money to burn!”

The two men reached George’s house and paused by the passageway. George took his cap off and rubbed the sweat from his forehead.

“I think you should take Barbara. Giver her the trip of a lifetime, she needs it more than Jackie.”

Bill nodded.  “Right-oh George.  I’ll surprise her in the Feathers later.”

“She’s a lucky girl.”