Returning home 1939

After seeing Arthur off she returned to James and Mary's home

Returning home

May didn’t return to her home straight away; instead she called in at her parents in number 5.

She knocked on the door and went straight in “Hello luv did he get off alright” Mary asked.

“Yes but I wish he could have avoided going. If only he been in a reserved occupation, then things would have been different” she replied.

“Come in and sit down, take the weight off your feet, they must be aching after all that walking, it’s a drag up them hills” referring to the climb up to the railway station and the return trip back up from town to home “I’ll put the kettle on and make us a cup’o tea”

“Thanks I could do with one now, and an extra spoon of sugar., if you can spare it, that is” “Nay lass we aren’t on rationing yet, but its sure to come, you mark my words, things are bound to get bad afore its all over, they said last one would be over bi Christmas, but it went on fer four years”

“Bye this cup of tea is grand mum, it’s just what I needed, that station is a cold draughty place; the wind goes straight through you. What’s Harry up to?

Harry had a few toys at his grans to play with; He had been given a warm drink of tea, and had gone straight to his toy box and was driving a toy car round the furniture and under the table.

May’s father James entered the house “Bye heck it’s a cold un out there. Eee hello luv! He’s gone then, he should be given paper and a pen to send you a letter to say how and where he is; they did with us in 1914. Did you leave a fire burning?

“No dad I didn’t, I thought we had to start saving stuff now, before it begins to get bad. Sort of get used to doing without. From what your lot have told me things will be short but we will have to manage somehow. 'Waste not Want not'; isn't that what they say and keeping the house warm when there is no one in to keep warm, well thats a sort of wast isn't it? So i'm going to try not lighting the fire in the mornings except for heating the water on washing day; other days I can keep warm working”

“Probably right in what you say lass,”

“Right I’m off round to light your fire for you before I begin to get warm in here. Give us your key lass. I’ll light it and wait a while till it gets going, then put the fire guard up, after I’ve put cover of ash on top to stop it burning away” May offered him her house key. He picked up May’s house key and left.

The two women got on making tea; a boiled ham salad with a thin covering of grated cheese followed with tinned pears and condensed milk. They had just finished the preparation and laid the table when James returned “Fires going well, I put some ash over to keep in from burning away too quick; By that looks a good spread, Nobody would now that we were heading for shortages”

Mary replied “We can make the most of it while we can, who knows when it will hit of for how long; the last was supposed to be over by the Christmas but it lasted four years. Bring Harry’s chair over then we can all sit and have tea”

James said “I’ll put the wireless on for the news while we have tea”

When tea was over; May and Mary cleared the table while, James sat and read the evening paper

Mary asked “have you thought of how we should organise things now?

May “How do you mean? I have the house to run even though there are just two of us. I intend to keep things as normal as possible”

Yes I know that love; but I just thought we could save a bit if we combined forces. You could have a meal or two round here. You know one kettle to make the drinks, and to wash up it would be company for you at meal times; just have a think about it.

Well yes there is some sense in that; I will give it some thought

James chipped in “I have three draws, so something has come from today; not much though I should find out tomorrow how much it worth. I’ll put a bit o’coal on’t fire; then we can listen to In Town Tonight and Itma before you go home.

When the Itma show ended May didn’t go home to No1 but stayed to listen to Geraldo’s dance programme; wishing that her beloved Arthur could be there to swing her around the dance floor as he used to; still there would be so many other lasses in the same boat, they just had grin and bear it.

Turning to Harry “Come on 'Sleepy head' lets get you to bed. Its been a tiring day, we could both do with a good nights sleep” thinking 'would she be able to sleep tonight on her own'

“Lets say your prayers”

“Dear Jesus thank you for today; daddy went away, keep him safe and let him come home soon; God bless daddy; mummy; granny; granddad keep them all safe”

The fire had almost burnt out so may decided to go to bed herself ; 'no need to build it up again for the short time before bed, so save fuel and turn in now'

Once in bed it felt so big and empty with no one to cuddle up to for warmth and comfort.

Wild Rose

March 2019

Reviews

[Einstein Noodle]

the time period holds a lot of admiration, respect and nostalgia for me ..even tho I was not alive at that time (i'm a baby boomer;)..the War had profound effects upon me .. my Da was in the 10th Cavalry which was actually a tank division during the War ... and going to the movies there was always a news clip about America's part .. the victories and losses ... and I have read enough to have empathy for the sacrifices made by those at home .. the rations ... the bonds ... all the women who went to work in the factories building the air planes etc. ..so i slipped into your scene easily .. i would like more on the country, town and complex they live in ... i have the language and the #1 and #5 as clues ... but i want more details about that ... i think using her walk to the train station to see her husband off builds an emotive quality of .. its only just started .. its sad and going to be empty around here .. and will get worse most likely ... which i think you do a good job of maintaining through the story ... i like the description of the meal they had ... and how the Da went to put a fire on at May's home ... the scene is strong .. a family as the War is beginning ... the effects already drawing people together for strength and hope ...i want more detail on the setting ...overall... i enjoyed reading :) great story history to draw and expand on
E.

[Wild Rose]

Gran da was invalided out of WWI & has bits of shrapnel working out of his back for the rest of his life

Today May is coming to terms of being a 'lone parent'
Waking in bed alone with a cold space where Arthur should be > coming to terms and getting on with life

Please if you think I have either missed out on some detail or put in too much just let me know

[Einstein Noodle]

is this story drawn from your own life and family then?

[Wild Rose]

yes > I have read so much drivvle about how things were
I just thought I could have my say > After all Iwas there (3 YO at the beginning)

[Einstein Noodle]

wow ... the details such as you Gran Da and his wounds are "stuff" i was looking for .. with such vivid family history that is yours .. i think those details would really add ... God bless them eh!?

[Wild Rose]

I aim at sending the results to my late sister daughter in NZ she has no knowledge e of out family history

[Coyote Poetry]

Hello dear friend. I am catching-up. I am semi-retired and reading up a storm. I loved the story. Old fashion views and thoughts. Thank you for sharing the amazing chapter.
Coyote

[Wild Rose]

Old fashioned > aye lad they are now > I try to keep things as they were at the time -Our dads were all going away Mum relyed on Grandad now for lots of things - then during the air raids we slept at their house (two door away)[Still to write]

[Coyote Poetry]

Hello my friend. I look forward to reading more.

[Christoph]

Is this the start? I'm not sure what order to read these in.

I'm going to wait to find that out before I go deeper with it.

But, as a preliminary review of a snippet, this feels very authentic.

I wound up reading the first half of it over a second time in a thick accent, which I think should be Scottish, but it was kind of Saoirse Ronan.

Anyway,

Cool.

[Wild Rose]

Thank you for a great study of this chapter
Previous one is called 'The departure' where may & Harry go with Arthur to the Rail station to see him off the join the RAF
Accent is West Yorkshire
I have a few dialect writings > Look for 'More on dialect' . 'Why do teachers talk posh?'

[wordman]

this is a great story,reminded me of the weekly readers we had in school

[Wild Rose]

Thanks > Now dad had left, for how long?

[wordman]

4 years,,you`re welcome

[Wild Rose]

He returned home in early 1945

[wordman]

well you know i have blurred vision from the surgery
but i read it all,i always do

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

i cant tell you how happy I am that you sent this to me to read. I loved it and felt i was there back in the 30s. I was born in 1959 proud to say im 60 so did miss those years but did hear a lot from mum and Dad and grandfather whom we called Da.
I love this and cannot wait to read more thankyou

[Wild Rose]

Thank you Julie This is actually part of a book/story
'Harry Worth story of wartime childhood'
I will send you a request for the parts that are already written and posted > Back to the time of the depression - when May and Arthur met