Lingard194Chapter 20Lingard Estate1972Linen Hall LibraryThursday, March 10, 2016TIFFLingard194ManuscriptJob, BanterEnglishhttps://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard194Linen Hall LibraryLinen Hall LibraryAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SAhttps://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard194_1.jpgLHL Archive185
CHAPTER TWENTY
Brede finished cutting the sandwiches and putlaid them inis a platsic
lunch box. Her mother was pouring tea from a the kettle into a
thermos flask. Her face was hot and flushed. Her eyes were on the
golden brown stream of liquid, watching carefully that not a drop
would spill, but her mind was on something else. Her eldest son
was going away.
She covered the stopper with greaseproof paper, pushed it in to
the neck of the flask. She looked round at her husband. He sat at
the table in his shirt-sleeves, reading the evening papxer, scratching
his head. He had tried to talk Kevin out of going away, but not very
convincingly. He knew that Kevin could not wander the streets
indefiniately without a job. besides, the streets were no place to
wander these days. And it was not the first time a family had seen
one of its children cross the water to Egnland to get work.
Kevin came in to the kitchen inwearing his suit. She had bought it for
him two years back for church-going. He had broadened since then
and now it pulled across his shoulders. His mother pulledtooka hand-
kerchief from her overall pocket and blew her nose.
He put his hands on her shoulders, and said "Hey, come on now," he said "
it's not that bad. I'll be back to see you in no time at all.
Anyway, I thought you'd be glad to be rid of me for a while."
"One less shirt to wash and iron," said Brede, trying to fall in
with his xbanter.
"One less mouth to feed," said Kevin.
TextJoan LingardTuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:521039Lingard195Chapter 20Lingard Estate1972Linen Hall LibraryThursday, March 10, 2016TIFFLingard195ManuscriptLiverpool, LondonEnglishhttps://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard195Linen Hall LibraryLinen Hall LibraryAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SAhttps://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard195_1.jpgLHL Archive186
"And a big one at that," said rede.
"I'll be sending you money too," said Kevin.
"You'll need to get a job first," said his father.
"I’m not worried about that. They're all waiting for me over
there to land." Kevin patted his mother's shoulder and walked over to the mirror andto straightened
his tie. He hated wearing a tie and seldom did, but it would please
his mother to see him departing in a suit and tie, neat and respect-
able, and a credit to her.
"Better not be thinking the streets of Liverpool are paved with
gold," said Mr McCoy. "I hear there's plenty out of work there too"
"Who said anything about Liverpool?" Kevin gave the tie a final
twist. "I might go to London."
"London?" said Mrs McCoy doubtfully, for the sound of that was
worse than Liverpool which could be reached by only crossing over a
stretch of water. "It's a/big city."
"The x bigger the better! There, how do I xxxx look?"
"The girls of London wll fall about when they see you," said
Brede.
"Aye, they'll likely think I'm a right looking eejit." He
laughed, and so did Brede.
He glanced quickly at the red and cream kitchen clock on the
dresser. His mother's eyes swivelled to it too.
"I'll have to be off, Ma."
She nodded. She set the plastic box of sandwiches and flask on the
table. "Have you room for them in your case?"
TextJoan LingardTuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:521040Lingard196Chapter 20Lingard Estate1972Linen Hall LibraryThursday, March 10, 2016TIFFLingard196ManuscriptCompany, ChildrenEnglishhttps://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard196Linen Hall LibraryLinen Hall LibraryAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SAhttps://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard196_1.jpgLHL Archive187
"Thanks, Ma." He lifted his case on to the table, opened it and
put in the food. His mother fussed over the fladk, insisting on
wrapping it in a napkin in case itthe tea would leak out over his clothes.
"Your Uncle Albert would have run you to the boat," said Mr McCoy.
"I didn't want any fuss."
"It doesn't seem right to be setting off from homegoing away without one
of your family to see you off," said Mrs McCoy.
"Would x you not like me to come with you, Kevin?" asked Brede.
"I'd just as soon go alone."
"O.K."
"You could walk down the street with me though."
She reached for her coat that hung on the back of the door. Mr
McCoy stood up. He cleared his throat.
"You'll write?" he said.
"As soon as I'm settled."
"Watch the company you keep,and don't do anything rash." Mr McCoy
put his hand in his pocket. "Here's an extra fiver. You might need
it." When Kevin protested, he pushed the note in to his hand. "Go
on , take it. It's not often you get the chance of a fiver from me.
And< oOne of these days I'll maybe be in need of one myself and then I'll
come to you then."
"I'll keep you in comofrt in your old age, Da."
"Aye, that'd be right!" Mr McCoy held out his ahdnhand to his son.
Kevin. "Good luck then, son."
"Thanks, Da." Kevin took his father's hand.
"Brede," said Mrs McCoy "Call the children and tell them Kevin's
TextJoan LingardTuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:521041Lingard197Chapter 20Lingard Estate1972Linen Hall LibraryThursday, March 10, 2016TIFFLingard197ManuscriptRafferty, BredeEnglishhttps://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard197Linen Hall LibraryLinen Hall LibraryAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SAhttps://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard197_1.jpgLHL Archive183
leaving."
"Kevin's leaving." The call went down the street; the children
came running.
Kevin kissed his mother in the hall. She would cry after he had
gone but her eyes were dry now. She told him to see that he got
enough food to eat and to make sure that he found digs with a comfortable
bed and she hoped if possible he would find a place in a good
Catholic family.
"Don't worry, I'll be all right."
"Good luck to you Kevin" she said, and went back into the kitchen and closed the door.
A crowd of children were jumping up and down on the pavement.
"It's lucky you are going away on a boat," said Gerald.
"Don't I know it?" said Kevin.
Brede waited for him a few yards further down the street. She
stood with her a hands bunched into the pockets of her coat.
"Good-bye then, kids! Good bye Ma. Good-bye, Da."
"Good-bye, Kevin."
They called and waved until he was half-way down the street. He
walked backwards waving his arm. And then he truned to Brede and
said, "Let's walkgo quickly now."
Mrs Rafferty was standing on the opposite pavement. "Is that you for
off then, Kevin? Off to make your fortune, eh?"
"You never know, do you, Mrs Rafferty?" Brede called back.
When they rounded the corner and Kevin stopped. He put down the case. "You don't need to
come any further, Brede. I want to go the rest of the way myself.
You don't mind?"
TextJoan LingardTuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:521042Lingard198Chapter 20Lingard Estate1972Linen Hall LibraryThursday, March 10, 2016TIFFLingard198ManuscriptSuitcase, ShipEnglishhttps://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard198Linen Hall LibraryLinen Hall LibraryAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SAhttps://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard198_1.jpgLHL Archive189
"Of course not." She gave him a little smile" Well, Kevin, I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too. You'll write and tell me how everybody is?
And if there's anything wrong you must let me know. Promise?"
She promised. TheyShe kissed one anotherhim quickly on the cheek and then she ran
back round the corner, out of sight.
He picked up the suitcase and set off again. Ahead, at the entrance
to the scrapyard, he saw Kate MaloneKelly. She was leaning against the
gate post watching him. As he came nearer she straightened up and
walkedcame towards him.
"Can I speak to you, Kevin?"
"I've nothing to say to you."
"I just wanted to say I was sorry. I must have made a mistake
about that box." She was walking beside him now in the direction of
the bus stop:. He lenghtned his stride.
"You don't expect me to believe that!"
"Well, actuallyto be honest... Brian Rafferty made me. I wouldn't have told
the lie otherwise."
"Made you?" As he spoke he realised that he d was not interested
in what she had to say. It was all of it behind him now, Kate and
Brian Rafferty and the beatings up and the bombs. He was heading out
for something new. For the first time since deciding to go away he
felt excitement stir inside him.
He saw a bus coming along the main road. "Goodbye, Kate," he said
and ran to meet it.
The ships' funnels stood loomed up behind the sheds. He sniffed
TextJoan LingardTuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:521043Lingard199Chapter 20Lingard Estate1972Linen Hall LibraryThursday, March 10, 2016TIFFLingard199ManuscriptLiverpool, ShipEnglishhttps://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard199Linen Hall LibraryLinen Hall LibraryAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SAhttps://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard199_1.jpgLHL Archive190
in the exciting smell of the docks, a mixture of sea and oil and
sacks. He walked, swinging his case, enjoying the bustle and
movement around him.
Standing beside the Liverpool shed was D Sadie. He ran the last
few yards to reach her.
"So you managed to come and see me off?"
"Did you think I wouldn’t?"
"No."
"Anyway, I haven't come to see you off. I'm coming with you."
He was looking at her in amazement. She added anxiously, "You don't
mind, do you?"
"Mind?" He put down his suitcase and lifted her up and whirled
her round till she was breathless with laughter. "That's the best
news I've had in months.B But where's your luggage?"
"I couldn't walk out of the house with a case could I now?
You'll have to take me as I stand. But I've bought my ticket."
She took the piece of paper from her pocket and held it out.
"Come on then," said Kevin. "What are we waiting for?"
"Nothing," said Sadie. "Nothing at all."
KevinHe took her hand and together they walked across the shed
to the white, waiting ship.
TextJoan LingardTuesday, September 6, 2016 - 11:051044