S HOUT 3 9 LOCAL STORIES, POEMS, HISTORY, ARTICLES AND MEMORIES. THIS EDITION OF “SHOUT” MAGAZINE HAS BEEN PRODUCED IN COLLABORATION WITH QUARRYDALE SCHOOL WHOSE STAFF AND PUPILS HAVE PROVIDED HELP WITH CONTENT, LAYOUT, DISTRIBUTION AND ADMINISTRATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY “SHOUT” IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE AT: www.stantonhill.co.uk THE CONTENT OF THIS MAGAZINE REMAINS THE PROPERTY OF THE AUTHORS AND MAY NOT BE COPIED OR REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM WITHOUT THE WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE CONTRIBUTOR AND THE EDITORIAL TEAM. THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS MAGAZINE DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE VIEWS OF THE EDITORIAL TEAM. FROM CLARET TO A RUSTY DUDLEY PART THREE Next morning Steve was woken from a restless sleep by a soft tap on his door he hurried to open it and found his Mother standing there, ‘Come in Mum’ he said. She came into the room and gave Steve a gentle smile. ‘This is it then, all those years together and here we are alone in a strange house’ ‘It will be alright Mum’ replied Steve ‘I quite like it here it is a humble sort of life but the people are not bad, in fact I believe they are really good and kind’ ‘Well that’s as may be’ said Evelyn ‘It just seems such a change after what we have always known. To be thrust into all this and you have not even thought about the work yet! What will it be like, down in those dungeon like mines with people that you don’t know at all well, it just seems too scary to even contemplate.’ ‘Well I shall find out about that tomorrow when I go to see the manager Mr.Moncur, so Tom tells me, I have no idea how I shall get there I’ll probably ask Tom if he will take me down. What would you like to do?’ ‘Well I could stay here or go and catch the train home’ ‘Mum, it breaks my heart to see you go, but I think that it would be the best thing, if you stay tonight you will only be more and more worried especially if you meet more people who you feel are not your sort. There is a lot for you to do in London, the house needs looking after, Robert can’t manage long without you, he will have forgotten his orders and goodness knows what Betty will be up to. They need you there and the house needs you! I have looked up the train timetable and there is a train at six thirty from here it gets into Nottingham at half past seven and from there, there is a direct train to St Pancras.’ ‘I suppose that you are right Steven’ Evelyn sighed ‘It’s just that you and I have never been parted since you were born and it is so difficult for me to abandon you amongst these strangers.’ ‘Are you alright up there? ‘Grandma’s voice broke the silence that had descended after Evelyn’s last remark. ‘We are just sorting out our plans for the day’. ‘Right ho’ called Grandma ‘Goodness that woman!! If they are all like her.. She just never stops and when she laughs, the house seems to rock! ‘She’s fine, a very good hearted soul I think’ ‘Yes but she’s..’ ‘Mum’ Steve interrupted her, ‘She understands you perfectly, she is wise in her way and sees more than she lets on, she knows how uncomfortable you are feeling in these surroundings’ ‘ I am uncomfortable Steve’ cried Evelyn ‘I’m uncomfortable with the whole situation, I am uncomfortable that a chance ballot has brought you to this, it would almost feel better if you had been sent to the front line!! ‘Well Mum it doesn’t matter now, what has to be has to be. Let’s go downstairs and see what’s happening.’ Together they went down the steep staircase and joined Tom and the family in the dining room. ‘Now lad what’s it to be tonight, Pictures or t’Miners?’ asked Tom (CONTINUED OVER) 2 (CONTINUED) ‘Sorry?’ ‘For a drink wi t’lads’ ‘No thanks I am taking Mum out for the morning to have a look at the local sights and then to the station ‘said Steve ‘after that I think I’ll have an early night’ Barbara kindly made up a picnic with some of the food left over from the previous night and although his mother eyed it dubiously, Steve smiled and thanked her. ‘Are you ready Mum?’ Evelyn and Steven spent the day wandering through the country lanes that surrounded the Hill. Even her Ladyship had to admit that beyond the terraced houses that made up the village, there was a great natural beauty and when they walked past the pit yard she was delighted by a glimpse of Hardwick Hall standing high on its hill, the many windows glinting in the sunlight. Returning to the Andersons, Steve picked up his mother’s luggage. ‘Well good bye then gal ‘said Gran and Tom shook Evelyn by the hand ‘He will be fine with us you know and I will look after him’ he said gently ‘Yes and we’ll make sure we feed him well so he won’t be as thin as a rake when you get him back!’ Grandma announced Tom’s wife was washing pots in the kitchen, she dried her hands and sensing the others distress, put out her hand to Evelyn. ‘He will be fine you know don’t worry, it could be a lot worse, you can come and stay here any time you want to, just drop us a line to let us know’ ‘I do not even know the proper address’ muttered Evelyn ‘Well that’s easy enough to put right, I’ll write it down and give you the telephone number of Mr. Miller who lives up the road, you can also get him through the Union box at the pit, Tom will give you that number.’ ‘Thank you that will be good’ Barbara gave Evelyn a quick hug feeling the woman trembling and knowing that at any moment she could break down in tears. ‘Have you got all your luggage then?’ ‘Yes thank you so much’ said Evelyn Steve opened the door and they stepped out into the street. ‘Seems like a nice evening’ ‘Doesn’t it’ said Evelyn ‘I still don’t understand why everyone has to sit outside though!’ ‘Well it’s probably a custom’ replied Steve Evelyn could feel all eyes on them both and Steven noticed a girl walking down the street, she had bright red hair, for a moment their eyes met, hers were the brightest blue he had ever seen. She knocked sharply on the Anderson’s door and went inside. The piano on the end cart was still playing away despite most of the children having gone indoors. The operator was still hoping for a few more customers before he packed up for the night. ‘Any jingle guv?’ He asked ‘I’ve a fair selection of melodies from all times anything you fancy.’ ‘No thanks’ Steve said, but he felt in his pocket and found a couple of pennies to put in the man’s bucket. ‘Thanks very much’ the man cried ‘And that’s without even playing a note!!’ They walked slowly to the top of the street. ‘Are you hungry Mum?’ asked Steve ‘Even if I am, there doesn’t seem to be an abundance of good restaurants around here!’ (CONTINUED OVER) Arden Foot Care Foot Care in the Privacy of your own Home, foot Soak, Toe nails, hard skin smoothed & Foot massage £20 Calluses and Corns removed £25 Reflexology £25 phone numberCall: - Sally 07543063599 Facebook: - Arden Body Beautiful 3 (CONTINUED) ‘There is the Fish and Chip shop over the road.’ ‘No thank you I will wait and get some sandwiches on the train, I don’t want to be bothersome,’ An uncomfortable silence enveloped them as they walked down past the pit cottages, reached the bottom of the hill and turned into the station yard. Sitting on a seat on the platform Evelyn turned to Steve ’It’s strange that we have to wait to say goodbye before we can say anything of consequence to each other.’ she said ’I know Mum ‘It’s not just about you being comfortable, it’s about you being somewhere that you belong Steven and I feel as if,,,,.’ She faltered ‘What do you feel Mum’ Steve asked ‘I feel that I am losing you, that you will not be the Steven that I have known when I see you again. The people here are so different and this is bound to have an effect on you. ‘The tears started in her eyes and she blinked them away hastily. ‘Well whatever the effect it doesn’t change the fact that you are my Mother and always will be, nothing will ever change that.’ said Steve grasping her hand tightly in his. The train pulled into the station. ‘Nottingham Victoria’ called the guard. Evelyn climbed aboard and smiled a watery smile at her son. ‘I’ll write every day with all my news’ said Steve. ‘See that you do’ said his mother. ‘Come and visit when you can, don’t stay in London dwelling on things! Oh and get Betty to write too.’ ‘But she’s not family she won’t be able to’ ‘Mother she has been with us so long that she feels like family.’ ‘Well we will see’ Evelyn said as she gave her son a gentle kiss on the cheek.