Me and Firend

He knows where I am. I get a card every year. He knows when my birthday is. I just don’t know where he is quite

I don’t know where anybody is now

Happy birthday darling. My husband used to call me darling. I don’t know where he is either

I never had a husband

You had a lot of men though

I can’t remember any of them though. None of them ever sent me a parcel

It’s for me then!

No! Because sometimes they said they would, and now maybe one of them has. They didn’t put my name on because they forgot it. and that’s understandable because i’ve forgotten theirs.

Do you suppose it could be from one of the.. one of our.. not friends

enemies

one of the others. from there

it could be a bomb

what

it could be! If its from there…. It was just that a lot of men needed me. There was always somebody who was unhappy. there was a steelworker from Wales and he couldn’t make steel anymore because they closed the steelworks. Isn’t that sad? All your life you’re a steelworker, and then you can’t make it anymore. He came to learn to be a teacher. so that he could go back to Wales and start community projects with other unemployed people. he was sat on the bench outside the post office one day and he was crying. I asked him why- it was the steel

I don’t understand that. They still need steel things don’t they?That new fate they put across the road at the hospital. that was made of steel. wasn't it and knives and forks and things

I took him home with me, I can’t remember his name

they all have the same names in Wales, don’t they ?

Its soft, I don’t think it’s a bomb.

If we were back there, we could ask someone. its so difficult to know what to do sometimes

we’ve made lists of decisions. we’ve got the castle and we’ve got our holiday plans. That’s what they said we should do. make plans, you open it

I think I’ll have my sleep now. i’m tired

Beacause it probably is from leighton

its probably from one of your sad people

I’ve always wanted someone to call me a lady

then you open it, because I think you’re a lady. you’re nice to me

do you think so?

Even when I do silly things

I do silly things as well

Everybody does

open it

I’m getting a headache Julia, i’ll have to close my eyes. what are you doing

I’m taking the string off

is it off?

yes. do you want to do a bit

no. tell me the next bit

the paper’s sellotaped down. i’ve got it undone

is the paper off yet

the brown paper is, yes

what is it

there’s some more paper. Tissue paper. Its something red…………. its for you

i’d like to try it on please

Fits like a glove, perfect. exquisite, oh madam, what chance brought you into my shop today

It’s my wedding anniversary

Well, congratulations, just by looking at you, I can tell your husband loves you very much

Can you ?

He adores you, would I be right?

He told me to buy a new dress. He’s taking me out to dinner tonight

He’ll love this one

But it’s Leighton

leighton?

My little boy, he’s not very well. you see. and I don’t want to leave him. I should be so worried, I shouldn’t be able to eat

Oh dear, is there no one else who could sit with him?

The babysitter, of course. but its not the same is it? when you’re a little boy and you’re i’ll, you want your mummy don’t you?

what’s the matter with him

I don’t know, a virus. the doctor says he’s often i’ll you see. and my husband gets cross

thats a shame

It seems like I put Leighton before him I don’t of course I’ve got a very good babysitter but it always seems to happen that Leighton is i’ll just when my husband has organized something. and then he blames him you see and says that he does it on purpose

it’s very difficult being a wife and mother. But It’ll never look as good on anybody else madam. He’ll like you in it

he will, yes. He’ll say “darling you look beautiful”

perhaps your little boy will be feeling better by the time you get back. You’ll be able to leave him with the babysitter and have a wonderful evening. Who’s looking after him now?

He’s asleep, its not far. I came in the car I had to get a dress. You do see? don’t you? my neighbor Mrs Scales she’s looking in for me actually, yes, i’ll have it

i know you’ll be happy in it

they’re supposed to make me happy. My husband and my son

Shall I wrap it?