FAMILY FRAGMENTS - Teatime at Dottie & Reg's

'She can be right odd.......  other day she wer out, shopping in Demaines, fura loaf a bread, cake and the like. So she'd not gone far, just round corner. and you'd a thought she'd a left a chip pan on. Elsie says she ran out of her shop fast as a bullet, came back five minutes later as if nothin happened. All flushed in face, rasping breathin, but not a word of explanation.'

'Ah, but Mum, when I wer round there last week. I found a pan in the kitchen bin with a hard boiled eggs cremated in bottom that looked like the water ad boiled completely dry. She is gettin forgetful.'

'Well, you can't say its cos she spends too much time on her own. Ida wer sayin to me that recently she's been round hers at sometime, almost every day - every day! When yr best friend starts complaining, sumats not right'

'Being on your own after living all your life with you're Mother, it must be quite a change.... do you think she's OK?'

'Its always hard to tell with her, you'd think after all those years of being Mother's carer it would be liberating....... Its become quite a regular thing for her to conveniently turn up just that little bit before lunch or teatime, never after it starts, cos that would be to intrude. Its not that she can't afford to feed herself. Pensions way more generous than mine. She's done this a lot to us..... a lot - aint she Reg.?'

'I - she knew our Brenda wer coming round for tea last Satday, so who turns up half hour afore teatime, little miss Maureen.  Always bringing something thoughtful for our Dot, a knitting pattern , wool or cake from chapel bezzare. 'Oh, are you about to ave tea', she'll say all innocent like. Expectin I'll be kind and ask er to stay,  If am feelin that way out I just say 'I we are' and leave it at that. You should see look on er face. But I don't like it when our generosity is taken for granted.'

'She knows you and our Harold are here, so she'll be boobin up here afore long......Anyway, what'd you fancy for tea, I've gotta bit a ham, pork pie or corned beef, all with a bita salad, I don't quite stretch to making  quiche yet ... not over fond o foreign food are we Reg?. 

'No, we aren't, pasta!- egh!- tasteless baby food'

'Made a fruit cake this morning cos I knew u wer comin '

'Ham sounds all right to me....your brother will eat anything you put in front of him......won't you?

'Eh?.....Am easy'

'The cake your Mum's recipe?'

'Tis'

'Mother were good at bakin, but cookin food, Sunday roasts and the like, well, they were always bit spartan, never looked as though there wer much on plate shall we say'

'Not just the plates wer cold either! '

'I think she niver quite got over rationing'

'She could always make room for a cake, like everyone else in this family'

I'll plate up some ham later on .. do you want a cuppa now or after?

I'm fair partched Mum, I could down a quick cuppa tea, then I'll be headin off. Steve's mindin kids, but he has a job to go round and cost up'

'Aren't you stoppin to see your Auntie Maureen ?'

'No Dad, I get more than my share of her round mine too you know'

'But first thing she'll say will be, 'our Julie not here then?' and throw her self in that armchair, little legs stickin out like a dolls'

'Oooh, stop it Reg, be kind'

We wouldn't mind a cuppa tea, would we Harold'

'I'

'He'll have cake too'

How is yr Mum Joan?'

Still fine, settling in to the home, its difficult for anyone, but at her age'

'Loosing yr independence must be hard'

'Well, she's never any trouble, she's always there sitting in the same armchair, every time we go, chatting, smiling away, not a care in the world.'

'Must be a relief for you to know she's been looked after so well'

'Tis'

'Must dash Mum, great to see you all.... Bye'

'Such a credit to you both.'

'She's been very helpful to Maureen, pops round see how shes' doin, often does shoppin in town for er. Not that Maureen shows appreciation.......she's not really the grateful type. To be fair, she has helped Julie out with the kids occasionally. Brings all her Brown Owl experience to bear' 

'Whether they like it or not'

'Do you think she has any plans for that house?'

'Well, strictly speaking whole family owns it. We agreed she can live there for as long as she wants. She's hardly altered anything as yet, just occasionally runs up a new pair o curtains n matchin cushions.'

'Still can't tear her away from her sewing machine then?'

Oh no Joan, she'll regularly appear in something she ran up overnight. She never were a great sleeper even when she were younger, so she does a lot of it late at night. Good job Mother were deaf, must drive her neighbours bonkers'

'Sewin yourself a wardrobe runs in family. Auntie Edith used to make her own cloths. She'd make some right garish concoctions. We dreaded what she'd come dressed in to our wedding, didn't we Reg.'

'Pink and green, like a carnation, if I remember rightly.'

'Her colour choices were there 'inspired by nature'.......(sarcastically) so she said....I think she were colour blind actually'

'U oh, I can see her, she's at the crossroads. Get out an extra plate Dottie, she'll be with us soon,'

'Is she bringing owt with er?'

'I, she's weighed down wi a bag. We know what she'll have got in that'

'How old is Maureen now?'

'Seventy one, still cracks a fair walking pace though. 

'You letting er in' Reginald' - seen as your such bosom pals?'

'If you insist'

(the door bell rings, followed by prolonged muffled conversation )

'You can leave yr coat there if you like Maureen'

'Oooo its still a bit parky,  not quite Spring weather yet'

'You look a bit flushed Maureen, you alright'

'I - I'm not on short list for heaven yet Dottie. Hello Joan... Harold.......Our Julie not ere then?'

'You just missed her....had to rush home'

'That a new dress, not seen it afore.'

'It's a bit o fabric I originally got for Mother's bedroom, couldn't see it go to waste'

'Looks ......warm'

Well, am fair sweating from walk-in up that hill at the moment..... You've ad a cuppa then?'

'Mhu, there's more if you want some'

'If its no trouble.....You heading back tu Lincolnshire later Joan?'

'After Teatime'

'You can't travel anywhere on n empty stomach, I say'

'Is that so?'

'Well, it ruins yr concentration, so I read in People's Friend'

'Good job you've not got far to walk home then.'

'Reg! pass the cake round'

'Brought a couple a recent photo albums for you to look at Joan. Summer hols and what av yu.'

'Oh, you put us to shame Maureen, we've had ours printed for ages but Harold hasn't had time to do much, have you Harold?'

'No, I gotta a list o stuff June wants doi....'

'Gardens in such a mess after the Winter, he doesn't know where to start do you love?'

'No'

'I come very low down the priority list these days. His daughter's needs get more attention than mine.'

'She havin work done then?'

'He's making her a new set of gates.'

'Like yours?'

'Similar.... aren't they Harold'

'But blue'

'Well, you'll want to be havin your meal soonish, I guess'

'There's no hurry, its a while yet before we need to go, isn't?'

'What?'

'What time do we need to leave by?'

'Bout six,'

'Well, I'll plate up sooner rather than later.... you stoppin are you Maureen?'

'If its n bother, wouldn't mind'

'Noooo....its no bother.....(quietly to herself)  more the merrier'

'Is that cuppa tea comin anytime soon, am fair gaggin here'

'Sorry Maureen, not bein an attentive host am I'

'Now the photos in that folder are all from a coach tour holiday with Ida in the Summer'

'Looks like you had good weather Maureen. We love Devon and Cornwall, even though its a long drive down. Its hard on you isn't it Harold?....... Harold!'

'What?'

'The drive down to Devon, you find it hard'

'Alright, if you tek it steady'

'But you drive a lot when we are there too luv'

'Its n bother'

'All I'm saying is you never get yourself a break'

'Its not a problem'

'Well it might be for me Harold should you die young like your Father did'

'Agh! stop yr mithering'

'Have you heard anymore about hospital appointment Maureen, you hadn't heard last we spoke?'

'Next month - 23rd,'

'Your throat still sounds really sore

'I - its n better....... a cuppa tea helps!'

'Its coming .....(as she walks into the kitchen) Have they said what might be wrong?'

'Not specifically, that's what tests are for.

'That must be a worry for you'

Well, I keep miself busy, sewin..... visiting friends, being out n about keeps you from dwellin on it.

( an awkward pause  )

I've brought some left over wool. I've been havin a bit of a clear out, if its any use to you Dottie.....or Joan, seein as yr here'

Very kind of you Maureen, I've got too much unused in a cupboard at home already.'

'I haven't time for knitting at the mo, could take it to next chapel jumble sale'

'Well, I could do that if av a mind...........is that tea makin happenin, or should I go boil kettle miself?'

'Coming up right now'

( from the kitchen the sound of crockery breaking )

'You OK Dottie? Want a hand?