Bobby and Jenny

Bobby was in his favourite navy blue tee shirt, making muscles. Jenny was standing by the phone box pretending not to notice. A blue Cortina drove past at speed and honked its horn. Billy Jennings was driving like a wanker as usual. It was the third week of the six weeks’ holidays and most people from the estate were away. Caravans mostly or tents somewhere like Clacton or Southend. Apart from Tony Cotton of course, his mum and dad were rich. They’d gone to Cornwall.

Bobby stopped pretending to be Len Sell and shouted over to Jenny.

“Fancy getting ice cream from the shop?”

Jenny acted cool, but secretly wanted to punch the air with delight. Bobby was the best looking boy on the estate.

“You buying?”

Bobby pulled a ten bob note from his pocket.

“Yep. My treat.”

Jenny shrugged her shoulders.

“I’ll have a Choc Ice then.”

They walked the short distance to Old Megs corner shop in silence. Both not sure what to say. Jenny had never had a REAL boyfriend. The closest she’d got was Reggie Smith. He’d kissed her after the school dance and she thought that meant they were going out. But the next day he ignored her and he’d never spoken to her since. Bobby was a year older than Jenny and was more experienced in the boyfriend/girlfriend department. He’d had three girlfriends so far. Sylvia Thorpe, Sheila Russel and Theresa Rogers. Sheila was the best. She let him touch her bra. Only on the outside of course but he’d got under her jumper which was a first.

He took out two Choc Ices from the Lyons Maid ice cream cabinet and handed one to Jenny. Old Meg the shopkeeper was her usual cheerful self.

“I hope you’ve got the money to pay for them Bobby Wells we don’t do “tick” in here. Something I have to keep telling your mother!”

He looked across at Jenny and grinned. He handed Old Meg his ten bob note in defiance.

“Bloody hell. What your dad won the pools or something?”

Still he didn’t say anything just continued to grin and look at Jenny. The day before he’d borrowed his dads garden shears and gone round the estate asking if anyone wanted their privets cut. He’d ended up with a pocketful of change and a ten bob note from Uncle Bill. He wasn’t his real Uncle of course, but he was a good friend of Mum and Dads and so he was called Uncle Bill. That’s just the way it was. He had about twenty Aunts and Uncles on the estate.

Old Meg looked over at Jenny.

“I hope your mum knows you’re hanging about with the likes of Bobby Wells young lady. Don’t expect she’ll be too pleased about it.”

Bobby took his change, walked over to Jenny and took hold of her hand. Then turned to look at Old Meg.

“She’s my new girlfriend Meg, and I’m taking her to the Wimpy tonight.”

They turned and walked out of the shop hand in hand. Both giggling as they did so.