Scrap 55

SCRAP 55
‘You in the dog house again?’ Scotty has slept in the truck since returning from the London markets in the early hours of the morning and Frank has only just got back from Gateshead at 6am and is way down the queue for loading. ‘Time for a cuppa before you start?’ Scotty always has time for a cup of tea and follows his pal to the canteen where Ivy has been for half an hour preparing for the day. ‘Two teas and two full breakfasts please Ivy; this one needs some cheering up.’ Ivy glances at Scotty’s glum face and gives him one of her biggest toothless grins. She pours the tea and says she will give them a shout when the food is ready.
Taking their seats near one of the lukewarm radiators they light up cigarettes and take sips of the tea. ‘What have you done this time?’ asks Frank. ‘All I did was try to help out,’ moans Scotty. I couldn’t find any clean boiler suits so I thought I’d get them all together and bung them in the washing machine. How was I to know it would get all garmed up? I was really pleased with myself when they came out looking clean. I stuck them on the line and went down the docks to load up thinking Dawn would be well impressed.’ Frank looks puzzled, ‘and she wasn’t?’ Scotty shakes his head; ‘she went mental. Soon as I got home she flew at me, waving her undies in my face and screaming that I’d ruined all her smalls. Seems she didn’t see my boiler suits on the line when she put her load of undies in the machine and all the grease from them had been lurking somewhere in the machine. It was all over her best frillies. How was I to know I should have put my things on a boil wash? I just chucked in some powder and turned on the machine.’
Frank sympathises, as he committed a similar crime with his Ma’s old twin tub. ‘Women are too particular with their laundry,’ he commiserates, ‘they complain if you don’t help out with the chores and they complain when you do; you can’t win.’ Scotty agrees, ‘now I’ve had to fork out fifty quid for her to go and buy new ones. If you ask me it’s just another excuse to go shopping with her mother, the old witch.’
Ivy calls out that the breakfasts are ready and the two get stuck in, silent for a few moments. ‘Did you know that Ken and Pauline have bought that launderette on the High Street?’ Asks Frank. ‘They put one of those self-service dry cleaning machines in. I bet we could get all our boiler suits in that. Next week we’ll give it a go. We can’t have Dawn in a bad mood, especially if she’s back on speaking terms with her mother.’
Fortified by the breakfast and two Mars bars, the pals eventually get their lorries loaded and ready for the market deliveries. Frank has decided that Scotty should have the ‘extra’ pallet of oranges, much to the annoyance of the stevedore, who is certain he checked every one. Frank smiles to himself as yet again his mathematical skills have resulted in triumph for the common working man and at least £40 each will be coming their way courtesy of Solly Golding up at Borough.
Later when Frank is filling the diesel tank at the Gull service station on the A249 he is chatting to Pam about the various bits of gossip he has picked up. Pam’s face goes bright pink when he mentions the name of Harry Tobin, which is just the reaction he expected as he has heard the two of them have been having secret meetings out at Harty Ferry when Pam’s husband has been away on business.
Pam’s husband has three filling stations in the area and often stays overnight at one or other of them, supposedly taking care of business. Pam is fully aware of the type of business he gets up to and has decided that two can play at that game. However, Dave Barton is a jealous man and it would not be good if he discovered that his wife also was playing away. It would also not be good for Harry Tobin, who despite being a big man is not as tough as he looks and would certainly come off worse at the wrong end of a shotgun.
‘You should be careful about spreading rumours Frank,’ warns Pam, ‘you must have heard the phrase: ‘don’t shoot the messenger.’ Frank puts on his best faux innocent look. ‘I wouldn’t breathe a word,’ he assures her, ‘anyway; those with nothing to hide have nothing to fear. I wasn’t referring to you and Harry Tobin, by the way, I was thinking of someone entirely different.’
Pam is hot with embarrassment. She is not accustomed to feeling flustered in the company of the likes of Frank Ridley. Is he trying to warn her that Dave is on to her? Maybe this is Frank’s clumsy way of letting her know she could be in danger. Maybe she will cool it with Harry. She hands over the receipt and a large number of Green Shield stamps and wishes Frank a good night. He fully expects to have a good night, starting with the pocketful of sweets he has stuffed into his pockets while Pam wasn’t looking. Nice to have something to suck on a long journey.