Fifteen . Chapter 1 (part1)

Chapter One (part 1): One a Penny

Does she gaze overwhelmed into my eyes, does she long to understand the complexities of my soul or does she simply glance politely upon me as a customer a friend or perhaps simply as a “brother”? Could she, will she ever see me as I see her. Does she understand that from within this melting pot of intense spices and aromas her very essence is the only fragrance that captures and holds my attention. Her simple beauty captivates them all, as the lilac holds the warm spring rain drops close to its delicate skin she too un-protesting holds them close with a tender kindness, no desire to offend or cast any of them to the grit stone cobbles below. Will she ever have a smile that she shares with no one other than me?  His thoughts once again remain unspoken, when will he have the courage to let her know how he feels, once again, he leaves unheard.  “See you both later"

“A cheese pie, can I have a couple of your very best cheese pies Nellie while I’m waiting to be served!” Jerry stopped everyone in their tracks as he boomed into the shop his boots sparking against the bleached flags, his enormous frame weaved its way stealth like passed the rest of the waiting customers, unwavering straight for the bakery counter Jerry headed. The very enormity of this young man made him stand out amongst the regular folk of the village, in these days of austerity Jerry was an anomaly, simply different in both stature and approach to life, and those pants, why on earth didn’t he fasten his belt or buy some braces, the last thing anyone wanted to see first thing in the morning was Jerry’s well-worn bobble peppered long johns or even worse his pale backside hanging out. Like his size Jerry was full on, intense but good humoured, a pleasure to be in the company of, everyone without exception loved him. “There you go Jerry, two of our very finest and very hot cheese pies, now get yourself to the back of the queue so I can serve the rest of these very patient ladies and gents “. Jerry quickly tucked one of the hot cheese pies into his waistcoat pocket; he loved the idea of keeping his oversized belly warm whilst eating his other cheese pie, content he now eyed up the rest of the delights in front of him. Trays of fresh homemade bread, ginger cake, gooseberry pies, delicate little French fancies, Lockwood’s famous custard pies winked at him, how could he resist a couple of hot cross buns, it would be wrong and very un-Christian like especially at this time of year not to have a couple of spicy hot cross buns set aside for after his lunch. As his belly grumbled and turned red from the hot cheese pie burning its way through his many layers of tightly fitted clothing Jerry let out an almost jovial squeal of delight tinged slightly with pain, he pulled the pie quickly from his waistcoat pocket then started on pie number two, as he patiently waited to be served he eyed the delights behind the counter, choices too many choices he sighed.

“Morning Bob, have you come to collect your order?” “Morning Nellie, yes I wanted to collect it and settle up before I spend up this weekend, don’t want to be skint again and have nothing to eat in the cupboards”. Bob or “Black Bob” as he was called had a real problem keeping hold of the money that he worked so hard far, he worked down the pit at Moorefield colliery, had done since he had turned thirteen just over six years ago, everyone used to joke he hadn’t had a wash or changed his cloths since he started his first shift at Moorefield back in 1933. His britches had an almost olive-green hue to them, shiny down both the front and back from Black Bob continuously rubbing his coal dust covered hands on them, his waistcoat was similar in age and wear, thread bear would have been a compliment, Bob's waistcoat had also spent more time underground than the local moles had like them Bob pretty much lived underground. Bob also had a tendency of buttoning his waistcoat and shirt out of sequence, regardless of when you met him he never had them buttoned how they should have been, you got the impression that it wasn’t important to Bob, it would seem he had other more important things jumping around in his mind. Nellie set off into the back of the bakery to collect Bob’s order, every opportunity that she had to visit the bake house was always seized upon.  It wasn’t the smell of the sizzling bacon or the cutting shortness of Mrs Lockwood’s conversation that drew her in, it was the chance to catch the eye of “Our Eddy”. Nellie had a real crush on “Our Eddy” in fact they both felt the same way, the only thing that stood in the way of the relationship getting off the ground was the fact that Eddy was actually Mr’s Lockwood’s “Our Eddy”. Mr’s Lockwood had no intention of letting her pride and joy date any common shop girl, “Our Eddy is far too good for that, Mr’s Lockwood had bigger plans for her son and they most definitely didn’t involve Nellie Holden, Mrs Lockwood knew it, “Our Eddy” knew it and Nellie was relentlessly informed she wasn't suitable throughout the duration of each and every shift. “There’s a lot there Nellie, are you sure that’s my order?” “It’s got your name on it Bob; I packed it so it must be right.” “From the look of that box I’ll be eating hot cross buns way into Christmas time and beyond never mind Easter, I like them but don’t want to eat them until they are coming out of my ears or I look like one Nellie” Nellie dropped the box on the counter and pulled out the previous weeks order from the book to check what had gone wrong. “There you go Bob twelve dozen hot cross buns is what you ordered last week” “Twelve dozen Nellie? That’s 144 hot cross buns, how on earth am I going to get through 144 hot cross buns, there's enough buns to prop up colliery roof, I wanted twelve Nellie not twelve dozen” “OK Bob let’s see what we can sort out, either you or someone must of made a mistake, it’s easy done and just as easy to sort it out”

“It was me Nellie, I took Bob’s order last week and must of written it down wrong, sorry Bob I’ll pop you a dozen in a bag, rest will go quickly over the course of the day” “OK Doris, thanks for that, put me two dozen in the bag, that’s twenty four Doris I don’t want to get you into trouble or for you to be stuck with them for what could of been my mistake” Bob was fond of Doris like the rest of the lads in the village, she was kind to him and never judged him by the way he looked. They also had a common sadness that they shared, a loss that they both felt, a loss that was never discussed but was part of who they were. Doris also had a smile that he simply couldn’t resist, it was genuine not forced, it meant something and Bob felt the very warmth of it, her smile is what made such an ordinary face rather special and beautiful, a true reflection of her inner beauty that somehow didn't mirror her troubled soul.