´óÏó´«Ã½

A table, some chairs, a canteen, some men in tramway uniform:

A voice: hey lads, ‘eres Steve
A chorus: (with sarcasm) Good mornin’ Steve!
Voice 1: An where, were ye yesterday?
Stevee: Getting married of course where do you think?
Voice 2: We don’t think, we know
Voice 3: (laughing) stayed over for the second round didn’ yer?
Voice 1: Wot’s up Steve, did she sleep on yer sweet lap an’ yer didn’ like to disturb ‘er like
(laughter)
Steve: (puzzled) I told you, I got married yesterday, Sunday.
Voice 3: Oh, no Steve, y’sterday was Monday, we woz ere but where, where you?
Voice 2: As if we didn’ know
(more laughter)
Steve: But yesterday was Sunday, we got married, had a do. Then there was the air-raid and we spent most of the night in the shel…..ter (a look of realisation dawns on Steve’s face)
Crikey! We must hev sl;ep the clock round.
Inspector: (appearing on the scene) Is that so? A likely story if I ever heard one. You’d better come and tell the manager, he’s in the office (then snidely), an’ he ain’t pleased
(more laughter)
Fade to black.

Steve is approaching the front door to go out to work. A whistling sound like a falling bomb is heard. He stops and throws himself flat behind the door. A loud bang (not explosion), shakes the door immediately followed by a metallic clatter on the pavement outside. After a second or two Steve gets up, he looks outside and sees a chunk of shrapnel about a foot long and the bottom moulding of the door. He picks up the shrapnel.

Steve: Ouch that’s bloody hot still
(he’s still sucking his finger and thumb when Ethel comes to the door)
Ethel: Oh God! Steve! You alright? I heard the whistle then the bang.
Steve: yes I’m fine, just burnt my fingers on this bit of shrapnel. I don’t know where it’s from, there’s been no raid warning and I’ve not heard any firing. It’s a puzzle. Look I’m going to miss the staff bus. Will you put this by the bin (pointing to the shrapnel) when it’s cooled? And that in the hall (points to the door moulding), under the stair, till morning, I’ll fix it tomorrow (kisses her). Ta-ra love, I’ll see you in’t morning ‘bout 7 o’clock.
Ethel: Night love. Steve, do you think there’ll be a raid?
Steve: I dunno love, but go in the shelter if there is.
Ethel: Okay love, goodnight.
Steve: Night Sweetheart
Steve goes off. Ethel closes the door.
Fade to black

Fade up
Narrator: Ethel is at kitchen sink preparing some veg for a meal. She is totally unaware that an air-raid has caused raging fires on the Clubmoor Railway sidings and an ammunition train is about to explode. She hums as she works.
(a flash startles her)
Ethel: Oh my God! What the …..
(her words are drowned in the sound of a loud explosion and a rush of air. The window blows towards her)
Almost blackout
Ethel is carried through the kitchen door, over the laid table, under the stairs, through the hall door, through the vestibule door, and put down very gently behind the front door. She sits up for a moment, then turns onto her knees and stands up.
Ethel: How the hell did I get here?
(she goes back to the kitchen, turning down the corner of the table cloth as she goes, looking into the kitchen she sees window frame on the floor, glass unbroken. Looking, she realises how lucky she has been, and staggers back, turning to collapse onto a straight back chair, trembling. Steve arrives home at this point, and walks into the room.
Steve: Hello love (crossing to her), hey what’s up? What’s happened? Are you alright? (stopping and removing his cap, he puts his arms around her), God your shaking, what happened?
Ethel: Oh Steve! There w-was a b-bang an-an and I flew.
Steve: Yes, I heard a bang, ammo goin up I spose, at least it sounded like it. But what d’you mean, you flew?
Ethel: (now calmer) I did, I flew out of the kitchen, over the table, under the stairs, through the hall door, through the lobby door and ended up sitting in the lobby against the front door.
Steve: Christ almighty are you hurt? Let’s see (he stands up and holds her hands, running his eyes over her), well you look alright, but blasts can do funny things. You’d better let the doctor have a look at you.
Ethel: No there’s no need, I’m fine, look not even a scratch or bruise. A cuppa an’ I’ll be fine honestly. But, what about the window, it’s on the first floor, look.
Steve: (steps to his right and sees the window for the first time) Well now I’ve seen it all. Look, not even a break in it. Tell you what I’ll do, I’ll stand it up and put the kettle on. Then when we’ve had a cuppa, I’ll fix it back for tonight and get Jonesy to fix it tomorrow (picks up window, puts kettle on).
Fade to black

The scene moves on to a very cold March 1943, Ethel is now heavily pregnant.
Ethel: I’ll go up now Steve love, my back’s aching.
Steve: Ok love, I’ll lock up and bank the fire, then I’ll come up
Fade to black

Dimly seen bedroom scene
Two figures in bed
A voice in the darkness, quietly but urgent:
Ethel: Steve!...Steve! it’s time love
Steve: (sleepily) Time? What time (realises what’s up and sits up quickly) Oh heck! That time. I’ll go for the doc (getting out of bed and reaching for shirt and trousers)
Ethel: Yes, but call the midwife first. You can knock on hers and she’ll ring the doc.(winces)
Fade to black
Pause 30 seconds

Fade up
Same set/scene
But doctor and midwife weighing a bundle
Midwife: 7lbs 8ozs doctor
Doc: Thank you nurse. A fine boy eh! Looks like he’ll be a six-footer Mrs M.
Ethel: Do you think so doctor? My other son is tall, oh wont he be surprised when he hears. We’ll have to send him a message somehow.
Steve: Yes we can probably send him a telegram.
M’wife: Why, where is Mr M?
Steve: He’s in the Navy. Where, we’re not certain, you know what it’s like with the war on.
Unison: Yes we know.
Fade

Downstairs, Steve opens the front door and calls back to his wife
Steve: I’ll just get some cigs at Kendricks , do you want anythin’?
Ethel: I’d like a block of Bourneville if they’ve got it, got enough money?
Steve: Yes, love I’ve got 7/6d or 7/11d, that’ll do. Oh, hello Mrs Jones, nice day.
Mrs Jones (a welsh lady): Hello Mr M, bit cold for me which begs the question, if you’ll pardon me asking, but there was a lot of coming and going in your house this morning. Have you had a burst?
Steve: (laughing) Er, you could say that in a manner of speaking. We just had a son.
Mrs Jones: Oh, you’re joking, pull the other one it’s got bells on.
Steve: No, I’m not kiddin’ come and see (ushers Mrs J into the room to see Ethel)
(Mrs J stops and looks before crossing to Ethel)
Mrs Jones: Well Mrs M, you certainly kept this quiet didn’t you?
Ethel: I didn’t exactly keep it quiet, but it wasn’t exactly advertised.
Mrs Jones: You can say that again, it must be one of the best kept secrets of the war so far!
Fade to black

Spotlight down stage centre
Voice from behind: And what happened to that secret? 9the author who also played Steve steps into the spotlight)
Steve/Author; JA Mantova: Ladies, gentlemen, meet that secret me. I should have been born three days earlier on March 3rd, which was my Mum’s 40th birthday, but I’m lazy. Anyway, that together with the date of Mum and Dad’s wedding is why I called this ‘Love 40’, unfortunately Steve, my Dad died just before their 39th wedding anniversary, so it was almost ‘Love 40’ for another reason.

'This story was submitted to the People’s War site by ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Merseyside’s People’s War team on behalf of the author and has been added to the site with his / her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.'

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