大象传媒

Chapter 2

But events took a different turn when I got home. Everyone was too concerned with other things to be bothered with my arrival and the evening passed without me disclosing my news. Two days later, the matter came to a head when a teacher visited the house to make arrangements for my departure on the Saturday. The quivering lip of mum told its own story and her immediate response was to say that the two younger sisters would have to go as well. By the time the teacher had left, my mother had volunteered to accompany the party of children as one of the helpers. My plans were in shreds.
鈥淲ait till your father gets in,鈥� she chastised, 鈥渢hought you could get away without telling us did you?鈥�
The double- decker London bus, full of local children approached St. Pancras Station. The journey had been a mixture of half hearted singing and outright sobbing. There had been a tearful departure at the school amidst a consoling assurance that the war couldn鈥檛 go on for much longer. It was the 鈥渘ot-knowing鈥渢hat most children feared. How far were we going? Who would be our guardians? When would we see our mums again?
My own thoughts were spoken aloud to my friend, Ivor.
鈥淗ow can we get on the train without my sisters?鈥�
鈥淟eave it to me,鈥� he said, confidently, 鈥渏ust follow me.鈥�
So that is what happened. He lead and I followed. The platform was crowded by the time the red bus disgorged its hesitant, unhappy band of forlorn victims. All were bedecked in a mixture of uniforms and ill-fitting clothes and all labelled with a name tag and carrying the regulation brown cardboard box housing the smelly repugnant gasmask.
Walking at speed, we soon left behind the crocodile line from our bus and weaved in and out of groups huddled against the edge of the platform awaiting the arrival of a train.
鈥淗ere, put this on,鈥� said Ivor, handing me a crumpled black cap from his pocket, 鈥渁nd don鈥檛 talk to anyone.鈥�
We had parked on the edge of a smart bunch of well-dressed boys, all sporting black caps. So that was what Ivor had been searching for. We were now fellow pupils of a posh school and hidden from view of our own group. Luck was on our side because almost immediately, a labouring dirty green engine emitting thick black smoke drew alongside the platform. The noise of whistles, shouting and general excitement was almost drowned by the engine鈥檚 own input of letting off its excess steam, showering the unfortunate parties that had chosen that spot to stand. Within seconds the whole platform was shrouded in a foggy, smelly dampness.
Doors of the brown carriages were sticky and difficult to open. Some seemed to be locked. But eventually, the entire group at our point had pushed and shoved its way onto the train making for the corridors, ignoring the uninviting hard seats in the compartments. Nobody appeared to count the occupants and Ivor observed that we were safe. This obviously tempted fate and the air was filled with the wailing of the air raid sirens to herald the likely approach of more doodle bugs. The result was immediate and amid a stream of whistles and arm-waving of the railway officials on the platform, the engine gave a sharp 鈥淧eep鈥� and our carriage lurched forward, backward and forward again, shaking us unceremoniously. The engine eventually won the battle against the weight of the train and we ere soon making progress through the city, smoke billowing past the window. For most of the evacuees, this was the first train ride that they had experienced and the excitement raised the morale of the cargo.
After the initial excitement, we settled down, gradually being bored by the repetitive nature of the scenery. Occasionally, a boy would raise the tempo of the talking by pointing out aircraft gun sites or barrage balloons festooning the countryside, but the general atmosphere became more subdued and satisfying the 鈥渋nner man鈥� was a priority. My beetroot sandwiches disappeared in double quick time as did the two fairy cakes made without fat by mum the previous day. Although tasteless, they satisfied a need.
The rocking of the train sent many into the land of Nod, until, after about three hours of stopping and starting, the train braked with unexpected severity. The opening and slamming of doors, accompanied by an escalation in the noise of chattering children announced the arrival at our destination, but almost immediately, a teacher told us to remain where we were because our end of the train would be going on to another station. I sheepishly pushed past a boy with an open window and gazed down the platform, not daring to lean out too far, for fear of being seen. Sure enough, to my delight, I could see my two sisters already alighted, flanked by helpers, including my mother who seemed completely unaware or interested that I was not there. She was probably unprepared for some of us to remain on the train.
鈥淨uick,鈥� I beckoned to Ivor, 鈥渜uick, let鈥檚 get into the toilet in case we鈥檙e seen.鈥�
We stood in the unlit tiny room that smelt of the result of many bad aims by boys who had been thrown around whilst performing. But we were rescued by the departure of the train without any mishap. The plan had worked but suddenly I felt alone and afraid. I had been concentrating on severing myself from my sisters, for several days, but hadn鈥檛 thought through the consequences. Now, Ivor was my only friend with a great unknown in front of me.
No sooner had the train got up speed, it started to slow down and came to an unexpected stop. We had arrived at our destination. Doors were flung open and we were reminded, loudly, not to leave anything behind and ushered onto the platform, where we found out that all of the other boys were from the same school. Ivor and I were interlopers. Nobody seemed to notice and we were soon on our way by bus through a large town, arriving shortly at a small hall nestling beside a square towered church.
We were met by three bossy looking ladies, who urged us to hurry to a table ladened with food.
鈥淭wo sandwiches each, one cake and a drink,鈥� called the tallest of the three. 鈥淚鈥檝e heard all about you London boys, greedy. There鈥檚 a war on and we鈥檙e short of food. Goodness knows how we shall be able to cope with you all coming to our town at short notice.鈥�
Not only were they bossy, but also bad tempered.
鈥淎nd don鈥檛 make a mess. Use the plates provided.鈥�
Ivor and I looked at each other. He had lost his sparkle and sat quietly staring at his empty plate.
鈥淐ome on, let鈥檚 go onto the stage away from the school and play Dabs鈥� I suggested.
Without saying a word he hoisted himself onto the black splintery stage and took the precious five stones from his pocket. We played silently for at least half an hour, during which time the hall seemed to be losing its inmates. Suddenly, bossy lady approached us demanding to know our names and asking us why we had not gone out with the other boys.
鈥淓veryone has been accounted for and all the homes have been allocated with one or two boys. Why aren鈥檛 you on the list? You are from Rutlish School aren鈥檛 you?鈥�
鈥淣辞鈥�
鈥淲hat are we going to do?鈥� And after a pause that seemed to be an eternity, she continued, 鈥減ick up your things. We shall have to walk round the streets until we find someone who will have you. But goodness knows why they should bother with you two.鈥�
I was now too tired to bother as well. All I wanted to do was to have more to eat and go to sleep. We dragged behind the lady who was armed with a fat wad of papers. She occasionally stopped at a gateway, consulted her notes and then walked away, quickening her pace and leaving us further behind.
鈥淲e鈥檒l try here. Smarten yourselves up and straighten your ties. You both look so untidy.鈥�
She gave three sharp knocks and told us to take our hands out of our pockets. An elderly lady opened the door slightly and immediately slammed it shut. We could hear her shouting from behind the door, telling the lady to take the boys away. I gave a sigh of relief. Four doors further on we stopped again and went through the same ritual. This time much younger lady answered the door and although she had a boy of her own, she didn鈥檛 want another and wished us a happy stay in Heanor. 鈥淪o that鈥檚 the name of the place, I thought.鈥�
Two more houses in the same street brought further rebuffs and at one of them, where our lady was more persistent, the owner man had a blackened face, just as if he had been up the chimney. He got cross and called his dog, a fierce Alsatian, nearly as big as me and he threatened to let go of his collar if we didn鈥檛 go. Both Ivor and I raced out of the garden and into the road. Our lady wasn鈥檛 far behind but we noticed that she was getting increasingly agitated with each refusal.
With my legs weakening at each step, I finally stopped and sat on a wall, rubbing my eyes. I was already questioning my cowardly decision to leave home and come to this place where nobody wanted me. With one exception all of the houses at which we had called, were old people and I wouldn鈥檛 want to stay with them. Ivor then voiced my own wish.
鈥淚 want to go home. I鈥檓 hungry and tired. I want to go home. No one wants us.鈥�
The lady came over to us and seemed to be a different person.
鈥淚鈥檓 sorry, boys. I hadn鈥檛 realised that you were so tired. You鈥檝e had a long day, but I don鈥檛 know why you weren鈥檛 on the list. But I don鈥檛 know what to do. We are getting nowhere knocking on these doors. Let鈥檚 go back to the hall and I鈥檒l contact the Minister.鈥�
With renewed strength, we turned and set off for the hall but as we turned the corner away from our unwelcome road, a short grandmotherly lady came puffing up the hill towards us. Recognising the lady guide, she slowed down, patted her aching stomach and called out in a loud excited voice.
鈥淢rs. Webster, Mrs. Webster, have you got any left? Joe says that we can have one. Am I too late?鈥�
End Of Chapter 2

Copyright Arthur Allwright 2005

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