John asks for a favour
The next day it was raining and Pauline was glad. It suited her mood, as if Heaven itself was crying about the destruction of heritage, the destruction of people’s lives and voices, that she had been asked to undertake. After another grim day at work, she was just getting her tea ready when there was a knock on the door. It was getting dark and Pauline thought of ignoring it, but dutifully went and opened the door. It was John. He looked in a hurry and was carrying a large holdall.
“Oh, hi John, I wasn’t expecting you”, Pauline said.
“No, well, I was just wondering if you could lend me a tenner until Friday. I’m just a bit short at the moment”
“Oh, what’s happened now John?”
“You don’t want to know”.
“No, I probably don’t…”
“Come on in anyway out of the rain”.
Pauline went into the kitchen and rummaged about in her purse, before pulling out a crisp ten-pound note. She gave it to John, who was looking on rather balefully.
“Thanks sis”, said John, still carrying his holdall.
“You off somewhere, then?” asked Pauline.
“Just off to five-a-side”.
“So you just need the money for a game of football and a beer with the lads?”
“Er, not necessarily, I mean…”
“Forget it, don’t worry. Is that a new holdall? It’s big enough isn’t it?”
“Yeah, I got it a couple of weeks ago. Yeah, it is big… Look I’m sorry”
“Don’t worry about it. You better get off to your football. Look can I give you a ring tomorrow? I could do with a favour as well…”
“Yeah, sure…”
The rescue
So it was that two days later, John found himself at the Pauline’s workplace, with his large holdall bulging and a furtive expression on his face. At the enquiries desk, Pauline was talking with Mr Richardson and when she saw John, she carefully shook her head as she glanced at him. John stood wondering what to do. At length Mr Richardson finished his conversation with Pauline and turned smartly on his heels before walking briskly past John. Pauline beckoned John over to her.
“What have you got in the holdall?”, hissed Pauline
“It’s alright, it’s just old newspaper…”
“Why, why?”
“So, it wouldn’t look funny if I went out, with a bigger holdall than I came in with…”
“OK, OK…quickly take it out and put it by the bin over in the corner…”
John did as he was told and having taken the old newspaper out of the holdall, left it discreetly by the bin in the corner of the room. He came back to where Pauline was standing looking furtively around the room. They were the only two there.
“Right, quickly get this lot in your holdall”, Pauline whispered
John again did as he was told and soon the holdall was bulging again. John turned quickly round and walked out of the room. As he did so, he passed Mr Richardson coming in.
“Oh, good Pauline, you’ve done as I asked. Sorry they had to be thrown out, but you know how it is.”
“Of course, Mr Richardson, I understand”, Pauline replied.
“Good, good…”, came the reply. “Er, what is all that paper doing by the bin? What is it …old newspapers or something?” He shook his head and to Pauline’s relief walked out again…
Michael has an idea
Two days later, Michael was round at John’s house. Sprawled all over a settee was the archive material John has rescued from the archives for Pauline. Michael came in and asked John:
“Wow. Is there anywhere for me to sit? What is all this stuff?
“Just clear a space on the settee. But be careful with it… It’s archive material Pauline wanted me to save from her work. It might not look much, but it means a lot her..”
“Righto, will do…”
“I don’t know what to do with it all, to be honest…”
“Will Pauline not take it all?”
“You know what her place is like. It’s already full of stuff. I said I would sort something out…”
“Really?”
“Well, yes…I owed her a favour…”
“I see”. Michael looked at the material and an interesting idea came into his head.
TO BE CONTINUED
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO OUR CROWDFUNDER
HELP US BECOME STRONGER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER POWERFUL CITIZEN JOURNALISM!
