Fish and chips on Friday

Fish and Chips on Friday

© E G French

It's getting dark now and me dad will comin' home soon. It’s Friday. I love Fridays. Me dad brings us sweets home on Fridays. Gets them from the corner shop e' does, Mr Jollys. Mr Jollys stays open late on Friday 'cause we all get sweets on Friday night. Even little Joey Smallwood gets sweets on Friday night and his dad is just the cocky watchman down at the docks. It's 'alf seven already. He'll be out the gates by now!
Our street looks great now when it goes dark, we've got them new lights stuck on the outside of the houses. There's one over our front door. They’re electric they are. All the kids in the street say our house is the best in the street because we’ve got a light. Tannery Street has still got gas poles, just like Stanley Street. It’s really great having a light by the door. You can see everything, even at eight o’clock at night at Christmas time. I was reading me comics on the step last night an’ even Tommy McQuire hung around for a bit. It was great until me mum made me come in, she said it was cold enough to freeze the balls off of a brass monkey. I thought about that for a bit.

Funny things mums!

I've got to go down to Jollys' for a new gas mantle for the kitchen, 'ave to be careful with it, or it'll bust. Me dad says we're getting' lecky in the 'ouse soon. If it stays up that long. Hee hee
Thing is, it’s a bit early just now to be getting’ off to Jollys' for a new mantle, mum will be too busy with the baby to notice, and even if the gas goes I’ll be back before she gets too mad.
I know what I'll do. I’ll take me time getting to the end of the street, then I might get to Jollys' just before me dad gets there, an' he can give me me sweets before we get home and then our Billy wont be able to pinch mine off me an’ eat them all like he did last Friday, hee hee!
I’ll have to run past the old witches' house though, or she'll turn me into a black cat and kick me every day for a year. That’s what Billy Morgan says anyways, an’ he should Know, livin’ where he does. ‘Ere we go, one more step and then the next one’s hers.

Oooooh!, that’s her window, I’m not lookin’. She can’t see me if I duck.

Phew! made it!

I'm going to open Jolly's door three times in one go and make that bell go wild. Old Jollys’ face goes a sort of purple when you do that!

'Get away from that bloody door Jack Dooley!'
'Sorry Mr Jolly, me leg got stuck in the door, hee hee’
‘If you say so young ‘un, What can I get you now Master Dooley?’
'Can I have a tuppeny gas mantle and a silver shillin’ for the gas.'
‘Gas mantles are fourpence each and your mother knows it too!’
‘But she only give me this…..’
‘You tell her this is the last time’
‘Ok Mr Jolly, I’ll tell her soon as I get home’
'Here, hold it tightly, and don't run with that mantle or it'll be in bits by the time you get home, then you'll really be for it.'
'Ok, bye.'
'Get off that bloody door!!'
‘Sorry Mr Jolly, me leg..’

Me dad should be comin soon now. I'll just take me time going down the street, except for by the witches house. I'll have to run past there.

'Oye, Jack!'
'Dad'
'Come 'ere you little scamp, not so fast, watch out for those wet cobbles....ooomph, up y'go.'

I love sittin on me dads' shoulders, I can see all of the world from here. I can see into his overcoat pocket, I can see me sweets.

'What 'ave you got for me, dad.'
'Never you mind what’s in there, you'll be getting’ your tea first or your mum will skin me alive.'
‘Ok dad.’

From here I can smell the vinegar coming up from the huge package that I can see that he's carrying under his arm. It’s a hot, tangy smell which gets right up your nose and makes your eyes itch. It's all mixed in with the smell of the docks. It’s the smell of cotton and soap and peanuts, bananas and hemp, the smell of home.
There's huge spiders come off the banana boats and bite the dockers if they’re not careful where they put their hands.
Not me dad though, he's too tough for that.
It's Friday and me dads' just been paid. We're 'avin fish and chips for tea. It's all wrapped up in those newspapers under his arm. We're going to eat them out of the paper, no plates tonight.
Hold on tight, it's a long way down.
My dad wouldn't drop me though. I love Fridays. I love it when me dad comes home