Page 59 of Lessons in Life

‘Oh, Kath, just because you’re doing your sociology O level at night school, you think you know it all.’

‘You ought to get together with that lad in the carding shed,’ Janice advised once she saw Kath was about to retaliate.

‘Who, me?’ Kath snorted.

‘No, Eloise.’

‘Mr Hudson’s daughter with a lad from the carding shed?’ Gail sniggered and the others joined in.

‘That Asian lad. The good-looking one.’

‘Half of ’em are Asian in there. Are any of ’em good-looking?’

‘The one who’s always got his camera out?’

‘Better than having something else always out.’ Susan smirked. ‘My mum says I’ve to keep away from that lot. They’re not like us.’

‘He’s a really good photographer. I’ve seen some of his stuff…’ Janice started.

‘You need to be careful, Janice.’

‘You’re being racist, Susan,’ Kath said. ‘Stereotyping and being prejudiced.’

‘Oh, stop throwing words around you’ve just learnt from night class, Kath. I’ve no idea what they mean. And I bet you don’t either.’ Gail was irritable, turning her back on Kath. ‘So, Eloise, did you meet some right nice lads in Switzerland? Speaking French and smoking them right nice French cigarettes?’

Eloise smiled. ‘Not really…’

‘And have you got a boyfriend here, Eloise? What’s he like? Posh, like you? A bit stuck up…?’

‘Gail, shut up,’ Janice interjected before turning back to Eloise. ‘Sohaveyou got a boyfriend?’

Eloise shook her head. ‘’Fraid not.’

‘Well, I’m not surprised with your hair tied back like that. And no make-up on. Your eyebrows could do with…’

‘Shut up, Gail!’ Janice said crossly, seeing Eloise’s face fall. ‘Listen, Eloise, what are you doing on Saturday night?’

‘Saturday night?’ Eloise looked blank. ‘Staying in and watching TV, I suppose. I might be at Granny’s house.’

‘It was my birthday last week,’ Janice said. ‘I’m eighteen, so I can have a drink…’

‘Never stopped you before, Janice,’ Gail said, still smarting at being told to shut up.

Ignoring Gail, Janice went on, ‘We’re all going to the Rooms.’

‘The rooms?’ Eloise pulled a face. ‘What rooms?’

‘The Regent Rooms down Bradford Road, just out of Midhope town centre. We go most Saturdays, unless we’re off to the pictures.’

‘Up the Junction’s on at The Essoldo,’ Susan said.

‘Ooh, it’s a bit mucky, isn’t it?’ Gail’s eyebrows shot up.

‘I went last week with Billy. It’s a look at society today,’ Kath started. ‘It’s about some rich posh girl played by that Suzy Kendall – she’s a really good actress, isn’t she? Anyway, she takes a job in a sweet factory to get away from her rich… her privileged upbringing because she wants to make her own living…’

‘She must be mad. Why would you work in a sweet factory, work anywhere, if you didn’t have to? If you had rich parents…?’ Gail trailed off as all seven girls turned to look at Eloise, who was saved from speaking, literally, by the bell.

Eloise gathered her things. ‘Thank you for having me,’ she said, as she did when leaving any social occasion. She stood, starting to walk back in the opposite direction from the girls heading to the weaving and mending sheds.

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