Stories
V.E Day 1945 Through The
Eyes Of 4 year old Marie Littler.
“Mam can we come down”?
“No stay in bed she said for the fifth time,”
“Wait till I have lit the fire and the house is warmed.”
We were very excited; my sister and my two brothers,
For today we were having a party. We were celebrating victory over
Europe
whatever that meant.
My brother Bobby who was two years older than me, said it was because
the Germans had stopped dropping bombs on us.
And we wouldn’t have to go in them smelly damp shelters any more.
Every one seemed very excited and was nipping in and out of each others
houses discussing things. I heard one of the neighbours telling my mam
that she would be making cakes and jellies.
“Is she going to make a lot mam” I asked “can we have some tomorrow”?
“Go back up stairs” my mam said as she put the big black kettle on the
fire.
I felt sorry for that kettle its poor bottom on the fire all day.
My sister Margaret was eight, four years older than me. I loved her but
most of the time I hated her.
She was allowed to stay up later at night and she could go down stairs
early in the morning.
“Make me some toast” I shouted to her as I pulled the big navy coat back
on the bed,
“I don’t want pobs again. ”
“If you don’t be quiet came the reply you will do without”.
Course this brought moans and screams from Peter, Pee,Pee, to me, he was
the baby of the family ,he couldn’t say his words properly only my mam
knew what he wanted.
“I don’t like my mam” I said to Bobby “she is always shouting,”
“Its you that makes her shout ,go back to bed,” “ Ouch he said as I hit
him over the head with my doll,. This made Pee, Pee laugh; “again” he
said this was the only word we understood.
“For Gods sake come down” my mam said “and sit at the table”.
I charged down Bobby stayed in bed, then I remembered Pee,Pee, he always
got stuck
on the next to the top stair.
“Come on Pee,Pee, come to Rie,Rie,”
I loved my baby brother it was like having a real life doll; I dressed
him up like a girl and called him Joyce.
After breakfast my mam brought the big tin bath out and filled it with
water from the big black kettle .We in turn had our bath. Mam told us to
play in the bedroom till her and Margaret had tidied the house. We
played at shop with a box of buttons, Bobby always wanted to be the shop
keeper.
When we tired of this game we took the big tin that was on the floor in
front of the fireplace and used it as a slide.
When it was time to go down stairs mam said “don’t mess the house up”!
My mam always kept the house clean, but today was extra special. The
cold water tap that stuck out of the kitchen wall was sparkling and
shiny.
The flagged floor in the kitchen was spotless, even my mams mangle
machine in the corner of the kitchen looked different, the living room
looked nice too.
Mam had blackleaded the big fireplace. It frightened me at times it
looked like
a big monster .The fire its mouth, the two black rings that the kettle
and the pan went on were its arms. Bobby said it would gobble me up if I
didn’t shut up.
Mam said that we could put on our nice clean clothes, we couldn’t get
dressed
quick enough. All the neighbours had been busy outside organising
everything.
There were home made streamers every where tied from one lamp to
another, and rows of tables laden with food. All the children from
nearby streets came to the party, there was so much food that we didn’t
know where to start, even the dogs and cats had a party.
Someone was playing a piano, people were dancing and singing
everyone was so happy even misery guts from across the street.
The day seemed to go on forever. Mam took me and Peter up to bed,
blessed us and kissed us like she did every night, but in the candle
light I saw tears rolling down her cheeks. Why are you crying mam when
we have had such a lovely day”?
She kissed me again her tears wetting my face, as she walked away from
the bed,
I heard her say in a low voice “please God please bring Bob home safe”.
By Marie Staniforth