“She’ll make a grand wee Highland dancer, that one. Might even get herself a medal or two.”
Determined to get in the last word Mary said: “She already has medals and a silver cup for her dancing.”
As Mary was welcomed back into the drawing room of Ivylea she felt as though she had never left. The beautiful room looked as opulent as ever. Its all-embracing comfortable ambience was a joy, especially to someone like herself fresh from the confines of a Govan single end.
The pleasure of being once again at Ivylea was as nothing compared to the unrestrained delight Mary experienced when she entered her new home, Stable Cottage. It was all and more than she had ever imagined even in her wildest dreams. In Mary’s eyes everything was perfection. With tears in her eyes of such happiness as she had never before known in her entire life she turned to Granny and Elenor and said: “Well, girls Ah think we’ll be happy here, don’t ye? Our very own wee cottage, even a patch of garden for ye, Elenor, where ye can grow flowers.”
Elenor danced her usual jig and Granny grinned.
Mary with a puzzled expression took a closer look at Granny.
“Ah’m Ah dreaming or what?”
In a strangely slurred voice Granny said: “Aye, this cottage is like a dream. More like a miracle to the likes o us.”
Mary wagged a mock admonitory finger. “Now then, Granny, as ye well know it’s not the cottage Ah’m referring to.”
Granny gave a broad smile which she beamed first at Mary then Elenor.
“You’ve got teeth, Granny!” Elenor squealed.
With one deft movement Granny removed her teeth and holding them out for view in her hand said: “That’s right, trust a wean to notice first. Mind ye at what such teeth cost Ah should be charging folk for a keek at my dentures.”
“When did ye get them and how?” Mary said.
“When ye first tellt me that Ah was wanted on the voyage – that ye really wanted me with ye in Dunoon ... Ah wanted to be a credit to ye, same as wee Elenor ... Ah wanted ye to be proud o me. One o my church friends said that the new Glasgow Dentorium would give ye a new set o wallies if ye could pay half-a-crown a week. Ah thought maybe since ye had to give two weeks notice to the Matron at the Cottage Hospital Ah’d have time to get my teeth.”
Mary laughed. “Anyway, put yer ... wallies ... yer teeth back in and let’s have a look at ye.”
“If ye don’t mind, Mary, Ah’ll finish my story first. Ye see Ah can’t speak right with them in. So Ah’ll just be shoving them in my mouth on special occasions – high days and holidays like.”
“But if you’ve put yourself in hock for half-a-crown a week for God knows how long –” Mary stopped abruptly and frowned. “Where did ye get the first payment and what are going to do about the rest?”
Granny laughed. “That’s the best bit o the story. Somebody told me to forget the Dentorium – just get along to Paddy’s Market. Ye can pick up a set o wallies there for next to nothing. After all, dead folk don’t need dentures.”
“So that’s what ye did, Granny?”
“Aye, but there was no need for ye to worry about the cost. All these years ye’ve been payin me ninepence a week. With eating at yer house, all Ah had to pay was the rent on my single end, so Ah stashed the rest in a tin under my bed.”
Both Mary and Elenor laughed.
“Seeing as Ah had a great bargain with my teeth, with some o the money Ah had left, Ah treated us to a wee mindin for our new house. Ah bought it at Paddy’s Market too. Wait a minute and Ah’ll fetch it through.”
Mary sat wondering what useless, perhaps hideous, so-called bargain the old woman had picked up at the notorious junk market.
Seating herself at the table Granny slowly unwrapped her gift. A pair of silver candlesticks emerged. They were beautiful.
Elenor and Mary stared in disbelief at them.
“They’re not silver,” Granny said, “At least pewter the barrowman said.”
Mary picked
Determined to get in the last word Mary said: “She already has medals and a silver cup for her dancing.”
As Mary was welcomed back into the drawing room of Ivylea she felt as though she had never left. The beautiful room looked as opulent as ever. Its all-embracing comfortable ambience was a joy, especially to someone like herself fresh from the confines of a Govan single end.
The pleasure of being once again at Ivylea was as nothing compared to the unrestrained delight Mary experienced when she entered her new home, Stable Cottage. It was all and more than she had ever imagined even in her wildest dreams. In Mary’s eyes everything was perfection. With tears in her eyes of such happiness as she had never before known in her entire life she turned to Granny and Elenor and said: “Well, girls Ah think we’ll be happy here, don’t ye? Our very own wee cottage, even a patch of garden for ye, Elenor, where ye can grow flowers.”
Elenor danced her usual jig and Granny grinned.
Mary with a puzzled expression took a closer look at Granny.
“Ah’m Ah dreaming or what?”
In a strangely slurred voice Granny said: “Aye, this cottage is like a dream. More like a miracle to the likes o us.”
Mary wagged a mock admonitory finger. “Now then, Granny, as ye well know it’s not the cottage Ah’m referring to.”
Granny gave a broad smile which she beamed first at Mary then Elenor.
“You’ve got teeth, Granny!” Elenor squealed.
With one deft movement Granny removed her teeth and holding them out for view in her hand said: “That’s right, trust a wean to notice first. Mind ye at what such teeth cost Ah should be charging folk for a keek at my dentures.”
“When did ye get them and how?” Mary said.
“When ye first tellt me that Ah was wanted on the voyage – that ye really wanted me with ye in Dunoon ... Ah wanted to be a credit to ye, same as wee Elenor ... Ah wanted ye to be proud o me. One o my church friends said that the new Glasgow Dentorium would give ye a new set o wallies if ye could pay half-a-crown a week. Ah thought maybe since ye had to give two weeks notice to the Matron at the Cottage Hospital Ah’d have time to get my teeth.”
Mary laughed. “Anyway, put yer ... wallies ... yer teeth back in and let’s have a look at ye.”
“If ye don’t mind, Mary, Ah’ll finish my story first. Ye see Ah can’t speak right with them in. So Ah’ll just be shoving them in my mouth on special occasions – high days and holidays like.”
“But if you’ve put yourself in hock for half-a-crown a week for God knows how long –” Mary stopped abruptly and frowned. “Where did ye get the first payment and what are going to do about the rest?”
Granny laughed. “That’s the best bit o the story. Somebody told me to forget the Dentorium – just get along to Paddy’s Market. Ye can pick up a set o wallies there for next to nothing. After all, dead folk don’t need dentures.”
“So that’s what ye did, Granny?”
“Aye, but there was no need for ye to worry about the cost. All these years ye’ve been payin me ninepence a week. With eating at yer house, all Ah had to pay was the rent on my single end, so Ah stashed the rest in a tin under my bed.”
Both Mary and Elenor laughed.
“Seeing as Ah had a great bargain with my teeth, with some o the money Ah had left, Ah treated us to a wee mindin for our new house. Ah bought it at Paddy’s Market too. Wait a minute and Ah’ll fetch it through.”
Mary sat wondering what useless, perhaps hideous, so-called bargain the old woman had picked up at the notorious junk market.
Seating herself at the table Granny slowly unwrapped her gift. A pair of silver candlesticks emerged. They were beautiful.
Elenor and Mary stared in disbelief at them.
“They’re not silver,” Granny said, “At least pewter the barrowman said.”
Mary picked
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