Nanny Mitchel kept her beady eye on the two suspected bullies as myself, cousin Karen and the shop manageress filed out of the store room.
Both myself and cousin Karen were sporting a new pair of shoes that we proudly showed off to Nanny Mitchel.
As we did so one of the bullies made some form of an unkind remark that caught the ears of Nanny Mitchel.
“Did you speak little one?”, said Nanny Mitchel patronizingly, glaring coldly and directly at what appeared to be the chief bully.
“Who me Miss, No Miss,” replied the chief bully.
“Please do not call me Miss , little one, if I lash out one thing I never do is miss” Nanny Mitchel informed the bully. ” I thought I heard you calling my grandaughter a Pansy,” continued Nanny Mitchel.
The chief bully went a bright red in the face, whilst what appeared to be his counterpart stood there passively.
It was at this time the shop manageress intervened.
After all, the last thing she wanted was a commotion in the shop.
Now directing her attention to the two bullies, she politely but sternly said,
“I think you two had better leave the shop.
It appeared the two bullies could not leave the shop fast enough.
This may have possibly not only been the fact that the shop manageress towered over them, but also the fact that they did not wish to entail Nanny Mitchel’s wrath.
Nanny Mitchel now turned her full attention to me.
I think we are going to need to have a chat when we get home Patricia.”
If my reaction to meeting the bullies again had given me cause to be anxious, this current sentence from Nanny Mitchel only added fuel to the fire.
Normally when Nanny Mitchel came out with a sentence like this, it would mean I was for the high jump.
The shop Manageress sensed my anxiety and intervened with the words.
“Patricia appears to be a very nervous little one.”
Nanny Mitchel now also sensed this.
“Patricia!” she said, as I started to blabber a little. “Do not be silly, you are not in any trouble. It is just that we need to deal with these bullies once and for all, and deal with them we will,” said Nanny Mitchel in a reassuring determined manner.
Throughout this time, it was as if Karen was not with us.
However, whilst Karen stood there silently, she was hatching her own plans to deal with these bullies.
Once again Nanny Mitchel and the shop Manageress started chatting generally to one another, putting the world to rights.
Before too long, they found they had a lot in common and were addressing each other by their second names.
The shop Manageress was now referred to as “Mrs Heggity”.
Nanny Mitchel learned that as with herself, Mrs Heggity was also a widow.
Mrs Heggity had also lost her husband, though unlike Nanny Mitchel she had done so at a much younger age.
Her husband had been killed in active service during the second world war and she had never remarried.
Nanny Mitchel also learned with great interest that Mrs Heggity had trained as a school teacher.
“You may probably be wondering how, if I trained as a school teacher, I ended up as manageress of a shoe shop?” said Mrs Heggity to Nanny Mitchel.
“Well I did wonder,” replied Nanny Mitchel to what appeared to be her new friend”
“It is because of the ones like the two I have just removed from the shop Mrs Mitchel,” Mrs Mrs Heggity informed Nanny Mitchel.
Mrs Heggity now had Nanny Mitchel’s full attention as she awaited more details.
“I was a deputy headmistress awaiting to be promoted to headmistress,” continued Mrs Heggity, as if pouring out her heart.
“However, allegations were made by some, against me for excessive use of corporal punishment. Although these allegations were proved to be entirely false, the damage was done.It appeared I no longer had the ability to control a classroom and I was forced to retire early, Continued Mrs Heggity.
“You have my full sympathy,” Nanny Mitchel informed Mrs Heggity.
There is just no discipline in this day and age and that is why this country is crumbling around us.
It appeared we were now back on Nanny Mitchel’s favorite subject, which was the use of good old-fashioned discipline.
Myself and cousin Karen gave each other a look as if to say,” Here we go again.”.
Without prying too much, Nanny Mitchel listened intently to Mrs Heggity and the methods of chastisement she had used whilst teaching.
It was also learned that Mrs Heggity would be retiring from her current position as manageress of the shoe shop in the next few weeks.
“What will you do with yourself then?” Nanny Mitchel asked Mrs Heggity.
“I really do not know,” came Mrs Heggity Solem reply. “I have worked throughout my life and never had a day of illness, so when I retire in two weeks’ time I feel I am going to be at a loose end as to what to do. However, one thing is for sure” continued Mrs Heggity. “I will be very glad to see the back of this darn shoe shop.”
Nanny Mitchel wondered to herself for a moment as her and Mrs Heggity had a moment’s silence.
She was not normally one who was lost for words, nor did she normally hold back.
However, the plight of Mrs Heggity had left her somewhat speechless.
It was as if Nanny Mitchel wanted to make a suggestion, but could not find the words.
It also appeared that Mrs Heggity had sensed this, for she realized that there was something different about my situation of which she was curious about.
Finally, Mrs Heggity broke the silence.
Would you all like to come to my office for tea and cakes.
This invitation came as some kind of a shock to Nanny Mitchel.
She had never been to a shop with the thought of being invited to the Manageresses office for tea and cake.
“I am not supposed to use my office for social purposes,” Mrs Heggity informed Nanny Mitchel, ” But I really do not care. As I have said, I only have a few weeks left here.”
Nanny Mitchel said she would be delighted to accept Mrs Heggitys invitation to her office for tea and cakes.
Firstly though she turned her attention to myself and cousin Karen.
Nanny Mitchel told us before we went to the office we were to change back into our old shoes so as not to ruin the new ones that had been purchased.
She also told us in no uncertain terms we were to remember our manners, Or Else!
“Oh I have a nice big slipper upstairs,” Mrs Heggity informed Nanny Mitchel with some kind if weird expression. “However I am sure Patricia and Karen will be well behaved, so it will not have to be used.
With those words both myself and cousin Karen quickly changed back into our old shoes and placed the new ones back in the box.
Myself, cousin Karen and Nanny Mitchel followed Mrs Heggity up the tight staircase to her office which was on the top floor.
Once there Mrs Heggity made a pot of tea and offered both myself and cousin Karen orange juice, which we gladly accepted.
After we had all sat down with our beverages, myself and cousin Karen once again appeared to be ignored, or once again as the saying goes, “Seen and not Heard.
It appeared fairly obvious that Mrs Heggity had said much about her own plight, and had in turn unburdened herself to Nanny Mitchel.
Having said this she had sensed that there was something rather peculiar about us three.
Bearing this in mind and without prying too much Mrs Heggity was curious and wanted to delve further.
However, this would not be necessary.
Like Mrs Heggity had done a while back Nanny Mitchel also wanted to unload, for she had sensed Mrs Heggitys curiosity and concern.
Questions were carefully asked and answers were also carefully given.
Eventually, the truth came out as Nanny Mitchel laid the cards on the table.
“Patricia is not really a girl of such,” Nanny Mitchel informed Mrs Hegitey.
