“Having fun boys?” she asked when she fetched them a second can of pop each, along with a tray of sandwiches and some crisps.
“Yeah!” they replied in unison.
“Ah ah!” she said as they reached to grab a sandwich. “Go and wash your hands first… the kitchen’s just there.” she added, pointing out the open back door to her home. She set the try down on a cast iron garden table and followed them inside. For one, she wanted to make sure they used soap rather than just rinsing their muddy hands with tap water. And aside from that, she wanted to make sure they ventured no further inside her home than the kitchen. She feels no sense of threat from these two truants but that’s not the same as trusting them. With their hands washed, she sends them back outside before sighing at the muddy footprints on the lino. “I should have known.” she grumbles, blaming herself more than anyone else.
The boys tuck into the sandwiches and slurp their pop. “She’s OK that woman.”
“Yeah…. she better pay us though.”
“She will.”
“My mum’s gonna go bonkers when she sees the state of my uniform.”
“Mine too.” Andrew said. “I stink of wood smoke too.” he added, sniffing his collar.
After gobbling their sandwiches, munching their crisps and draining the cans of every last drop of sweet fizzy pop, the boys continued feeding the fire with leaves, bits of the old gazebo and stinky sodden bits of wood and gunk from the pond. The smoke was thick and steamy. The fire reduced to a smoulder and when the lady came to collect their empty tray and cans, they suggested pouring some petrol or paraffin on the fire to get it going again. “Oh my word no… that’s far too dangerous.” she says, before complimenting their hard work so far.
Since the fire’s all but done for, she suggests they clear the rest of the debris from the pond, dump it by the fire-pit where it’ll eventually dry out, then after getting cleaned up, it would be more or less ‘hometime’ and therefore a good time to go. “You’re still gonna pay us aren’t you missus?” William asked.
“Of course… you’ve done well… keep up the good work, and try not to get too muddy.” she said, looking them up and down. Their shoes are covered in the stuff. Spatters and splats pepper their trousers. There’s pond gunk on their sleeves and even in their hair.
“Bit too late for that.” Andrew retorts. “My mum’s gonna go bananas.”
“Well I’ll try to get you both cleaned up as best I can.” she replied.
An hour or so passed. The boys had cleared the remaining debris from the pond, the gazebo was all but burnt and the lawn is clear of leaves. Having finished their task, the boys approached the house and knocked on the back door. “Have you finished boys?” the lady said.
“Yeah.” they replied in unison. After checking, she pushed two fifty pence pieces into their hands. “Now put that in your pockets and we’ll get you cleaned up.” she said. “Shoes off before you come inside!” she insisted. “I’m not going to make that mistake again.”
“Yeah… sorry ’bout that.” William said as he untied his laces. He knew full well that he’d muddied her floor when he washed his hands but wasn’t really bothered enough to do anything to prevent it.
“What’s your name missus?” Andrew asked as he kicked off his shoes.
“It’s Mrs Arkwright.” she replied.
“Don’t you ‘ave a first name?” Andrew retorted. Just like William, every word that Andrew uttered lacked any hint of respect or politeness. A series of stubborn statements was all they were capable of.
“Not as far as you’re concerned young man.” the lady smiled. She let them into the kitchen where she took their jackets from them. “Oh boys.” she gasped. “You’ve got it on your shirts and jumpers too!”
“Well it won’t exactly a clean job.” Andrew replied, almost as if in protest.
“Well, I’ll run you both a bath… come on… upstairs!”
“I only need to wash my hands and face.” William stated.
“And what about your clothes?” Mrs Arkwright asked. “You did say your mother wouldn’t be happy.” she told the boys that whilst they’re in the bath, she’ll quickly clean the mud and gunk from their trousers, jumpers and blazers. “They’ll take an hour to dry, and you can tell your mothers that you were at an after school club if you’re late home.” she suggested.
Wearing only their underpants and vests, the two boys went up to her bathroom where a tub full of warm water, topped with foamy white bubbles waited for them. Mrs Arkwright followed. “Me first!” Andrew blurted as he bounded into the bathroom, pushing the door shut behind him. “Oi!” he yelped as the door opened whilst he was stepping out of his underpants.
“You’ve got nothing we haven’t seen before.” Mrs Arkwright replied as she marched William into the bathroom. “In you get.” she said. Andrew quickly sunk himself under the bubbles. “You too William.”
“I’m not getting in with him!” William retorted.
“There’s plenty of room for two… now come on… it’ll be a lot easier for me to clean you up if you’re both in the bath.” she said.