Free Memories Are Made of This by June Francis Page B

off the keys. ‘You’ve made me make a mistake and I’ll have to type this out again.’
    â€˜You should have stopped and given me all your attention,’ snapped Peggy.
    Jeanette glared at her as she removed paper, carbon and copies from the typewriter. ‘Say what you have to say and go. I don’t want to get behind with my work.’
    Peggy sniffed. ‘It’s all right for you, but I’m in real trouble with my dad. He didn’t half belt me one and then went round to Greg’s house to tell him not to go near me. As if I wanted to see him again after what he called me on Friday night. Anyway, his dad threw a punch at my dad. Fortunately he missed because he was drunk.’
    â€˜So what was your quarrel with Greg all about? Why did your brother hit him?’
    Peggy flushed. ‘I’d rather not discuss it.’
    Jeanette was disappointed. ‘It must have been really bad if your brother beat him up.’
    â€˜Well, I’m not telling you,’ muttered Peggy.
    Jeanette thought about the love bites she had seen on her friend’s neck. ‘Please yourself. I’m sorry about what happened, but it’s not my fault that your boyfriend and his mates got violent. It’s a miracle I didn’t get hit in the face instead of that poor sailor. As it is he could be scarred for life!’
    â€˜None of that was my fault! If you hadn’t flirted with him, then most likely he wouldn’t have interfered. Anyway, how d’you know he’s a sailor?’
    â€˜He looked like a sailor! And I wasn’t flirting with him,’ said Jeanette, annoyance bubbling up inside her again. She reinserted paper and carbon in the typewriter. ‘Anyway, that Billy deserves whatever he gets,’ she muttered.
    Peggy said moodily, ‘You would say that because your father’s respectable. Billy’s dad is a drunkard and is in and out of work.’
    â€˜He didn’t look like his family was hard up. That drape jacket he was wearing appeared brand new!’
    â€˜You think it was knocked off?’ said Peggy, fiddling with a pencil on Jeanette’s desk. ‘I know he’s been in trouble before for petty theft.’
    â€˜There you are then,’ retorted Jeanette. ‘It probably came off the back of a lorry.’
    â€˜You could be more sympathetic for them whose life is harder than yours.’ Peggy dropped the pencil.
    â€˜I can’t understand you – he’s a violent troublemaker!’
    â€˜I know! Anyway, his mother has asked Father Callaghan to put a good word in for him. He has a boxing club for the lads and does good work.’
    â€˜Well, he failed with that Billy, didn’t he?’ said Jeanette in a hard voice, hurt by Peggy’s suggestion that she didn’t care about the underprivileged.
    â€˜You don’t know how difficult life is for some lads in our neighbourhood,’ protested Peggy, folding her arms across her ample bosom in the tight white blouse that was gaping at the front. ‘I believed I could save Greg from the same kind of fate. Now it’s all over! It was good whilst it lasted, but now I’ll never speak to him again,’ she said in a tight little voice.
    Jeanette muttered, ‘Well, you’re not the only one who got into trouble. Aunt Ethel poked me in the chest and locked me in my bedroom. I can’t see me having a night out anytime soon. At least you’ve got your holiday to look forward to.’
    â€˜With my mam and dad both having a face on them. Great!’ cried Peggy, and flounced off.
    Jeanette hit the typewriter keys hard, thinking most likely their friendship was at an end. Well, that was unfortunate, but she was not going to lose any sleep over it, although it could be awkward when Peggy came into the office. Perhaps it was time to look for another job. She felt fed up. After she had finished at commercial college she had seen this job as a