Modest beginnings
Growing up in what was then, a small spread-out village, not long after the war years; kicking stones and fishing in the stream, most boys played cowboys and Indian’s or dreamed of the day they would roll in the haystacks with the girl of their dreams. But for two mischievous boys that was not enough. They were already famous amongst the villagers, and they dreamed of going to the big city to make their fortune.
Ernist Carter and Bill Morgan were the best of friends, so close they were like brothers, where one went, the other followed. This was not a bad thing, while other boys played hooky from school, they could be found running through the village, whooping and using sticks as swords, on there way to the local church that was used as a schoolhouse.
Ernist lived on a farm at the edge of town, with his mother, father and baby brother, but they were not wealthy by any means. The farm grew no crops, raised no animals and the roof leaked. Ernist would listen to the water drip in the pail, as his mother cried in the kitchen next door, and would put a silent prayer out into the world, one day you’ll drip in diamonds and cry no more.
Bill lived the opposite end of the village, in the post office where his parents worked. He loved sitting at the breakfast table, watching his mum, helping his dad, finish getting dressed in his smart uniform. He sat by the fire lazily eating his porridge, swinging his legs, while his sister sat on the floor playing and his brother slept in the crib. “Hurry up Bill, or you’ll be late, quickly now, your dad can walk with you”. Bill jumped down and grabbed his lunch; his mum grabbed him by the collar, trying to hold him back as she cleaned his face. “I’ve put an extra sandwich in for Ernist and here, I mended it, it’s not great, but it will do, keep him warm for winter”. His mum handed him his old coat, that he had ripped, when he fell out of the apple tree last week with Ernist.
Stepping out the door into the cold morning air, Bill gives a little shiver and wraps his coat a little tighter round himself. Reaching up, he takes his dad’s hand, he skips along, staring up at him; he studies his face, his clean-cut features, the shape of his eyes, the way he carries himself. His dad looks down at him with a sense of pride, his boy, his son.
They reach the bottom of the village as Ernist appears, arms wrapped round himself against the cold, Bill’s dad looks at the small boy, half a head shorter than his own son, wearing a shirt that is in desperate need of being laundered, and shorts only suitable for summer. The only protection against the cold, is the old woollen vest, that barely covers his body. He reaches a handout to tussle Ernist’s hair, and the boy flinches away keeping his eyes on the floor. Withdrawing his hand, he leans down and kisses Bill on the head, “be good at school”, Bill smiles back, “will do dad”. He is barely a few steps away, when he looks back and sees his son take his own coat off, and put it on his friend, before putting his old coat on and shouting “Come on Erni!”.
Ernist’s face lights up, as they run towards the fence, climbing over and running into the farmers field towards school. He thinks to call after them but instead smiles and shakes his head, “boys”.
They reach the schoolhouse a few minutes later, just in time to hear the teacher ring the school bell, a sign to all the other kids they had better hurry up. Ernist and Bill plop down next to each other on an old wooden bench, coats under their bums to stop them getting splinters and get there pencils out ready to start their work. They don’t care what the other kids think, they like school. Ernist sucks everything up like a sponge and Bill although he can be a little distracted is good at it.
Now, even though it is winter, and the classroom is deathly cold, bar the wood burning stove in the corner, they wait for the teacher to start. In warmer days, not that long ago, they had sat lazily by the stream, dipping their feet in, talking about what they wanted for the future. While other boys spoke about buying candy or getting a bike, Ernist was clear, this summer he was going to turn nine, that meant he could get a job. He wanted to help his mum out, and save up some money, so when he turned fourteen, he could go to the city and find his fortune. Bill thought this sounded wonderful, he would get a job too, then he could get the push car he wanted. Ernist begged him to save his money and come with him to the city, so he wouldn’t be alone.
They sat listening to the teacher, especially when she taught math. They were going to need this to get a job. Ernist was hoping to work in the bakery, while Bill wanted to work at the grocers hoping he would get to try the candy. When the bell rang for lunchtime, they sat together on the edge of the deck, sharing their lunch and swinging their legs as they talked over what they had just learnt in class. In the afternoon, while the teacher read from a book and explained about the meaning of the words, how to spell and they practiced handwriting, Bill was drawing. The teacher walked over to Bill and tapped the desk to get his attention. Bill barely looked up, turned over his paper to show a beautiful written paragraph and turned back to carry on drawing. Ernist a little annoyed that it came so easy to him, scrunched his face, but then remembered this was his best friend, his only friend.
When the end of day came, they ran out of the class into the cool winter evening air, the sky dark and overcast hung with the threat of rain in the air, both boys whooped as they ran across the uneven ground towards the fence. They could see Bill’s mum already waiting there, Ernist’s tummy did a skip, knowing she would have a candy or a sticky bun for them. They climbed the fence and she gave both boys a hug, today they were handed lolly pops, Bill undid his hungrily and placed it in his mouth, Ernist pretending they didn’t see him, slid his into the pocket of his shorts.
Bill’s mum took Ernist to one side, while Bill pretended to stare at a tree; she handed him a basket, with potato’s, carrots, onions, a few eggs, a bottle of milk, flour, butter, as well as a few other bits she had dug out of the pantry. The basket was heavy, but Ernist looked at it hungrily knowing his mum could do wonders with very little. She handed him a couple of coins, “put these in your pocket”, and then handed him a one-pound note, “put this away and make sure your mum gets it”. He knew the routine, it was the same at the end of every week, most weeks he managed to get the money to his mum and she would hide it, buying food and making it last the week, but on the weeks his dad found the money or got angry, they would go hungry.
Bill didn’t want to embarrass his friend, so he would look the other way or dig a hole in the floor with his shoe, while his mum spoke to him. He didn’t know everything, but he knew Ernist never had new clothes or shoes and often didn’t have a bath or wash. The other kids would pick on him at school, before they became friends. Ernist was always in trouble for fighting, until one day Bill stepped into defend him from a bigger kid. They both sat waiting for their parents with bloody noses, covered in dust, they looked at each other and started to laugh and that was how they made friends.
Bill’s parents arrived; his mum started to fuss him, while his dad spoke to the teacher. When his dad heard what had happened, he wasn’t angry, he was proud Bill had stood up for his friend. While they talked Bill introduced his mum to his friend, “mum, this is Erni”. His mum was so happy he had a friend, Bill was a bit quiet and shy, so didn’t make friends easily. They talked for a few minutes more, waiting for Erni’s parents to turn up, after a few more minutes, Bill’s dad looks at his watch, Bill’s mum rises from the floor and there is a hushed conversation between the adults. Ernist looking at his feet whispers quietly, “they’re talking about me”. Bill doesn’t say anything he just nudges him gently and joins in swinging his feet next to Ernist.
Ernist thought for sure Bill would be told to stay away from him, just like the other kids, but the next morning Bill was stood at the bottom of the lane with his dad. Bill ran up and gave him a hug, his dad watched them as they crossed the field, that was the first day Ernist had a friend, and a lunch.
Bill’s mum tried many times to help Ernist’s mum, catching up with her at a local shop, but after they were caught talking by Ernist’s dad, they stopped talking. This is when they came up with the plan.
Ernist started up the lane with the basket, as Bill walked home with his mum. They didn’t talk about the situation, because once his mum had asked him questions, Bill did not know the answers to and asked Ernist, he got angry with Bill and gave him a bloody nose. Bill begged his mum not to fuss; Ernest didn’t come to school for a week. When he did come back it took a lot for Bill to convince Ernist to be his friend.
