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AN ODD LOT.
Lydia is quiet
going down the slope
by Arrol House
and onto
Rockingham Street
Benedict says nothing
he thinks it best
to let her brood
until she’s ready
to speak
he's seen it
in the films before
where the female
opposite the cowboy
has her moods
or quiet times
and the cowboy
lets her get on with it
while he rides off
into the sunset
to fight the bad guys
or Injuns
or have a shot
of Red Eye
in the bar in the town
watching the dancers
on the makeshift stage
he gives Lydia
a side on gaze
her straight hair
seems unbrushed
her dress is creased
and the cardigan
has a hole
in the elbow
they walk up
towards Draper Road
by the blocks of flats
he says
(hating silence)
the parents
were rowing last night
something to do
with money
or the lack of it
from what
I could gather
through the bedroom door
lying in the dark
seeing the thin line
of light
from the other room
the old man hates
being short
needs dosh
to get
his best suits
and brown shoes
saw something odd
last night
Lydia says suddenly
looking at Benedict
odd? what was odd?
he asks
studying
her thin hands
the nails chewed
my big sister
and her man friend
your sister's always odd
says Benedict
no
more odd
she made me sleep
in the tiny cot bed
which I haven't done
for years as its
too small for me really
but anyway
she made me sleep there
so she and her man friend
could sleep there
he's been turned out
of his digs
as he calls them
and Mum didn't like
the idea but Dad
in his usual drunken state
said O let him stay
a few days
until he gets himself
a place
so there am I
stuck in the cot bed
feet dangling
over the ends
just about room for me
except my backside
gets cold
when I turn over
nothing worse
Benedict says
than a cold backside
well then
Lydia says
after the lights were out
and she thought
I was asleep
I heard this noise
like squashy sound
and I lay there
with my eyes open
looking
at the dark shapes
and hearing
these odd sounds
and the giggles
and snorts and such
Benedict gazes at her
side on
her thin lips
were opening
and closing
like the goldfish
he had which fell
into the sink
out of the fish bowl
and its tiny mouth
was closing
and opening
upon the wet
white surface
then the bed springs
were going gong gong
then silence
as if they were dead
odd
Lydia says
staring
straight ahead
and I never got
to sleep in the end
for ages
what with them
and the cold
on my backside
and the trains
going over
the railway bridge
and the shunting
of coal wagons
so you're tired
Benedict says
that’s why you
were quiet just now
thought I'd done
something wrong
when I first met you
outside your flat
and you came out
with a face
suppose so
she says
and they walk along
Draper Road
to the Penny shop
where he treats her
to a penny pop drink
and 4
fruit salad sweets
and they stand
by the penny
ball game machine
on the wall
and watch some kid
press the buttons
and the ball
goes around
and around
until it disappears
in a slot
and Lydia thinks
to herself
sipping her drink
grown ups
are an odd lot.
