RELUCTANT PRESS

We pecked lightly and stepped out on to the pavement.

It was rather a different kettle of fish going out in public in mid-morning and with the sun shining, to going out on a dismal rainy Sunday afternoon at dusk.

I think the dreamlike quality of it helped to bolster me. "Oh, do let's stop and look at these frocks," said Sue as we were passing a boutique, "I like that beige outfit, don't you?"

It was scarcely possible for me to be any more turned on than I already was, but Sue's spontaneous 'girl talk' came as an extra bonus. I suddenly realised that I was now perfectly free to stand and stare at frocks, lingerie and corsetry without a care in the world; I always used to do it, of course, but always with hurried, sidelong and surreptitious glances, loaded with my adolescent guilt... writers of Genesis knew about the awakening of sin. But I digress.

"After tea this morning I'd love to go in and try it on and you can come in with me and try something on yourself; I think that red and grey silk stripe with the half sleeves would go very nicely on you. Come on, let's hurry to the tea lounge." To Sue, it all a bit of light hearted fun whereas to me it was still a heart-pounding, throat-tightening drama of daring, ecstasy and dread.

"Good morning, ladies," said the uniformed doorman cheerfully as we entered Blinnman's.

"Good morning major," said Sue with a smile.

I gave a weak grin and hurried past him.

We made our way to the lounge which was in their basement via a very wide, sweeping stairway.

"There is nothing like a stairway like this for the grande entrance, according to Doreen," whispered Sue, "so don't look down at your feet and for Lord's sake, don't trip."

We made our descent gracefully.

"Two, Ladies?" said the maitresse de cafe meeting us at the bottom.

JOYCE'S GIRLS

BY JOYCE

"No, there will be five of us presently," said Sue with a certain hauteur, "and not too close to the music, please."

We were ushered to a table for five.

"That woman always reminds me of Madame de Farge from Tale of Two Cities," chuckled Sue when we were seated. The string quartet was making an excellent job of 'Calire de Lune'.

In a frightfully posed mock gesture, chin in gloved fingers, Sue continued, "And tell me, my deah, this mawning, when you went to the jakes, did you sit... or stand?" At this, she let out a peal of rather loud laughter.

"God save us, child, shurrup! You'll have the whole bloody place about our ears in a minute. See, Madame de Farge is staring at us already. Anyway, I haven't been anywhere 'jakes' indeed, what a word to use for a young lady, since I have been dressed up, anyway."

"Well, you see that little door over ~here, with a silhouette of a Victorian lady with a parasol and a poke bonnet that is where you and I will retire to presently, to have a wee and fix up our faces, and you are going to have to sit."

I felt the conversation was getting a bit out of hand I wasn't quite used to this.

"Don't look so startled," grinned Sue. "When women are together, they use language as ripe as anyone else's. Sometimes we even call a 'jakes' a She was going to say 'shithouse' but decided not to.

""

I suddenly saw the funny side of it and burst out laughing myself and felt quite proud to have a girlfriend so outrageously forthright. Not to be outdone, I said, "Okay, my dear, you and I will go to the bog presently and do our faces and have a wee, wee, wee. wee!

"The others have arrived," she said, looking to the head of the stairway to see Mom, Doreen and Mrs. Joan Gilray making their way to our table. "And you have to call Mommy 'Joan' while you are looking like a grownup lady; I know she expects it."

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