Thursday, January 25, 2007

ALL CHANGE

ALL CHANGE
Story contd

William actively started looking for a job which would give him his desired change of direction. Dodie put the house in Norfolk on the market and asked Wallace and Fleur to look out for an apartment for her in their area.  We planned to live in a commuting area to London and considered places within a 20 mile radius.  Not knowing the area at all, I favoured north to make visiting my family easier but William preferred south to be accessible to his family.

He applied to British, Iron and Steel Research Association in Battersea (B.I, S.R.A.) and was invited for an interview.  I had been nursing, at different levels since I was sixteen and working, as I now did, part-time, was unsatisfactory. I needed to do something different but decided to keep my job until our plans were firm and we moved South.

I was afraid William’s stammer would affect his interview but it never seemed to hold him back; he came through with flying colours and they offered him the job.  Mum and Dad weren’t fazed when I told them we would be living at the other end of the country.  They were having the time of their lives.  Gran spent most of the time in the States, they now had a small car and the world was their oyster.  They both still worked full time and relished their week-ends and holidays. Evan was happily married and Maddie had met a radio officer and they were contemplating marriage when their divorces were absolute.

I’m ashamed to say I was full of stupid prejudices and wondered how I would cope living amongst ‘b----y southerners’.  It took a long time for me to realise that I could
laugh with, communicate and get really fond of people who had been born and bred in the south.  In later years I found it ironic that sometimes – in the north I would be looked at askance and once met a woman in Cornwall  who, when I told her I came from Rossendale said.

‘Oh not our Rossendale!’  (God forbid!)

We decided William would accept the job, go down alone and live in digs until he found somewhere for us to rent, when I would join him.  The plan then would be for us to buy a house so that we weren’t spending all our earnings on rent.  He said we would see how long we could last living apart, to save money.  I thought this was not a good idea.  William was quite happy to spend the week-ends with his brother but I didn’t relish being alone for an indefinite period, just to save money.

Meanwhile the Jones had invited us to lunch the week-end before William left.  Remembering the humiliation I had felt at the party I tried to cry off but William said we owed it to them to go as John had obviously given him a great reference.  They were a sweet couple and this was lunch – not a party – so I relented.  When I spoke to Bridie on the phone she said her niece would be there.  She wanted us to meet her as she lived in London so could be helpful when we moved down.  Little did I know that this lunch party would have such an effect on my life.  And I nearly missed it.

44 comments:

kenju said...

I thought people are only prejudiced against southerners in the US, Pat, not the UK too...LOL

Pat said...

Judy: it's a rwo way thing - possibly the same the world over. Here it is less obvious as people up sticks and move around more.

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

Pat! I really really need to know the rest! I keep getting this feeling that soon, all will not be well.

Drama Queen said...

I look forward to the next installment. . .!

DQ X

Pat said...

GG: distance can make you see more clearly I think.

DQ: good! Hope you can stay the distance. Hope I can stay the distance:)

granny p said...

Ah -now we're left on the edge of our seats. And I'm another bloody southerner and all...

Anonymous said...

Don't stop there!!
Can't wait for the next post.

Pat said...

Never mind Grannyp - I love you just the same:)

anon: good - thought you'd all gone to sleep!

utenzi said...

LOL You ended that post with a cliffhanger, Pat. Now I'll have to keep coming back to see what happens next. Good writing technique!

Michele sent me over to see you, Pat.

Pat said...

Hi utenzi: gotta keep you interested!

Dr Maroon said...

Little did I know that this lunch party would have such an effect on my life...

Yeah, and little did we know what effect this blog would have on our lives!

Anyway, you're ALL B-southerners to me.

Anonymous said...

Hi there, Michelle sent me

Anonymous said...

I’m ashamed to say I was full of stupid prejudices and wondered how I would cope living amongst ‘b----y southerners’.

It's funny how north/south divisions exist in many countries. Here of course, we had a civil war based on same. In Germany, Bavarians are similarly viewed by their northern countrymen. I think it was Bismarck who said, "Bavarians are Mankind's link to the Austrians.

Can't wait for the next part of the story.

Cheers.

Pat said...

Doc: how very dare you!!

Leslie: Hi and welcome.

Randall: I hadn't realised until Judy pointed it out. And then there was Vietnam

Carli N. Wendell said...

Now I have to wait to see who survives the Metro Courte bombing on General Hospital AND come back to finish this story? Too much drama!
Here from M.

Sam, Problem-Child-Bride said...

Well, you're all bloody southerners to me, even you Doc. And we don't much like them up in Shetland either. Bah! The mainland is all barbarian and forrin as far as we're concerned - don't stew their tea long enough.

Sam, Problem-Child-Bride said...

Gotta know, gotta know, Pat. Don't leave it too long!

Z said...

At least you can all look down on us in East Angular. There's Silly Suffolk, Norfolk Dumplings and Essex girls. All roads lead to the North Sea and we are steadily sinking into it.

Anonymous said...

only moved south from Oldham to teach the southerners how to speak proper. Queen talks like Ena Sharples in private tha knows.

Pat said...

carli: sorry about that dear:)

Sam: that's right hon - sock it to Doc! Monday as ever was.

z: oh dear - what have I started?

dp: well she would wouldn't she? And as for the Queen Mum ...

Azgreeneyes said...

I almost need a map to know where these places are, I am so ignorant of the UK! You are an awesome writer, though, and I wish I could write as smoothly as that!

Here from Michele's

Pat said...

Welcome azgreeneyes! That's sweet of you to say so. I often feel the same about the geography of the Ststes

Michael K. Althouse said...

In addition to residing on the "left coast," my family hails from the South... as in Dixie, Cotton and the Bayou.

What? Different South? Oh.

Never mind -

Michele sent me,


Mike

Pat said...

Hi Mike! I guess the more we move around the broader our minds get - hopefully.

apprentice said...

Yup I'm with Sam you're all southeners to me! But you're right people are people the world over.

Oh, I sense trouble brewing......

Pat said...

apprentice: not mucb changed then since I was a gel?
You could be right - but then again...

Monozygote said...

Hi PI!
I’m ashamed to say I was full of stupid prejudices and wondered how I would cope living amongst ‘b----y southerners’.

Does the b-word rhyme with "ruddy", or is it something worse? I have to say that this type of feeling does put me off "northerners" - the feeling that their starting point is that they don't like me. I do think prejudice is more fascinating than shameful though. And I think it's amazing that there can be such divisive indiginous cultural differences in a country as tiny as this.

Anonymous said...

I too resided on the "left coast" for the majority of my life, and now am in the south. Even if it is a different country. What amazes me is that so much of the attitudes are the same.

Have a wonderful day! Here via Michele today but I think I'm going to take a look around.

Pat said...

dandelion: now I'm grown up I'm completely devoid of prejudice - with the possible exception of Yorkshire. although I have to admit I miss it a lot:)

Moogie: Make yourself at home. You're very welcome!

Just a trumpet player said...

Here from Michele...

Darn, I'm hooked now ! I'll definitely be back to read the remaining of the story !!

Pat said...

Welcone JATP: hooked? that's what we like to hear. Pull up a chair.

Bobkat said...

So what happens next? It's funny how certain events in our life can change it so much and there is no inkling it will have that effect at the time.

Here from Michele's.

Jean-Luc Picard said...

An interview is tough for anyone. I've never been fond of them.

Michele sent me.

Pat said...

bob-kat: I am now confused about your gender. Come back on Monday for next:)

Pat said...

Hio jean-luc: I suppose the more important the outcome of an interview the more of an ordeal it is.

srp said...

Here from Michele.
I never realized that there was a northern/southern or Yankee/Rebel thing going on in England too. Where has this been in the history books or are the English so reserved that it has never come to the point of blows as it did in the young upstart colonies. :)

Pat said...

Hi srp! It is pretty much beneath the surface and has diminished as people have changed jobs and settled elsewhere. It came to the point of blows with the Scots and with the Lancastrians and Yorkshire folk but as a Lancastrian I can't give an unbiased opinion on that. Our emblen was the red rose - later, infuriatingly adopted by the Labour Party (How dare they?) and we won! Yay!

Bobkat said...

Michele sent me back.

It's funny how the north/south divide is still perceived in the UK although I would say it is artificial these days with people moving around more.

Pat said...

Yes you are right bob-kat.

Jennifer said...

Oh, goodness...sounds like I've walked in in the middle of the story. Will try to begin at the beginning and catch up :)
Michele sent me today! :)

Dr Maroon said...

Made glorious summer by this sun of York;

and I thought WE held the grudges !

Pat said...

Doc: from now on I'm going to love everybody. Just some a little more than others.

Unknown said...

See I'm from the Midlands and I just don't understand it what do I class as an as small as this little rock we live on is compared to the rest of the world I really don't get it ;)

I'm gone have to have a look round your blog as I enjoyed that post ;)

Here via Michele's

Pat said...

Hi Oracle and welcome! I never thought about that. The Midlands would be neutral I suppose. Hope you like it here.