AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY
49
For many years it fell to my lot to accompany my mother on her Saturday night shopping, and from her attitude
in these transactions I derived much help.
One happening I place beside the story of Barrie's mother when she became the proud possessor of six horse hair
bottomed chairs, as he recounts in his book Margaret Ogilvie. For many weeks, if not months, my mother would
stand outside the furniture stores in Jamaica Road, but what was passing through her mind she told no one. At last,
however, it was revealed, when a furniture van delivered a bedroom suite paid for in cash. Up till then a box
covered with dimity over pink cotton, with a small swing mirror sufficed, but when at last this transformation was
achieved, what a day that was! We children were happy to have bare boards for a floor and blue washed walls.
Mother bless her, was now housed like a Queen.
Another light upon her character is associated with the annual holiday which would never have been but for her
careful budgetting. When the time drew near for arrangements to be made, I usually got time off from daily work
and we went both of us together, mother and son, to Ramsgate, Hastings or some seaside place to decide on the
apartments that must be booked in advance. I learned to anticipate the procedure.
Armed with a number of addresses, her first move was to `look at their curtains'. If the outside inspection was
not satisfactory she would pass on to the next address until that test was passed. After coming to terms, her next
move was to visit the shopping centre where she would make a sort of slide rule. `That tin of apricots is a halfpenny
more than at home, that cut of beef is a penny more' and so on.