EARLY CALL 1958

A GIRL AND HER MOTHER AND A BOY AND AN EARLY CALL FOR SCHOOL.

Ingrid wakes.

The morning sun
peeps through
her curtains.

She listens for sounds,
for rows,
for shouts;
nothing,
silence.

Her eyes seem filled
with dried tears.

She feels tender
where her father
beat her
the night before.

She moves
to the side
of the bed,
gets up
and goes to the door
of her bedroom.

No sounds,
nothing;
she opens the door
and walks along
the passage;  
her parents' bedroom door
is open,
no one is there.

She walks
to the sitting room;
her mother
is sitting at the table
by the window
sipping tea in silence.

Where's Dad?
Ingrid asks

Gone out to work early,
her mother says,
good job to
the miserable git.

Her mother has
a bruised eye;
Ingrid stares at her.

Get some breakfast
or you'll be late for school.

Ingrid goes
to the kitchen
and gets some cereal
and milk, and goes
and sits at the table
with her mother.

You look awful,
her mother says,
get yourself washed after.

Ingrid nods
and eats her breakfast.

There's a knock
at the door.

Who's that?
her mother says,
go see who it is.  

Ingrid goes
to the door anxiously,
and opens up.

It's Benny;
you're early,
she says to him.

No, you're late,
he says.

Am I?
Ingrid says wide-eyed.

Yes;
what's happened
to you?  
Benny asks.

Ingrid's mother
comes to the door;
what you want?
she says.

Come for Ingrid
for school,
he says.

You're early.

No, she's late,
he says.

Best come in
and wait then,
Ingrid says,
I won't be long.

Can't have him in here;
what if your father
comes home?

I'll wait here,
Benny says,
can't upset
your old man;
but he's gone
I watched him go.

Ingrid's mother
shuts the door;
Benny waits outside
in the early morning sun.

A new school day
has just begun.