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Overweening
pride explained why he could be easily offended and boorish. A smart and finicky
dress sense contrasted with a foul temper and abusive speech for all occasions.
By turns he could be both frugal and foolish with money
In lack of
principle his complement was not dissimilar. But her complexion tended towards
the sallow, and she had dark brown eyes set in an oval face. She was buxom, with
long dark brown hair, and was indifferent to style owing to an excess of
domesticity Mam was nervous and apprehensive on this particular day, and had not spoken since my return from work. While I was considering the possible cause, she finally blurted it out: "I've bought some furniture!" "What! Where? Seriously?" "Yer father will be on. I've used all our furniture coupons. It's just come. Do you think he'll mind? Come and see it. It's Canadian leaf pattern. I've always fancied it. It was in Harris and Ash's window, where I got our old sideboard years ago. I'm paying on it. Do you think he'll mind?" I could tell by her manner that she had prepared herself and had decided to brazen it out. She normally wouldn't dare take such an unprecedented step in contravention of my father's law about the buying of 'sticks', as he called them. Anyway, I kept a lookout at the front gate, while Malcolm, who had just arrived, watched the back lane. "Here he comes," I cried, running in. He wasn't long indoors, when he sensed something was going on. As usual, he turned to me, hollering, "What have you bin up to long-un?" (He rarely called me by my real name). Before I could answer, Mam blurted it out (and more defiantly this time). "I've bought some furniture!"
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