Ditch by Beth Steel Page B

steps forwards with the mop.
    James It’s Megan?
    Megan abandons the idea of mopping.
    Megan Yeah.
    They move towards one another almost imperceptibly.
    James I’m –
    Megan James.
    James Yeah.
    They smile, look down at the floor and edge back again in embarrassment.
    Megan What you come here for?
    James Boilin’ water. Thought I’d have a shave.
    Megan When’s your birthday?
    James Twelfth a’ April.
    Megan Just passed.
    James nods.
    Megan Shame.
    James Why’s that?
    Megan You get a bath on your birthday. I had mine too, tenth a’ January.
    Beat.
    Megan I spent the whole evenin’ in mine. Must a’ been in it for five hours. Mrs Peel kept bringin’ me more hot water each time it went cold and by the end a’ it the bath was so full it covered every inch a’ me. Then I did somethin’ I never done before, to make it special. I opened my eyes in the water, like I was swimmin’. And then, at the very end, I put a jug a’ milk in it. ( Shrugs. ) Made my tits soft.
    Mrs Peel enters. She glares at them.
    Megan He just waitin’ for the floor to dry.
    Mrs Peel Looks bone dry to me.
    Megan I’ll put that pan a’ water on.
    James I’ll come back later.
    James makes to leave.
    Mrs Peel Before you do I’m gonna say a few things about the handlin’ a this place that we women see too. Burns may a’ told you some a’ this already but I’m gonna say it anyway. Cause I like to tell it and Megan here, she like to hear it.
    First off. We got plenty to do around here. There aint no idle time for me and her till I give it, aint that right Megan?
    Megan nods.
    Mrs Peel We got livestock to see to, cleanin’ to be done, and meals to be made. You get your breakfast, one cup a’ coffee and the pleasure a’ me in here at eight. You campin’ out and need some food with yer, you come to me about it. Otherwise you get your dinner in here at seven at and it’ll be served by me . You like deer?
    James opens his mouth to speak . . .
    Mrs Peel Cause it’s gonna come fried, boiled, smoked, roasted, dried, burnt and raw. ( Lowers her gaze to his groin. ) Every a’ inch a’ it too. I don’t do requests or suggestions, come dinner you get what you get. Same as outside we get toiletry supplies once a month. I recommend you use two sheets a’ paper for a piss and three for a shit. We don’t grow toilet paper, when it’s gone it’s gone. Any questions?
    Mrs Peel ’s eyes narrow onto James frame.
    Mrs Peel You’re gonna need to thicken up for the winter. We feel it out here, gets inta your bones, worth it for the clean air though. I’ll see to it that I skim the butterfat, get plenty of milk in yer.
    James How’d yer get fresh milk?
    Mrs Peel From a cow’s tit.
    James Aint had fresh milk since I been a kid.
    Mrs Peel We set up alright here.
    James You must a’ had a farm or somethin’ before?
    Mrs Peel There’s one more thing for me to tell and I only gonna say it once. I’ve listened to all the stories a’ my generation, then watched ’em get sick or fade away. And it wasn’t this world that killed ’em. It was the other. The memory of it. Now. I’m fifty eight, still standin’, with nothin’ more than a bit a’ ring worm. We don’t talk about the past here.
    Mrs Peel stares at James . James leaves quietly. Megan rushes to the stove.
    Mrs Peel What a’ you doin’?
    Megan He forgot the water.
    Mrs Peel He dint forget. He decided he dint want it after all.
    Mrs Peel glares at Megan . Burns enters.
    Burns Mornin’.
    Mrs Peel Afternoon.
    Burns Suppose it is. We kept yer awake last night?
    Mrs Peel Nothin’ disturbs my beauty sleep.
    Burns Cause us men were goin’ for it.
    Mrs Peel That aint kept me awake yet.
    Burns sits and picks horse shit off his boot, Megan watches it fall to the floor.
    Burns How long for that deer?
    Mrs