Jennospot 28 Coach Bolts
This'll 'ave ter be moi last blog fer a bit of a while, 'cos Peter's goin' off up in the mountains near the sea, where there ain't no internet, and no telephone neither fer that matter. 'Ee reckons as 'ow it'll be noice an' quiet ter get anovver story finished. 'Ee got this new gang book a-goin' see, where we set out ter catch some spies. Well any'ow, we reckoned as 'ow there were some spies, though Oi fink it were Peter 'imself wot got caught in the finish. Maybe it'll be too quiet up there fer moi way of finkin', but, yew know, wot'll the poor lad do wivvout me ter fill 'im in about all the details. Talk about a rotten mem'ry. Cripes, 'ee couldn't set down a single word on 'is own wivvout me bein' there ter prompt 'im. Any'ow here's a little bit ter be goin' on wiv, about 'ow we started off makin' moi cart:
‘I decided to tackle Jenno at the milk break about the girls making carts. It wasn't difficult, as she was actually looking for me.
‘Hi,’ she said. ‘Oi've got four of them mushroom bolts we need. They're about as long as moi middle finger. Will they do?’
‘That's fine. They're called coach bolts by the way.’
‘Why coach bolts? Shouldn't they be called cart bolts?’
‘I don't know why they're called coach bolts. They just are. Might as well ask why you're called Jenno when your name is Jean.’
‘Everyone calls me Jenno.’
‘Is that a reason?’
‘Naw, cleverdick. It's 'cos Oi've got a cousin Jean, about moi age, wot used ter live in the same 'ouse as me. They called 'er Jeanie, and me Jenno so's we'd know who was who. So there. Why're yew called Peter, fer that matter? Oi don't see yew a-peterin' out all the toime.’
Jenno giggled.
‘It's in the Bible,’ I said.
‘Yew fink Oi'm ignorant? Peter was the guy wot said 'ee din't know Jesus when Jesus got inter trouble wiv the law. Foine sort o' friend 'ee was.’
‘He was a fisherman.’
‘So? Yew a-goin' in fer fishin'?’
‘His name means a rock.’
‘Cripes— yew'd better not go a-fallin' inter no water then.’
‘Oh, shut up Jenno. You're impossible.’
‘Yeah, an' moi noime comes outta the Bible too. Peter 'ad a good friend wot was also a fisherman. 'Is noime was John. An' that's where moi name Jean comes from. So sucks ter yew.’
‘Have you been talking to Molly about cart racing?’
‘So wot if Oi 'ave? Oi don't need yer permission ter talk to 'er. Oi c'n talk to anybody Oi loike, any ol' toime Oi like. Only Oi didn't tell 'er nuffink about our cart. An' don't yew go tellin' 'er neither. That's our secret.’
‘You know I wouldn't tell anyone Jenno. I gave you my word.’
‘So wot's all this about Molly an' cart racin'?’
‘It's just that she said that she wanted to race.’
‘Yeah, well— the GGG is goin' ter do that as well as cricket an' all that stuff wot boys do. Only we're goin' ter do it better. So yew moight as well get used to it.’
I didn't feel like getting into a further argument with her so I merely sighed.
‘All right Jenno,’ I said. ‘Bring the coach bolts to the fence after school and we'll see if they'll do for your cart.’
Gang Loyalty Chapter 11
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