The Present
By Gareth George
Susie’s birthday
My Grandmother had a very complex personality and despite being universally popular, even revered in the community strictly rationed her public appearances. There were, however, occasions when she would act quite out of character and on a complete whim make generous overtures to her friends and family. This unpredictability could never be anticipated and was particularly disconcerting to both my Mother and her brother Tom.
It was on one of these more outgoing moments that my mother found herself on a tram bound for Cefn Coed to deliver a birthday present to Susie Edwards. Susie was a cousin of my Grandmother’s but what added particular frisson to the occasion for my Mother was that she was more familiar with Susie as her formidable piano teacher.
The day had started with the pair of them trying to agree on a suitable present. This had presented quite a problem. Etiquette demanded something of quality and of the right value to suit the occasion. Its suitability would after all reflect on the bearer. What could they give this successful women with a Welsh Dresser dripping with valuable Welsh china, an original spinning wheel and enough decorative brass ware to require a whole day set aside each week for cleaning! How could ‘appearances’ be maintained without the feelings of being the poor relation (the truth in reality) or, even worse, give the appearance of being cheap and frivolous? Beautifully boxed embroidered linen pillowslips fitted the bill, a card was written and the present suitably wrapped.
Sitting downstairs in the tram to Cefn, Brenda and her Mother enjoyed each others company, thrilled to be out on a rare jaunt together.
The visit easily lived up to its billing. Susie, her charismatic Mother and even Susie’s husband enthusiastically made them very welcome. The usual polite welsh cake tea ritual followed as previously described and my Grandmother handed over the birthday present.
Susie was delighted, but to Brenda’s consternation and amazement, while the hosts were distracted on some pretext the original lid of the presentation box was suddenly secreted away by her Mother. She at first sat on it and then slipped it into her capacious handbag. Fortunately this furtive activity went un-noticed, except by Brenda, but any questioning was rapidly discouraged by just one look from her Mother. The visit, however, continued to be an unqualified success. Susie and her family had been delighted to have this rare chance to entertain Lizzie and her daughter and the prolonged goodbyes and thanks were further testament to their genuine pleasure. Doorstep entreaties to call again as they left, confirmed the success of the afternoon.
It was only on the homeward bound tram that Brenda learnt the full extent of her Mother’s deviousness! Lizzie suddenly began to giggle. It started as a slight chuckle, which gradually enveloped her whole body until she positively shook with uncontrollable mirth. All on the tram, without knowing quite why, couldn’t help but be affected with her infectious laughter.
Seeing her daughter’s puzzlement without further ado she pulled out the crumpled lid of the pillowslip box from her bag. Inside in neat copperplate was the following dedication,
‘ To Dear Lizzie with love, Ethel, Morgan, Susie and Glynn.’
This would have, without doubt, given her Mother away and Susie would have realised she was in fact receiving a re-cycled present. A social faux pas that would have reduced Lizzie‘s standing in the family to zero. The scandal might have even reached her friends in the Hope Chapel congregation and the community at large! The relief and the further sight of the incriminating evidence sent Lizzie into yet another fit of uncontrollable laughter.
Brenda and her Mother could now enjoy their conspiracy together, as they imagined Susie and her Mother searching fruitlessly for the missing lid after they had gone!