Chapter 6:
·
Main Events:
o
Meena meets Anita and tells her that her mother
is in hospital after giving birth. Anita says that Deirdre is also in hospital
after being beaten up by Deirdre’s father. Anita doesn’t believe this however
and thinks her Dierdre has made this up.
o
Anita and Meena form a gang comprising of local
children. They spend time reading magazines and walking around Tollington.
o
Anita encourages a peeing competition with the
gang and makes a point of taking part. She then forces her sister Tracey to
join in but after the rest of them make cruel jokes, Tracey runs off crying.
Meena joins in but is shocked by the incident.
o
After Anita explains what sex is to Meena, she steals her mother’s make up
and asks Anita to help her apply it. Meena then goes out to try to attract a
boy but fails. Unhappy, she writes a letter to Jackie magazine.
o
Meena’s father realises she is unhappy.
o
Pinky and Baby come to visit and stay with Anita
and Meena. Anita steals sweets from the shop and Meena steals Mr Ormerod’s
charity collection tin, giving it to Baby to hide.
o
When they Meena, Pinky and Baby return home, Mr
Ormerod comes to accuse the girls of stealing. Meena blames Pinky and Baby who
are taken home and punished.
·
Background Stories:
o
Meena tells us about the new motorway being
built and the small protests against it.
Chapter 7
·
Main Events:
o
Meena goes to the village fete, hosted by the
Pembridges.
o
Sam Lowbridge appears, now dressed as a
skinhead.
o
Sandy has a stall of badly knitted animals which
the Ballbearings women are whispering about until Hairy Neddy claims they’re
versions of expensive gonk toys. As the Ballbearings women buy the toys, Neddy
proposes to Sandy.
o
Meena and Anita go to see a fortune teller who
is new to the fete. The fortune teller is hesitant but tells Meena that help
will come ‘from overseas’, to watch her mother’s health and that she is under a
‘bad influence’. Anita presses the Mysterious Stranger to tell her fortune but
she refuses at first. Finally, she warns Anita that she must slow down, she
will have babies young and her mother will leave.
o
The girls meet Sherrie who tells them she has a
new horse, Trixie.
o
Mr Pembridge tells the crowd they have raised
£307 and Reverend Ince informs everyone
that the money will go towards the church roof.
o
Sam Lowbridge shouts out ‘Warra bout us?’, angry
at the use of money. He also accuses Uncle Alan, who steps in to help, that he
gives money to ‘some darkies we’ve never met’. The crowd is hald supportive of
Sam, half annoyed. Meena is hurt deeply by this.
o
Anita mentions to Meena that Sam is ‘bosting’.
Angry, Meena tells her she’s a ‘bloody stupid cow sometimes’ and goes home,
shocked.
o
The next day, Meena sees Anita walking past,
loudly calling Sherrie her best friend.
·
Background Stories:
o
Meena comments on the spring cleaning habits of
the village, particularly the Mad Mitchells.
o
Meena explains how little they saw of Indian
people in the media and how it would become a big event when they did, like
Miss India winning the Miss World contest.
o
Meena suggests to her mother that they drop
Sunil off at the orphanage to give her mother a break. However, Meena realises
how tired her mother is and how much time Sunil takes up.
o
Meena remembers Uncle Alan and Mr Ormerod
discussing charity and if money should be used to spread Christianity. Later,
Meena’s parents
o
Meena explains how her father enjoys gambling.
