Oi'm Comin' Wiv Yer

Jennospot 19  Oi'm Comin' Wiv Yer

Guess wot— Peter St John 'as jus' put out 'is first e-book on Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. It's called "Gang Petition". Wot's best about it, is that it's got a whole lot about me in it. Fact is–only 'ee won't 'ave it–it were me wot give 'im the idea in the first place. Any'ow, in this book 'im an me, we set off fer Lunnon tergevver, surreptitious loike; only 'ee weren't too pleased about it, leastways, not at first. 'Ee troid real 'ard ter send me back 'ome, only Oi weren't 'avin' any. This is 'ow it was:

Someone touched me on the arm. I looked round.

‘Jenno!’ I exclaimed in surprise. ‘You came to see me off!’

Her reply was lost in the commotion of the stopping train which came to a halt with an empty compartment right in front of me. I turned the big brass door handle.

‘Quick,’ cried Jenno. ‘Get in before Lost-a-tanner Reggie spots me.’

She leaped into the train after me and slammed the door. A whistle blew, and the train slowly set off.

‘Phew,’ puffed Jenno, like our panting locomotive. ‘Oi thought moi mum would never go. Oi nearly missed the train.’

‘Are you going into town?’

‘Naw— moi mum's goin' inter town wiv Mrs Jay.’

‘Where are you going then?’

‘Ter Lunnon.’

‘To London?’

‘Yew din't fink yew was a-goin' there on yer own did yew?’

I gaped at her. ‘You're coming with me?’

Jenno gave me a freckly grin and nodded.

‘And your mother doesn't know?’

Jenno shook her head. ‘'Corse she don't. She'd never 'ad let me go if'n she knew. Any'ow— we'll be back 'ere again afore she gets 'ome from town.’

‘Is that why you were worried about Reggie seeing you?’

‘Naw— 'ee moight 've asked me about moi ticket.’

‘And so?’

‘Oi ain't got one.’

I gaped at her again. ‘How d'you think you can get to London without a ticket?’

‘Oi got on the train wivvout one din't Oi? Oi reckon as 'ow Oi c'n get off the same way.’

‘How often have you been to London?’

‘Oi ain't never been ter Lunnon. Oi ain't 'ardly ever bin on a train 'cept a couple a times into town wiv moi mum when Oi was little. Usually we takes the 'bus.’

‘Jenno— there's nearly always a ticket inspector on the train. And then there's someone at the barrier at the other end who collects the tickets. They'll catch you, and you'll have to pay a big fine. Besides, you haven't brought your gasmask.’

‘Aw, c'mon— yer worse 'n Dismal. There won't be no gas. We'll manage. Ow c'n an inspector get in 'ere any'ow? An' we're gettin' off in a minute, at the first stop.’

‘Yeah, okay— and then we change into an express to London. The carriages have a corridor. That's how the inspector can get in. I think you'd better go back to Widdlington by the first train and try to dodge old Lost-a-tanner getting off the platform. That shouldn't be too difficult.’

‘Oi told yew— Oi'm comin' wiv yer. So don't fink yew c'n get rid of me that easy.’

‘I can't buy you a ticket; I've only got eleven pence left and I need that for the underground.’

‘Oi'm comin' wiv yer. Yew can't make me go back— so Oi'm a-comin'.’

The train stopped with a jerk.

‘All change, all change,’ called the loud-speaker. ‘Passengers for London proceed to platform one. The express is due in five minutes.’

‘Go on back, Jenno. The indicator board will show you the next train for Widdlington.’

‘Don't waste yer breath. Oi'm comin' wiv yer.’

("Gang Petition" Chapter 17)