“But I can’t,” insisted Jack.   He moaned as he sat up again.

Norma eased him down onto the bed again and said, “You can spend the day trying to sit up if you like, and I’ll spend the day lying you back down again, I don’t mind.   Then when you’re strong enough to stop me from lying you down, we’ll both know that you’re well enough to get up and look for work.”

“But I am well enough,” insisted Jack.   He groaned as he tried to sit up again.

“Jack!” said Norma, lying him down again, and holding him down on the bed.   “You Pre not getting up from this bed, even if I have to sit on your face to hold you down.”

“You’re only trying to make me die of lust before I’m well enough to take you up on that,” accused Jack.

Norma tore the situations vacant pages from the newspaper, and then placed the newspaper on the bed, saying, “If you want to have a look at the paper later on, you can, but I’m taking the work section with me.”

“Sadist,” said Jack.

“Actually I’m quite happy about it,” said Norma.

“Happy-ist,” said Jack.

“Do you want any of this, or can I take it away?” Norma asked, indicating the breakfast tray.

“You can leave me a cuppa,” said Jack.

Norma poured a cup of tea, returned the pot to the tray end turned to leave.   She had taken a couple of steps toward the bedroom door when she stopped.   Looking back, she said, “Oh Jack, this might not be a good time…But while we’re talking about work, I’ve got another chance of a job with Debbie Williams.”

“Another one?   How many jobs does she have going?” asked Jack.   “I didn’t think that the laundry business was doing so well these days.”

“It isn’t, I conceded Norma.   “It’s the same job.”

“You mean to tell me that, with so many people looking for work, she hasn’t been able to fill the job in nearly a year?”

“It isn’t that she can’t fill the job,” said Norma.   “She filled it shortly after she first offered it to me, but she hasn’t been able to get anyone to stick to the job for more than a few weeks.”

“Christ!   It can’t be much of a bloody job,” said Jack.   “You ought to thank me for telling you not to take it.”

“Oh Jack, she’s only had young kids in the job so far, and what doesn’t seem much to teenager, might be just the ticket for me.”

“Still I’d prefer that you didn’t get a job while I’m still able to.”

“But you haven’t been able to!”

“Not so far,” admitted Jack.   “But I will eventually…Hell I thought you’d given away the idea of working nearly a year ago.”

“No, Jack, you gave up the idea of me working nearly a year ago, it seems.   I’ve spent the last eleven months waiting for you to see reason!   Hell, Jack, there are times when I’ve considered just taking the job, and then telling you to like it or lump it!” said Norma.

“Then why haven’t you?” demanded Jack.

“Out of respect for your feelings.   Which is more than you seem to have for mine!”

“Surely you wouldn’t take the job against my wishes?”

“I really don’t see why I shouldn’t take it.   Housework only lasts me a couple of days a week.   Recently I’ve found myself washing down the walls and ceilings, end scrubbing the kitchen floor, every few days.   If I don’t take a job soon, I’ll end up scrubbing the paint right off the walls.”

“Oh Norma!   Maybe I’m old-fashioned…” began Jack, then seeing Norma raise her eyebrows, he said, “all right, all right, so I definitely am old-fashioned, but I still don’t like the idea of having n working wife,” as Norma started to interrupt, Jack raised his voice a little to add, “It’d be bad enough at any time, but while I’m on the dole, it’d be as though I was letting you be the breadwinner.”

“Oh Jack!   Stop living in the past,” said Norma indignantly, “There is no stigma these days about a man having a working wife.”   Then as Jack tried to interrupt, it was Norma’s turn to talk him down to add; “Even men who are on the dole…Hell I can’t help it if you’re out of work and can’t dig up a job, when one has come my way.”

“Oh all right, but I’d still prefer it if you were to wait till I can get a job myself,” said Jack.

“Oh Jack, you’ve been on the dole for nearly a year now, without even a sniff of a job,” pointed out Norma.   “Why can’t you just accept the fact that at your age you aren’t likely to get another job?”

“Give up and bludge on the dole for another six and a half years?   What do you take me for?”

“Hell, Jack, you’ve done your bit for this country, and now they treat you like muck down at the employment place, because you can’t find work, after forty years of hard labours you don’t owe those bastards anything!   So isn’t it about time that you thought of getting something back for yourself?”

“It’s soon enough to start thinking about getting something back for myself when I’m old enough to qualify for the old age pension,” insisted Jack.   “At least then I’ll know I’ve earnt it, not like the dole which is only bloody charity.”

“Oh Jack!” said Norma, marching out of the room.   It was the first time Jack had ever heard his name made to sound like in obscenity.

THE END