The Oak

The small plump woman at the bus stop put her thumb out signalling the number 64 bus to stop and pick her up. The bus pulled into the lane and the driver lowered the step hissing as it went and giving Laurie a fright at the same time.

"Single to Braidwood Avenue please." Laurie puffed as she climbed the step.

After paying her fare from the loose change jangling in her pocket, Laurie scoured the seats to see the familiar face of her good friend Chris chomping down on a packet of Monster Munch. Chris signalled with her head for Laurie to join her.

"Hiya. Want a crisp?" asked Chris, her voice muffled. The faint smell of pickled onion tickled Laurie's nose.

"No thanks. My grandkids are forever eating those."

"These are the grandkids. I was watching them until Stacey got back from the shops. I knew I wouldn't have time for my tea so I pinched these out the kitchen cupboard."

Chris scooted over to the seat by the window as Laurie sat beside her. Laurie lifted her bag onto her knee and began to rummage about inside. Laurie pulled out two white chunky pens each lid a different colour. "Here I remembered these for you. Do you want the blue or the red?"

"Ooh red please. I'm feeling lucky tonight!"

"Is Margaret coming tonight?"

"I'm not sure. She was telling me she came home the other night to find the dishes still in the sink and the rubbish hadn't been taken out despite Tommy telling her that he would pull his weight. So she said that she was waiting on him coming home to have it out with him." Chris shook her head at the thought.

"Margaret's always having trouble with that one. I dunno why she didn't stay with Martin. He was a lovely fella."

The driver pulled into the bus lane and stopped.

"Return from Poplar Street please" Chris and Laurie smile as the elegant blonde makes her way to the seat in front of them and puts her shopping down first before taking a seat.

"Oof I'm knackered. My feet are killing me. I've just finished my wee cleaning job up at the council. You guys off to The Oak tonight?"

"Yep and I'm feeling lucky!" Chris finished the last of the monster munch and put the empty crisp packet back in her pocket for binning later.

"Wish I had the money to come along. I could do with a few wins myself but we're skint until I get paid. The prize money would come in handy too!"

"I know that feeling." Laurie interjected. "Brian was moaning at me again before I left the house. Banging on about how we have little money and I'm gambling away as he put it. I just told him straight that I didn't complain whenever he went off to the pub and advised him to keep his mouth shut if he knew what was good for him."

The three women sat and cackled at the thought of Laurie's conversation with her husband.
Esther looked out the window and saw that her stop was coming up.

"Well you ladies have a good night tonight, I hope you're lucky." And with that Esther gathered up her shopping bags and made her way down the aisle.

"Here. Do you reckon we might win tonight?"

"I bloody hope so Chris. I've already had the gas people at the door telling us they'll shut off the supply if we don't pay up soon and Christmas is just around the corner too."

"Not easy is it. Anyway we're almost here. Got your bags ready?"

Laurie slid out of the seat and put her bag over her shoulder with Chris following behind her.
The two women stepped off the bus, the wind pushing them forward. They carry on their short journey to the end of the street , laughter and sounds getting louder from the commotion within. Laurie puts her hand on the burgundy pub door and glanced at the poster tacked to the front of it that read:

THE OAK Bingo NIGHT
2000.00 JACKPOT