Madge and her new gang of friends waited to see what would happen but it soon became clear that no other person was going to leave even though the sirens were by then at full volume. Not wanting to cause a fuss, the girls looked at one another nervously and settled down to watch the rest of the film. Ten minutes later, just as gold-digger Jean (Gloria DeHaven) made a big play for the attention of sailor Johnny (Van Johnson) the film was paused once more. By the end of the third interruption, a handful of the audience eased their way to the exits but the great majority made it quite clear that even the air-raid sirens could not disturb a night in the company of gravel-voiced Jimmy Durante grinding out his much loved ‘Inka Dinka Do’!
The all-clear had been sounded by the time they left the cinema and they went straight back to Baker Street in plenty of time for the 10 p.m. curfew and the nightly check to ensure all the girls were safe.
On the way back on the bus, Madge said, ‘That was so much fun! It was a shame that the film wasn’t in colour, but it was still wonderful. I haven’t been to the pictures in ages!’
Phyllis looked preoccupied. ‘What would we do if one of those doodlebugs was actually flying over us?’ she asked. ‘We’d all be goners if one of those things exploded near us.’
‘Don’t worry,’ Madge replied. ‘As long as you can hear them coming, you’ll be fine as chances are they’ll just keep on flying. It’s only when the noise suddenly stops you have to worry, as they drop like stones then. The chances of that happening are really small so please don’t worry so much.’
But the look on Phyllis’s face told Madge that she hadn’t convinced her, and she wasn’t sure she had convinced herself either.
The next day, Vera finally surfaced at Baker Street, full of apologies as Madge stood shaking her head in mock dismay.
‘Honestly it’s not my fault this time,’ said Vera with one of her big toothy grins, knowing she was notoriously late for everything. ‘They cancelled all the trains because they thought that German bombers were going to have another go at the shipyards.’
Once Vera had settled in at Baker Street she suggested they go for an early dinner at a rather expensive-looking restaurant called The Curb.
‘I’ve never even seen a place like this, let alone been in one,’ said Madge as they walked through the big, wooden door that was opened by a flunky wearing a dinner jacket and bow tie. ‘Vera, I don’t know that I’ve got enough with me to pay for this!’
She knew Vera liked to spend and was more than a little concerned about ending up with half of a rather large bill.
‘Oh Madge, don’t be silly, it won’t be more than five shillings.’
The pair sat down at a table in the corner and a smiling waiter handed over the menu. It made Madge even more dubious because no prices were listed. She knew that Vera, a shameless but wonderfully generous spendthrift, would cover her if necessary but she hated the idea of it coming to that.
‘Well, what do you think India will be like then, Madge?’
‘Shh!’ Madge eyed the ‘Careless Talk Costs Lives’ poster on the wall. ‘You know we’re not supposed to talk about it.’
‘Oh please, do you really think any of these ladies are Nazis? Honestly, Madge, we’re going to be on a ship for who knows how long. Let’s relax and have some fun.’
It won’t be much fun if we let something out of the bag, Madge said to herself before turning her attention to the menu.
Vera noticed that Madge wasn’t really sure what to choose as her main course and asked if she could help.
‘I’m still looking,’ said Madge. She had already decided on her first course and when a beautifully presented golden brown vol-au-vent with mushroom and chicken filling arrived she worried even more. She had never seen food like it and wondered just how much this fun would cost.
Vera had solved the indecision over their main courses by suggesting she order for both of them and saying that she would keep it as a surprise. Madge actually heard her ask the waiter for ‘tarte au lapin’. She didn’t know what it would be, but was certainly impressed when a rather splendid and substantial pie arrived surrounded by mashed potato, carrots and green beans.
‘What is it?’ she asked Vera.
‘It’s tarte au lapin,’ replied Vera, completely straight-faced.
The waiter cut in to tell Madge the answer was actually rabbit pie, but before he could continue Vera insisted that it was guaranteed to be tasty and very tender. ‘Sweet little bunnies with twitchy pink noses always are!’ Madge wavered for a few seconds before tucking in to the delicious pie. Both girls also had an apple crumble as a pudding because they knew they wouldn’t be enjoying such things where they were heading.
When the head waiter delivered the bill after the three-course
