beat the carpets and darned our socks. Everything was washed and swept, scrubbed and pressed, and then she curled her hair.
‘We are going to show these Jerries that we are clean-living and respectable people,’ she said, holding her chin up high. ‘I’ll not let standards slip because of this.’
She was a force to be reckoned with, that one!
She still wanted me out the way, but the only boats bound for England now were to be loaded with tomatoes. That’s right, when we heard that our crops could be shipped out again we took it as a good sign. Of course, others weren’t so sure. I remember it was 28th June, a Friday, and I’d come with Pop into Town to hear the Bailiff give another address. La Duchesse was at home with you, and I felt bad that she was missing the excitement: the High Street and Smith Street were packed solid with bodies and everyone was talking with their hands, the way only Guernsey folk can. The Bailiff was big with his ‘no need to panic’ but the questions kept on coming.
‘The English sent us troops and arms, and then they took them back, and now they’re saying what? That we’re too small to matter?’
‘But they still want our tomato crops. What does it mean?’
That very evening folk were gathering at the harbour to watch the tomato baskets get loaded up onto boats.
‘It is poltroonery,’ Ray said. ‘Whitehall should be sending guns. We fought for the British before, so surely they owe us something.’
‘There’s no point in getting angry,’ someone replied.
‘They have bigger problems than this little island.’
‘And they might be on their way now,’ I piped up.
‘A commando force to help us.’
I thought I was being wise beyond my years and you know, Emile, there were commando raids before too long so it’s not like I was wrong. Even so, they laughed me down.
‘Quai bavin!’ Ray barked, ‘Are you the expert? Maybe you should be up there with the Bailiff. Come on everyone, let’s have another tall tale from our champion storyteller!’
A few people were turning their heads and I shrank into my jacket, hoping the ground would swallow me up.
‘But—’ I started.
‘But nothing. Do me a favour and keep your big mouth shut. At least until you’re shaving.’
There was a murmur of laughter, and the talking continued right over my head. Why did everyone treat me like a kid? Ray was looking down his snout at me, his hazel eyes twinkling. It made me so angry I had to do something.
And I did.
‘Ow!’
Ha-ha! I’d kicked Ray hard, square on the shin. Not big or clever, I know, but I didn’t half feel better as I burst through the crowds.
‘Here, you!’ I heard him shout.
Even if I was just a kid I mattered enough for old Ray to give chase. But I hadn’t done much damage since he was hot on my heels and closing in. I didn’t stand a chance against those long legs. Still, you should’ve seen me, Emile, going hell for leather down the Esplanade, sending other folk flying, and just as I reckoned I was done for a great big shadow swooped over. I threw my hands up and spun around, fists at the ready. Ray had lunged at me and was grappling me down, and I fell on my back, hitting the ground hard with a thud. That’s when I saw it high above me. The swastika on a German plane, and a gunner standing at its open door, firing a machine gun.
‘Rat-tat-tat’ it went, like a child running a twig along some railings. ‘Rat-tat-tat!’
Next thing I knew Ray was on the pavement, too. I heard him cursing so I knew he was alive. We had both rolled onto our stomachs. Then came a deafening bang. Then another. I thought we must’ve been killed or bombed, but I didn’t understand why I was still breathing. There was this buzzing in my brain and my ears felt like they was bleeding. I squeezed my eyes shut, pressing my face into the paving stones. Ray had turned around and was against the granite harbour wall.
Neither of us had counted on a fleet of German bombers interrupting our scuffle, and we weren’t the only ones caught unawares. Mais nen-nin. The harbour was their target. They circled maybe three times in all. How many minutes I couldn’t tell you. Voomf! Bang! Crack! I swear the whole island shuddered but I clung tight to it still. I smelled