‘Ernie….Ernie……’ A shrill voice, that Ernie knew all too well, was screeching from the other side of the high street. Ernie hurried on as he was keen to reach the library without being accosted.

‘Erne I KNOW that you can hear me ….Don’t..’

Ernie stopped in his tracks and spun round. Ernie hated a scene in public. Yes he had got a bit carried away about Mrs Day’s milk bill the other day but that was a rare, out of character explosion. Usually Ernie endeavoured to keep his affairs as private as it were possible in this village so he did not appreciate his wife’s high pitch tones reaching out like tentacles across the public highway towards him. Nor did he like the fact that they now had an audience in Doris, who was gaping out of the post office door with Aunt Rose, and even Old Sam, who was cleaning his shoe shop window for the fist time in several years, had turned to see the commotion Mrs George was making.

‘Sssh dear, you’re making such a racket….’Ernie started to say

‘Well if you do insist in ignoring me Ernie then I will insist on shouting to engage you’re attention’ Mrs George snapped.

‘Uh oh’ Ernie silently thought to himself. His dear lady wife certainly had a bee in her bonnet about something, and he was no doubt about to find out why.

‘well really Ernie there is no need for you to go striding off like that when you quite clearly realise that I want a word with you’

‘Yes I’m sorry lovey’ Ernie pampered whilst steering his wife away from the gaze of onlookers as she continued with her onslaught.

‘The cheek of it really, really Ernie’

‘What’s the matter have Allan and Sammie had another barney?’

‘No, no it’s that Peter’

‘Peter? Our lodger Peter?’

‘Yes, Peter Jack’ Mrs George spat venomously.

‘What on earth has Peter done to get you all riled up like this then?’

Mrs George was now gabbling away ten to the dozen ‘You give a person a roof over their head…’

‘Well he is paying for the privilege’ Ernie interjected. He could tell by this point that in actual fact Peter had probably done very little to annoy his wife as she was already over dramatising details - and she hadn’t got half way through her version of events yet.

‘…and you provide them with the best surroundings and food….and courtesy that anyone could possibly want and ..and… then this happens’

‘And this is what exactly?’

‘Peter has been seen in the Jumping Bean’ Mrs George said dramatically whilst drawing herself up to her full 5’1 inches and puffing out her lips indignantly.

Ernie looked slightly taken aback by this revelation as the Jumping Bean was not only the rival business in the village but the proprietors, the Jones, were commonly known as the George’s mortal enemies. After a moment of puzzling Ernie decided it was best not to jump to conclusions as Peters character so far had shown him as a pretty decent sort of chap and in all fairness as a new comer he was probably not entirely aware of the situation between the two families. Ernie voiced his logical thoughts to his ruffled spouse.

‘That’s it just take his side, not your wife’s!!!’ huffed Mrs George. ‘He will make us a laughing stock if he continued to frequent that place’ Mrs George protested. ‘I mean people will talk, they’ll say all sorts. It could be bad for trade you know Ern, everyone will think that I can’t even satisfy the appetite of my own lodger! Just imagine that!’

‘Don’t worry my little cherub, I’ll have a word with the fellow’ Ernie said and then, caught up with the romantic notion of coming to his wife’s rescue, he surprised Mrs George with a romantic kiss goodbye.

‘Got to be getting on now love’ Ernie explained as he waved good bye to his now visibly cheered other half.

Chuckling Ernie continued down the road as he thought to himself that one thing he and Mrs George had in common was their imaginations. True, Mrs George’s was wild, unchecked and always in excess whilst Ernie could skilfully channel his fancies into a poem but it was still something that they had in common. Ernie now reached his haven, which was in the shape of the village library.

Passing through the old, sturdy oak doors into the musty world of books Ernie heartily greeted Mrs Child who was sitting behind the librarian’s desk, and proceeded to lose himself in the dark vaults of the poetry section.

Sarah Child had just settled herself into the comfortable creases of the leather librarians chair after a rather busy morning. She had been in early organising stock before the library opened to the villagers that day. Tutting to herself she remembered the reason why she had been in so early was because Lydia, the part time librarian, had not done her job thoroughly enough the day before which left a lot of work for Sarah, as Lydia’s superior, to do before the library was ready for opening.

As it was a Wednesday Sarah had had the local nursery school children in for reading time first thing. This was one of Sarah’s favourite times of the week. Although some of the toddlers did get a bit restless and distracted on the whole they enjoyed listening to the stories Sarah read them, and Sarah enjoyed devising different ways of keeping them entertained. Whether it was by using puppets and toys to engage them in the story or encouraging them to hold the books themselves Sarah always felt a great sense of fulfilment in knowing she was helping the youngsters in their learning process.

Sarah had always wanted to be a school teacher and this was her taster of the life she might have had, if she had not met Jim. Sarah let herself recline in the chair a bit more, as it was now quite in the library, and allowed her mind to wander as she sipped her steaming coffee. ‘What life might have been like had she not met Jim’ was a frequent subject of thought for Sarah Child. Jim was a few years her senior when Sarah and her friends used to meet him and his mates in the park after school. Sarah had plans to go to college and train as a teacher at the time but Jim changed all that because she had gradually fallen hopelessly in love with him; with the village jack-the-lad. Looking back now Sarah had no idea what the spark between them had been. Jim had certainly been very handsome in those days but Sarah knew she was a ‘plain Jane’ and fairly shy as well, so goodness knows why Jim had singled her out as his sweetheart. She smiled as she recalled the several happy years they had enjoyed together. There had been plenty of trips to the coast and the Town, and they were always laughing together. Sarah sometimes forgot how much Jim had made her laugh when they were first married, she had been radiant with happiness, and everyone said so.

However, that seemed a long time ago to Sarah as she sighed over her mug of coffee. After all they had three children and a mountain of debt now. Not to mention the fact that Sarah rarely saw her husband, and when she did she disliked what she saw. Twice in the space of twelve hours Sarah had had to literally scrape her disgrace of a husband off the floor this week. Sarah feared the effect it could have on the children to see their father in such alcoholic states, especially William. Another subject Sarah often pondered upon was ‘why was she still with her good-for-nothing excuse of a husband’? Perhaps it was because she hoped that Jim would return to his laughing boy self and make something of his life, of their marriage. Deep down Sarah knew that wasn’t going to happen but while there was a slight glimmer of sober hope she stayed by him. There was also the fear. Fear of the unknown. She was practically a single mother, an independent woman as it was but Jim was all she had ever known and Sarah also nursed a traditional, serious view of marriage, and of her marriage vows. Although Jims behaviour was becoming increasingly difficult to deal with and Sarah was fast becoming aware of the fact that things had to change soon. She just didn’t want to make any decisions just yet.

Sarah awoke from her dreamy state as Brook came to the desk to take out a book. Sarah vaguely registered the fact that Brook was taking out a slushy chick-lit book, not her usual challenging read. Well Sarah thought, everyone makes changes. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Brook Sarah went to inform Ethan it was his lunch break. Sarah liked Ethan. He was painfully shy but he did his job well. He had come to the village about 2 years ago to live with his elderly relative Alice Fellows. Rumour had it that his mother used to be a local villager too but had moved away when she was young because of personal reasons which had been quite a spectacle at the time according to some of the older village inhabitants. She much preferred Ethan to Lydia anyhow. Sarah detested her younger college because she found her so hypocritical. Supposedly a friend of the earth, hippy type Lydia used the good name of the family and the credit card of her grandfather for her own selfish ends in Sarah’s opinion.

However, Sarah’s thinking time came to an end though as she had a stream of customers frequent the library throughout the afternoon. The youngest of the new foreign came in for several English language books and Sarah spent a considerable amount of time attempting to aid the young girl. Mr Sam came in to read the papers and have a natter, Mary Walker wanted to borrow some books, Fred West needed to use the internet connection points, Debbie Jones brought back some cookery books, Tanya Rivers came in to rent out a video and Mark Woods wandered around the library aimlessly for a few hours as well. At 3 0’clock Sarah finished work in time to collect the children from school, make their tea and help them with homework, do her housework, put the children to bed, and then collect Jim from the pub and sort him out too. Sarah had a typical routine every day after work that was monotonous, save from the few rays of light her children provided her with. Sarah Child knew her life was mundane, and she knew that she could get so much more out of life. But Sarah Child also did not know where, and how, to start making vital changes……….