A cruel trick
Then there was Budget, Budget Mosely. He belonged to one of the big gangs. One of Jim’s mates that was. Well, they were all out in the street one day, arguing and wondering what they should do. They decided to go to the pictures in the afternoon, and I tagged along with them, somehow or other – I was out there playing with them. Anyhow, Roger turned round to me -
“Would you like to come Ern?”
“Nah, I’d like to, but I ain’t got no money Budget”
“That’s’ alright - I’ll pay for you, Ern. Go and get your hat and tell yer Mum where yer going”
Off I goes, an gets me hat. Away we goes. Gets half way up there and, chatting away with the rest of them ,you know. Budget turns round to me and says –
“What’s on then, Ern?”
“What’s the matter then, mate?”
“Where you going?”
“Well, pictures – you said you’d treat me…..”
“Oh, I was only pulling your leg, didn’t you know? I ain’t got enough for two.”
Oh blimey, that was it. I comes home, belling and bawling me head off. Anyhow, course Jim knew all about it. He bided his time. And I suppose it might have been a matter of weeks, it might have been months for all I know – I forget now. Anyhow, Jim sees Budget out in the street one day and knew Budget had no money.
“Hey Budget, you coming to the pictures this afternoon?”
“No…can’t kid, got no……”
“Ah, that’s a pity, can’t you raise the cash, Budget?”
“No”
“”It’s Harold Lloyd on this afternoon. Harold Lloyd or I think it’s Charlie Chaplin, or Fatty Arbuckle. I forget which now”
“Oh, that’s a pity”
Anyhow, Jim gets halfway up the street and says –
“I’ll tell you what, Budget, I don’t want to go on me own. You come along with me, I’ll treat yer. “
“You sure?”
“Yea, come on!”
Off they goes. Goes up the central cinema, up on the centre there like. Jim says –
“Eh Budget, I’ll tell yer what. We’ll get our own tickets. I’ll get mine first”
Jim goes up –
“One Three Ha’penny, please”
Comes back, gets his ticket like.
“Come on, Budget, hurry up – we’ll miss half the film!”
“I got no money, Jim!”
“What do yer mean, got no money?”
“You said you was going to…..”
“You must be kidding! You got no money?”
“No, I ain’t got no money” Budget says,
“Ah well, what you’d better do, get off home and keep our young Ern company will yer?”