Lesson 10 Friday Fun Club

Lesson 10

Friday Fun Club

There was no getting away from Gill this time. It was Friday Fun Club at the church hall. I was crouched in the corridor tying a child’s shoelace. One look at Gill’s distorted face, told me she was on a fast track and heading this way. Have you ever tried lacing a pair of trainers with two strings of limp spaghetti? I send the child on their way and instantly stand to attention.

“Can I have a word, Mai? “Asks Gill abruptly, as she catches her breath. As if I have a choice. Like me Gill is a volunteer on a Friday evening. But would be more suited to army cadets.

“You have upset Sandra. She came to me crying.”

Sandra is another colleague at the Fun Club, we had, had words earlier in the evening. Some of the staff were meeting up later that night and Sandra had brought in a bottle vodka and stashed it in the First Aid Room, in readiness for later. “I told Sandra I didn’t think this was appropriate and told her so. “

“It’s the same as having a bottle of communion wine in the vestry.” Gill paused, long enough to glance up the deserted corridor, before adding. “And who made you police of alcohol?”

Gill threw the accusation at me. As usual I just stood there. Has she just landed here? She didn’t have a clue. Of course, I didn’t say this.

Now I had a choice. Do I take this to the Church council? Or just ignore it like everyone else, in the hope that the vodka doesn’t get drunk before eight o’clock.

After Sunday evensong, I waited, to have a chat with the verger. I tell him my concerns.

“Who did the vodka belong to?” “What room did you say? Does the First Aid Room have a lock?” And you said Gill had approached you? The verger thinks for a moment, and I can hear his bones rattle beneath his black robe. He hen adds. “I’m sure Gill had it all under her control.”

Obviously, like me the verger also jumps to attention, when Gill enters the room!