No Place to Go

“I don’ think I thought this through very well.” Izzy sighed as she and Lorelai meandered through the unfamiliar London streets. They had already counted all of the cash they had, which had amounted to little more than a small handful of shillings and some spare pence.

“Couldn’t even get’a ‘otel if we wanted to.” Lorelai spat, kicking at a bit of trash that sat on the pavement.

Izzy stopped along the path, her eyes welling with tears. Within seconds, she was sobbing, throwing her head into her hands.

“Wot you cryin’ for?” Lorelai pulled Izzy’s head up, revealing her bloodshot eyes and foggy glasses. “Come on, now! We may be on our arses’ ‘ere, but you jus’ spent an evening’ with the Beatles!”

“That’s why I’m cryin’!” Izzy blubbered. “I had a chat with George Harrison, and now I’ve got nowhere warm to rest me head!”

“Don’ worry.” Lorelai responded with confidence. “We’ll find us a place until we decide we want to go back to ol’ Merseyside.”

“Really?” Izzy asked through the tears.

“Straight up!” Lorelai smiled. “We may be scamps, but we got each other.”

Once Lorelai had managed to calm Izzy down, the two managed to find themselves before a somewhat orderly-looking pub.

“Come’ead, then.” Lorelai pushed Izzy toward the door.

“Oh no.” Izzy interjected. “Yer off yer rocker if you think I’m goin’ in there!”

“Oh, shut yer gob an’ quit doin’ me ‘ead in.” Lorelai shoved her through the door, laughing as Izzy stumbled over her own feet.

“It’s dead grotty in ‘ere.” Izzy whined as they sat down at a table.

“It’s better than sittin’ out on the step, inn’it?” Lorelai spat. “Gim’me two bob and I’ll see if this place ‘as anythin’ to eat.”

Izzy pulled a couple of coins out of her pocket and handed them to Lorelai, before sinking into her coat as she was left by herself. She felt like all eyes in the pub were on her, and it made her skin crawl. She pulled her hat far down over her face in a futile attempt to find a sense of security.

“ ‘Ere.” Lorelai threw down a basket of chips and couple pieces of bread, before sliding back into her seat. “You can make yerself a chip buttie.”

“Nothin’ to drink?” Izzy questioned as Lorelai began making herself a sandwich.

“Well, I didn’ know if yeh wanted a bevvy.” She replied before taking a bite.

“I thought it would be obvious.”

“You sure do get your kecks in a bunch, don’cha?” Lorelai said between bites.

“Christ, you’ve got’ta mouth like a parish oven.” Izzy groaned.

Before long, a rather large and rather drunk man made his way over to their table

“Well, how might you two fine ladies be this evenin’?” He politely, albeit drunkenly asked.

“Make yer name Walker, Wack.” Lorelai spat, making Izzy’s eyes wide with fear.

“Are you bonkers?” She whispered. “Yer lookin’ to get us killed.”

“Scouser’s, eh?” He chuckled. “A little ways out from home, aren’t you?”

“What part of ‘make you name Walker’, don’ you understand?” Lorelai continued. “Piss off!”

Izzy cowered in her jacket, trying to hide her face with her hat as the drunk man suddenly sat down next to her.

“Aww, come on now.” He insisted, the stench of beer of his breath. “I jus’ wanted to know if you two fine ladies would be up for a game of cards, tha’s all.”

Lorelai’s eye twitched. If there was something other than the Beatles that she couldn’t resist, it was gambling.