"Ethel & Ernest"

[fiefoe]

Three panels I like best: the almost tangible hope in a simple drawing in perspective of a bare, bright living room with green wallpapers; the poem in freshly laundered white sheets, blowing in the wind over Ethel's head like proud sails; the comical sight of the family trying out their gas masks, facing every other way ("Can you hear me?" "No." "I can" "Be quite, son.").

<1940-50>
"At last! Churchill's taken over -- 'Blood, toil, tears and sweat.'"
"Ernest! Don't! Disgusting!"
"It's your gentry talking. .."
"Yes, but he was talking to the common people. He wouldn't use words like that in his own home."

"'Broad sunlit uplands!'"

"They boys at school all have BOOTS, Mum - "
"They're COMMON boys, Mrs. Briggs."
"Can I have boots, Mum?"
"NO!"

(Putting up a 'Morrison Shelter' in their living room):
"I'll paint it brown to tone in with the furniture."
"A nice pastel brown, Ernest."

"What on earth are you doing with that ruler, Ernest?"
"Marking five inches. You're only allowed five inches of water."
"But if you were fat it would come higher up."
"The King's done it at Buckingham Palace."
"It's not fair, fat people getting a deeper bath."

(During the war. We only see Ernest's hands holding a Christmas tree angel):
"It's all got to be worked out. It's economics, see? Economics will see to it."

(After V Day, Ethel from the inside of the bomb shelter in their garden):
"And you can knock this thing down when I've finished tidying it."

(Ethel & Ernest lying in the grass discussing motor-way plans):
"I thought you said there were going to be lots of bypasses already?"
"Yeah, well... so there are. It will by pass the bypasses then."
"And what aobut the Ring Roads?"
"LOOK! IT WILL BYPASS THE RING ROADS AND BYPASS THE BYPASSES!"
"And bypass the Green Belt?"
"YES! AND BYPASS THE GREEN BELT!"
"That's all right then. Only it does seem a bit of a muddle." (Ethel from underneath her straw hat.)

(Advent of FRIDGE): "Ice in our drinks! Whatever next!"

Borstal: a reform school; Black Maria: a patrol wagon; diddicois.

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