The constable still kept himself close to his car. The pickets told Phoebe all about the doll story.
“But I didn’t come here to buy dolls. I just want to buy a roll of muslin and cotton combination.”
“Madam, you can get that done at Eatons or Simpson’s.”
Phoebe said, “We have already been there and they do not have it. We have called all over the city and this is the only store that has it. I have come one hundred and eighty miles to get it for our church W I (Women’s Institute) and I don’t intend to go home without it.”
The big picketer spoke up. “I guarantee you, lady, that you can get at McStay’s, Bloor and Spadina.”
Phoebe was suspicious of the guy anyway. She looked the guy right in the eye and said, “Thanks you, we won’t break your picket line but you look out for your hide if we do not get it there.”
Phoebe left to get Aunt Helen. “You heard what the big picketer said said. The fellow guarantees that we can get at McStay’s at Bloor and Spadina.”
Helen said, “I never heard of them.”
Helen asked the rest of the shoppers if they have ever heard of McStay’s at Bloor and Spadina. One lady said that she knew the district like a book and, “I know that there is no such store there.”
The rest of the people agreed that the lady was right. Phoebe went over to the picket line and asked the big boy to come over and tell the people where that store was. He hemmed and hammed and said, “Maybe they have moved.”
“That makes no difference, big boy. Just come over and tell the people where it was.”
Phoebe was the seething with anger but she had a difficult task concealing it from Aunt Helen. She told the big guy, “You are a damned liar. You are only a big pile of horse manure.”
She went back to Aunt Helen and Helen could see the fire in her eyes. So could the rest of the shoppers. One little old lady said, “If that girl is not careful, she will be getting herself into trouble.”
Helen said, “That girl can take care of herself.”
The policeman was still standing out on the sidewalk.
Phoebe said, “I’m going into that store and when I do, and the rest of you can follow.”
Helen said, “Don’t be silly. It’s not that important.”
Phoebe said, “I came one hundred and eighty miles for that material and I’m going into that store to get it.” There was just no reasoning left in Phoebe, “Well, here I go…”
The officer was keeping an eye on the whole situation. It seemed that he smelt a rat. When Phoebe got to the picket line, she could see three people behind the big glass door of the store. One was a little old gray-haired man with this string of cord hanging from his glasses. He caught Phoebe’s eye and beckoned her in.
One smart aleck stepped out in front of Phoebe and said, “Where do you think you’re going?”
Phoebe said, “I figure I’m going into that store. I have business to do in there.”
“Not today, lady.”
She looked at him like a dog and said, “You stay there.”
He did not. With a lightning quick whip of her foot, Phoebe hooked a leg out from under him and sent him sprawling on the ground. The officer stepped up beside them. Nobody else seemed to interfere. Phoebe took her left hand and gently pushed the officer back another four or five feet. The big boy was standing well back. Phoebe looked him right in the eye.
“You big pile of manure, you’re standing back there with your tail between your legs. Would you like to come out here and stop me? You know, big boy, I could rub you out and draw another improvement of you.”
She gave Aunt Helen the hand wave and the rest of the shoppers came scurrying along. When they were inside, the officer came over to the picket line. He told the big boy. “You were wise not to tangle with that girl. She has a championship black belt in karate.”
He joined the other officer with a big grin on his face. He said, “Boy, that was some girl. I would sure like to date her. She scared the hell out of the whole crew of them. She made fast work of flooring that big mouth.”
Inside, the little man with the glasses and a Jewish accent took hold of Phoebe’s hand.
“My nice girl, take anything you like. You are worth it.”
“Sir, all I want is two rolls of your combination of muslin and cotton.”
“Come along with me.”
They went to the far side of the store where there were lots of rolls on the high shelf. The little man said, “You are taller than me. Reach up and help yourself.
Phoebe pulled out two rolls and looked at the price market on them. Five ninety each. The little man reached over and tore the price tags off.
“No, no, not for you my nice young lady.”
Phoebe asked the little man where was his cashier.
“I say no, no for you. No cashier. Oh how I jump up and down after I see you toss that bad man to the ground.”
Phoebe said, “Sir, we do not take your merchandise for nothing. I pay or I will leave your store.”
The little man said. “Is there anything else you would want to purchase?”
“Well, I wanted to buy a good pair of skates for my brother and a pair of skis and poles for my sister.”
The little man and seemed happy. “Now I know what we can do.” He was all smiles. “Everybody likes a bargain. What about you?”
Phoebe said, “That looks fair to me.”
The little man called Amy. “You take these items and parcel them up for this fine young lady.”
The little man said, “Would you tell me your name?”
“It’s Phoebe, sir.
“Now, Phoebe, you pick what size of skis you want.”
Phoebe took her time and picked what she thought Esther would like. By now, Helen had caught up with them.
Phoebe said, “This is my Aunt Helen.”
The little man said, “My name is Abraham Isaacs.” He then sent to Helen, “What a wonderful girl you have here.”
Helen said, “Yes, I know.”
The little man said, “She sure made my day today.”
Helen asked Phoebe what she was shopping for now.
“Well, I have got the rolls that I was after. Thank God for them. And I have got skis for Esther. Now if I had skates for Earl, that would be it.”
“Phoebe, we will take a taxi home.”
The little man said, “No, no taxi. My car is out the back. Amy will drive you home. Amy, you bring the car around to the front. Park it beside the police car and we will get the items out to the car.”
Phoebe asked Mr. Isaacs for the bill. Mr. Isaacs look up at Phoebe with a grin. “Oh you said a bill. Well, I nearly forgot about that. Well, how about $25 and if that is too much I will take less.”
Phoebe said, “That sounds alright but I will give you more if you say so.”
“Naw, naw, we are all happy now.”
Helen said, “Mr. Isaacs, we are going to pay that girl also.”
The little man said, “Whatever you think is fair.”
Helen carried the rolls while Phoebe carried out the skates and skis. As they were passing the picketers, one picketer whispered to the rest, “There goes in the bitch now…”
As they were putting the items in the car, one of the policemen got out of the cruiser and came over to Phoebe.
“Say, were you’re not afraid of them picketers jumping you?”
“Well, I had that in mind but I felt more secure seeing that you would nearby.”
Helen was already in the car. As Phoebe got in, the constable said, “You know, miss, they are looking for recruits like you in our police force. If you give me your phone number, I will give you a high recommendation.”
Helen was right on the bit. She said, “Officer, you are little late. She is all ready in the Montréal force.”
That stopped the man. When he got back to his car he told his partner, “I’m damned if I could get her phone number.”
As they drove off, Helen said. “I think that fellow had more in his mind than recruits.”
Phoebe said that she was thinking the same thing. Amy took off. Phoebe told Aunt Helen, “It’s a good thing that Trevor and Joanne volunteered to drive me home. I could never have handled all this luggage on the train besides it worry about the pouch.”
Phoebe took it all in during the car ride in the city in daylight. She was amazed just how Amy maneuvered the car through the traffic and took the car close to those monstrous streetcars. It was scary to Phoebe just how they got between the streetcars and the lampposts without getting crushed. When they arrived at home, Helen gave Amy five dollars.
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