Lesson 27

MARIA : Excuse me, but I think you’re in the wrong place.
REFINED LADY : Are you speaking to me?
MARIA : Yes. The end of the queue’s over there. I think you’ve made a mistake.
REFINED LADY : A mistake. I have every right to stand where I wish.
MARIA : Maybe. But you have no right to barge in front of a lot of other people in a queue.
REFINED LADY : Barge, did you say?
MARIA : Yes. We’ve all been waiting here for over an hour.
REFINED LADY : Well, so have I.
MARIA : Look. I don’t like to contradict you but you weren’t here even five minutes ago.
REFINED LADY : I have no intention of brawling in public. Here I am and here I intend to stay.
COCKNEY LADY : Oh no, oh no you don’t lady. I saw you push in too. Now you get back to the end of the queue

REFINED LADY : I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of addressing you.
COCKNEY LADY : Pleasure! The proper lady she is! I’ll speak to anyone I like, let me tell you! A free country isn’t it!
REFINED LADY : Of course. That’s why I’ll stand where I like.
COCKNEY LADY : Clever, isn’t she, very clever. Real lawyer type. Well let me tell you, you get out of this queue and move to your proper place at the back, or we’ll tear the feathers out of your hat!
REFINED LADY : Are you threatening me?
COCKNEY LADY : That’s right love.
COCKNEY LADY : And I always mean what I say, don’t I Val?
VAL : Yes, love, she’s done in better people in her day than you, lady! Especially when it’s a question of violence
REFINED LADY : Really, I think I’d better go and fetch a policeman.
COCKNEY LADY : You do that.
VAL : You better push off quickly before she starts on 40 you, while you’ve still got a face to call your own so to speak.
REFINED LADY: Oh!
COCKNEY LADY : ‘Bye, dearie! That’s a wise girl!
MARIA : You wouldn’t really use violence would you?
COCKNEY LADY : No, suppose not. Just don’t like people like that pushing their way in.
VAL : Well that got rid of her quick enough, didn’t it?
COCKNEY LADY : She better not come back either.

1. Where is Maria waiting?
2. Why is she speaking to the other lady?
3. Why does Maria think it’s important for the lady to stand in the messin’ about and this fella right place?
4. Why doesn’t the lady move?
5. What does the Cockney lady do to persuade the newcomer to move
6. Why does the Cockney lady call her a lawyer?
7. Why does she want to fetch the police?
8. Do you think the refined lady will come back? Give your reasons.

PROUD AND SUPERIOR EXPRESSIONS
Are you speaking to me?
I have the right to…
Well, so do (have, etc.) I.
I have no intention of…
I’ve not had the pleasure of… (ironical)

1. to barge in : to push one’s way in, interrupt rudely
2. to contradict someone : to say that something said or written is not true
3. to brawl : to quarrel noisily
4. in public : openly
5. proper (lady) : typical
6. to do someone in (slang) : to murder someone
7. to push off (slang) : to go away
8. to start on someone : to handle roughly
9. a place to call your own : home
10. girl, dearie : used playfully of women
11. violence : physical attack, and abuse with force.