Somewhere in rural Scotland………

‘Och Maisie, here we go again. Off tae vote. Whit a waste of time isn’t it…….wi vote yin lot in, then vote them oot again, then we vote they yins in again, ma heids burrlin wi it aw….

…….and noo it’s the Euros Maisie, wi thoan Garage bloke……..whit a heider…….gans oan and oan about foreigners comin in tae this country…..does he no realise that 70 odd years ago we were stood in this very street celebrating the end o’ the war?

Wi had tables right along the street, wi buntins, cakes, music, tea and scones. Oh whit a wonderful time it wis. Aw the locals were dancin and….in amongst it aw……the very foreigners that helped us beat Hitler…….Poles, Norwegians……and of course the Americans. My beautiful Americans. Oh my, they could dance. We danced long into the night, and why not, the war was over, we had plenty to celebrate.

Of course, stippit me, did ah no fall in love………wi an American tae boot. Frederic, my Freddie, my lovely Freddy. Handsome, rugged, wi a smile tae set yer heart a fluttering…….an those blue eyes, Maisie, oh those blue eyes. It wid be this very spot, aye just where we’re standin. I’d been speaking to Ida, ma sister. I turned round…..and there he was, Freddie, he smiled and that was it, I fell into those blue pools and swam……..oh Maisie…..I jumped right in……wi nae lifebelt. Then we danced an danced an danced. Ah wis hyptontised by him. We kissed in the very doorway we’re just aboot tae gan intae, Maisie, and that was it, I had fallen in love. The next six months wur aw a dream. Every Saturday we’d come doon tae this very hall and hae a wonderful time. We’d go for walks o’er thae hills, and sit by the river watching the world go by. We had plans tae marry until the day the letter came.

Ah remember Freddie walkin up the path. It was a Wednesday. He never came to the house on Wednesdays. Ah knew somethin wisnae richt. When I opened the door he was greetin. His een were as red as ma shoes. His platoon were going home the very next day. Ah wis devastated. Ma wee heart felt as if it wis gan tae burst. He said, once he’d saved the money, he’d come back for me. Wi spent that nicht in each other’s arms and in the morning he was gone. Ah waited for him but he never returned………..

Och, whit am ah daein, yiv heard aw this before many a time, ye should stop me bletherin like that. Let’s get oorsels in and get this over wi.

‘Excuse me madam. I’m afraid dogs are not allowed in the polling station’

‘But it’s only Maisie. She’s just a wee Scottish terrier. Ah dinnae want tae leave her on her ain ootside. Ye dinnae look as though yer innundated wi voters son, an ah’ll only be a minute. Have ye oany idea aboot which party is no gonni take aw mah savings off mi.
Aw they wans, that dinnae save a thing, smoke, drink and dinnae work. They get everything, and us, worked aw wir lives. aw they want tae dae us is take aw oor savings away. It’s no richt’

‘Callum, I know the lady, she’s 85, lived in the village all her life, never married. Let her vote with her wee dog. she’ll be done in 2 minutes’

‘Ok Miss MacDonald, on you go with Maisie. I’m sorry I can’t advise you on who to vote for’

‘Its ok son, ah wis only joking. Maisie chooses who to vote for with her wee paw. She knows aboot as much as who tae choose as we dae. C’mon Maisie, give me paws, that’s a girl……

…….ok that’s me. Ah’ll be off. No that Maisies vote’ll make oany odds. Seen it aw before. In fact it was better efter the war, at least wi aw looked oot for each other. If am spared and weel ah’ll maybe see ye again at the next elections….’

It had started raining as Edith left the Village Hall. As she stepped out onto the pavement, she took one last look back at the doorway and smiled.

‘Richt Maisie let’s go home and get oor tea’

She shut the front door and stood. All was quiet except for Maisie panting away. She stepped through to the kitchen and switched on the kettle.

‘Ok Maisie, let’s get oorsels settled doon for some tea and telly’

Just then there was a knock at the door.

‘Och Maisie, just when you and I were getting oor tea. Typical, maybe they’ll go away’

The door went again.

‘Och’

Edith stepped through the kitchen into the hall. As the knocks on the door increased, Edith bent down to look through the eyehole.

‘Who is it?’

Even before the stranger on the other side of the door made a sound, Edith could already feel her heart race and tears well up in her eye. Only one person in the world had piercing blue eyes like those. Her nearly 70 year wait was over……..’

‘Edith and Maisie – The Polling Station’ was brought to you by @qosfc1919 and Dodo Productions © 2014