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Ruby was mad keen on the idea of taking care of her husband while he provided for her and
she was mad keen to run her OWN home with her own wedding gifts, all brand new and
beautiful, not the old well-used ones of her Mother. She couldn’t wait to pack these gifts into
cupboards and to open her ‘Bottom Drawer’ and use all the beautiful linen she had carefully
made into sheets and cloths of all description over so many years. What fun this was going to
be. And she was mad keen to cook for just the two of them, not for parents and a host of
squabbling siblings and priests and relatives come to visit. She would try new and interesting
recipes and her husband would praise her with delight.
But oh dear, the dream came to an abrupt end when she found that Les’ Mother Rebecca and
Father Jock were firmly ensconced in 30 Berg Street and had no intention of leaving. With the
characteristic lack of understanding of new (and old?) husbands, Leslie didn’t see what could
possibly be wrong with this situation. Of course, dearest Ruby must unpack their gifts and she
and Mum Rebecca could enjoy sorting out the kitchen anew and they could share the domestic
duties and have a lot of fun doing it! Dad Jock could sit and read the paper in the lounge and
enjoy his pipe while his new sweet daughter-in-law brought him cups of tea; and maybe a
newly-baked biscuit or two.
And Les saw that it would be good to come home at lunch time to his darling wife who would
serve him cool salads in summer and he could forever renounce the hated Hot Dinners that
Rebecca believed in so assiduously, come heat-wave or snow.
Leslie underestimated the Power of the Mother-in-Law. Rebecca made it very clear to Ruby
that she was having none of this salad nonsense and she would continue to cook the lovely Hot
Soups and lovely Hot Stews that she knew her family, especially Leslie, enjoyed so much!
Then to add to the ensemble, others of the Hodgkiss family might come home too and Kathleen
who had been adopted and was a young teenager must still have been living with them. And
Leslie’s obligation was such that he would provide for them all.
Poor Ruby, full of hopes and plans for her love-nest, spent all day in her and Les’ bedroom,
there being nowhere else to go. She tried to tell Les of her difficulties but since when did any
man stand up to his Mother in defence of his bride? And what could he do? Every possible
opportunity saw Ruby running down the road and round the corner back to Mother Ida who
promptly sent her back.
And now for a little philosophical wondering: Ruby’s (temporarily) dashed dreams of course
were due to her expectations. And Rebecca’s conflict over Ruby was of course due to what she
believed was right and proper. We seem to be looking at a family in transition from Extended
to Nuclear: Ruby was dreaming of a Modern Nuclear family where she would NEVER have
more children than she could cope with (of course she could cope with at least four). Nor
would she EVER pack her home with in-laws. Probably without discussing the matter Leslie
wanted the same situation. Moreover, he was adamant that he and his wife and offspring would
NEVER touch alcohol and neither would he have more than TWO children for whom he would
maintain financial respon