Anita and Me, Chapters 6 and 7

Chapter 6:

·         Main Events:

o   Meena meets Anita and tells her that her mother is in hospital after giving birth. Anita says that Deirdre is also in hospital after being beaten up by Deirdre’s father. Anita doesn’t believe this however and thinks her Dierdre has made this up.

o   Anita and Meena form a gang comprising of local children. They spend time reading magazines and walking around Tollington.

o   Anita encourages a peeing competition with the gang and makes a point of taking part. She then forces her sister Tracey to join in but after the rest of them make cruel jokes, Tracey runs off crying. Meena joins in but is shocked by the incident.

o   After Anita explains what sex  is to Meena, she steals her mother’s make up and asks Anita to help her apply it. Meena then goes out to try to attract a boy but fails. Unhappy, she writes a letter to Jackie magazine.

o   Meena’s father realises she is unhappy.

o   Pinky and Baby come to visit and stay with Anita and Meena. Anita steals sweets from the shop and Meena steals Mr Ormerod’s charity collection tin, giving it to Baby to hide.

o   When they Meena, Pinky and Baby return home, Mr Ormerod comes to accuse the girls of stealing. Meena blames Pinky and Baby who are taken home and punished.

·         Background Stories:

o   Meena tells us about the new motorway being built and the small protests against it.

Chapter 7

·         Main Events:

o   Meena goes to the village fete, hosted by the Pembridges.

o   Sam Lowbridge appears, now dressed as a skinhead.

o   Sandy has a stall of badly knitted animals which the Ballbearings women are whispering about until Hairy Neddy claims they’re versions of expensive gonk toys. As the Ballbearings women buy the toys, Neddy proposes to Sandy.

o   Meena and Anita go to see a fortune teller who is new to the fete. The fortune teller is hesitant but tells Meena that help will come ‘from overseas’, to watch her mother’s health and that she is under a ‘bad influence’. Anita presses the Mysterious Stranger to tell her fortune but she refuses at first. Finally, she warns Anita that she must slow down, she will have babies young and her mother will leave.

o   The girls meet Sherrie who tells them she has a new horse, Trixie.

o   Mr Pembridge tells the crowd they have raised £307  and Reverend Ince informs everyone that the money will go towards the church roof.

o   Sam Lowbridge shouts out ‘Warra bout us?’, angry at the use of money. He also accuses Uncle Alan, who steps in to help, that he gives money to ‘some darkies we’ve never met’. The crowd is hald supportive of Sam, half annoyed. Meena is hurt deeply by this.

o   Anita mentions to Meena that Sam is ‘bosting’. Angry, Meena tells her she’s a ‘bloody stupid cow sometimes’ and goes home, shocked.

o   The next day, Meena sees Anita walking past, loudly calling Sherrie her best friend.

·         Background Stories:

o   Meena comments on the spring cleaning habits of the village, particularly the Mad Mitchells.

o   Meena explains how little they saw of Indian people in the media and how it would become a big event when they did, like Miss India winning the Miss World contest.

o   Meena suggests to her mother that they drop Sunil off at the orphanage to give her mother a break. However, Meena realises how tired her mother is and how much time Sunil takes up.

o   Meena remembers Uncle Alan and Mr Ormerod discussing charity and if money should be used to spread Christianity. Later, Meena’s parents

o   Meena explains how her father enjoys gambling.