Please help me with understanding in English. The parts where I cannot understand were written in blue color.
After our lesson, I added sentences below.
Maisie Clifton
1919
PRELUDE
This story would never here been written if I hadn't become pregnant. Mind you, I had always planned to lose my virginity on the works outing to Weston-super-Mare, just not to that particular man.
Arthur Clifton was born in Still House Lane, just like me; even went to the same school, Merrywood Elementary, but as I was two years younger than him he didn't know I existed. All the girls in my class had a crush (= a brief attraction) on him, and not just because he captained the school football team.
Although Arthur had never shown any interest in me while I was at school, that changed soon after he'd returned from the Western Front. I'm not even sure he realized who I was when he asked me for a dance that Saturday night at the Palais but, to be fair, I had to look twice before I recognized him because he'd grown a pencil moustache (= hair growing on the upper lip) and had his hair slicked back (= pull back and smooth out) like Ronald Colman. He didn't look at another girl that night, and after we'd danced the last Walts (= a type of dance) I knew it would only be a matter of time before he asked me to marry him.
Arthur held my hand as we walked back home, and when we reached my front door he tried to kiss me. I turned away. After all, the Reverend Watts had told me often enough that I had to stay pure until the day I was married, and Miss Monday, our choir (= place for singers in a church) mistress, warned me that men only wanted one thing, and once they'd got it, they quickly lost interest. I often wondered if Miss Monday spoke from experience. The following Saturday, Arthur invited me to the flicks (= a short quick movement) to see Lillian Gish in Broken Blossoms, and although I allowed him to put an arm around my shoulder, I still didn't let him kiss me. He didn't make a fuss (= excess activity). Truth is, Arthur was rather shy.
The next Saturday I did allow him to kiss me, but when he tried to put a hand inside my blouse (= a top worn by women), I pushed him away. In fact I didn't let him do that until he'd proposed, bought a ring and the Reverend Watts had read the banns a second time.
My brother Stan told me that I was the last known virgin (= never having had sex before) on our side of the River Avon, though I suspect most of his conquests (= an act of taking control) were in his mind. Still, I decided the time had come, and when better than the works outing to Weston-super-Mare with the man I was going to marry in a few weeks' time?
However, as soon as Arthur and Stan got off the charabanc (= a vehicle to carry passengers), they headed straight for the nearest pub. But I'd spent the past month planning for this moment, so when I got off the coach, like a good girl guide, I was prepared.
I was walking towards the pier feeling pretty fed up when I became aware someone was following me. I looked around and was surprised when I saw who it was. He caught up (= to move fast to join one) with me and asked if I was on my own.
'Yes,' I said, aware that by now Arthur would be on his third pint.
When he put a hand on my bum(= Brit, slang/ the buttocks or anus), I should have slapped (= to hit with one's open hand) his face, but for several reasons I didn't. To start with, I thought about the advantages of having sex with someone I wasn't likely to come across again. An I have to admit I was flattered by his advances.
By the time Arthur and Stan would have been downing their eighth pints, he'd booked us into a guest house just off the seafront (= part of a town near the sea). They seemed to have a special rate for visitors who had no plans to spend the night. He started kissing me even before we'd reached the first landing, and once the bedroom door was closed he quickly undid (= to open or release) the buttons of my blouse. It obviously wasn't his first time. In fact, I'm pretty sure I wasn't the first girl he'd had on a works outing. Otherwise, how did he know about the special rates?
I must confess I hadn't expected it to be all over quite so quickly. Once he'd climbed off me, I disappeared into the bathroom (= a room with a toilet and sink), while he sat on the end of the bed and lit up a fag. Perhaps it would be better the second time, I thought. But when I came back out, he was nowhere to be seen. I have to admit I was disappointed.
I might have felt more guilty about being unfaithful to Arthur if he hadn't been sick all over me on the journey back to Bristol.
The next day I told my mum (= mother) what had happened, without letting (= to tell or admit) on who the bloke (= a man) was. After all, she hadn't met him, and was never likely to. Mum told me to keep my mouth shut as she didn't want to have to cancel the wedding (= a marriage ceremony), and even if I did turn out to be pregnant, no one would be any the wiser, as Arthur and I would be married by the time anyone noticed.
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I must confess I hadn't expected it to be all over quickly. Once he'd climbed off me, I disappeared into the bathroom, while he(=Arthur) sat on the end of the bed and lit up a fag (=cigarette). Perhaps it would be better the second time, I thought. But when I came back out, he was nowhere to be seen. I have to admit I was disappointed.
I might have felt more guilty about being unfathful to Arthur if he hadn't been sick all over me on the journey back to Bristol.
The next day I told my mum(=mother) what had happened, without letting on who the bloke(=a man) was. After all, she hadn't met him, and was never likely to (=not talking about). Mum told me to keep my mouth shut as she didn't want to have to cancel the wedding, and even if I did turn out to be pregnant, no one would be any the wiser, as Arthur and I would be married by the time anyone noticed.
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Harry Clifton
Cargo ships coming from distant lands and unloading their wares: rice, sugar, bananas, jute (materials used in making rope)) and many other things I'd never heard of. Once the holds had been emptied, the dockers (=one who leads ships) would load them with salt, apples, tin (=a container made of metal), even coal (my least favourite, because it was an obvious (=easy to see or notice) clue to what I 'd been doing all day and annoyed (=angered) my mother), before they set off (=to begin travelling) again to I knew not where. I always wanted to help my uncle Stan unload whatever ship had docked that morning, but he just laughted, saying, 'All in good time, my lad(=a boy or young man).' It couldn't be soon enough for me, but without any warning, school got in the way.
After lunch with my uncle Stan, one bite of his Marmite sandwich, his discarded apple core and a a swig (=to drink quickly) of beer, I would be back at school in time for a game of football; the only activitiy I considered it worth turning up for. After all, when I left schol I was going to captain (=to be the leader of ) Bristol City, or build a ship that would sail around the world. If Mr. Holcombe, my form master, kept his mouth shut and the ganger (= the leader of a work group) didn't report me to the headmaster (=the head of a school), I could go for days without being found out, and as long as I avoided the coal barges (=a type of boat) and was standing by the school gate at four o'clock every afternoon, my mother would never be any the wiser.)
By the time I was seven it was clear to anyone who knew anything about the game of football that I was never going to get into the school team, let alone captain (=a person who is in charge) Bristol City. But that was when I discovered that God had given me one small gift, and it wasn't in my feet.
I would never have come across (=to meet by chance) Miss Monday if she hadn't been the choir (=place for singers in a church) mistress at Holy Nativity. Although she was only five feet three, and looked as though a gust (=a sudden strong wind) of wind might blow her away, no one tried to take the mickey(=a drink with an added drug) . I have a feeling that even the devil(=an evil spirit) would have seen frighened (=to cause to become afraid) of Miss Monday, because the Reverend Watts certainly was.
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