Gran Collins counted her change before she left the counter.
She did not move aside first. She stood where she was, looked at the coins in her hand and checked the amount while the assistant waited. If a penny was missing, Gran said so. If the change was correct, she put it away without congratulating anybody.
This was before decimalisation. There were twelve pennies in a shilling and twenty shillings in a pound. Adults managed this system while also claiming that children needed to improve their arithmetic.
I went shopping with Gran and Mum in Portsmouth during 1970. I remember a greengrocer, a butcher and a shop where Gran bought tea. I cannot remember the prices. Gran could, by the time we reached the next doorway.
She kept different parts of the household money separate. Rent was not food. Gas was not bus fare. A coin might look available and still belong elsewhere.
At her table, she asked me to count a small pile of change. There were pennies, a threepenny bit, a sixpence and a shilling. I arranged them by size, which was not the same as value and produced a poor result.
Gran moved them back.
‘Count what they’re worth.’
I knew twelve pennies made a shilling. I also knew ten was a more sensible number. Neither fact helped.
Mum told me not to rush. Gran told me to start again. Between them, I learnt that encouragement could sound very similar to instruction.
Gran was exact because the money had jobs before she received it. She checked bills, saved coins and knew what was left. Mum had learnt the same habits, though she was less likely to keep a shop assistant waiting while she proved a point.
On that visit, Gran found a penny missing from her change. The assistant checked and gave it to her.
Gran handed the penny to me.
Mum told me to put it on the table.
Gran counted the coins again.