He is dressed in his working or “black” clothes, which may have been coloured once but are now blackened with coal dust. He wears no collar, but a muffler, which, because it is doffed in the pit, still preserves something of its original hue, which was a bright red.
JOCK
A wis hardly expectin’ tae see you this mornin’, Mary.
MARY
(apparently unmoved, proceeds with her operations at the stove)
An’ why no’, bless ye. Mebbe ye’d raither A dragged yer mither oot o’ her bed an’ her bad wi’ her rheumatics, tae.
JOCK
A could a’ dune fur masel’ for wan mornin’.
MARY
Ye’d a’ made a bonnie mess o’ the job.