Liverpool, January 1942. Freda has a crush on Michael Armstrong. She cannot reveal her feelings for him, but communicates them in a cryptic way by reciting some poetry. Freda tells Sheila that David has a leave and is coming home today or on Monday. With bitterness Sheila remarks that she probably has to share his leave with another woman as usual. She decides to give tit for tat, and joins Freda and Doris on a pleasure-trip to Southport. They go to a dance-hall with some soldiers, but Sheila doesn't enjoy herself, and leaves after a while. At the railway station she ...