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Here, we help you commenting on Meg’s role in the story “Pride and Joy” by Philippa East.

First of all, note that Meg is the young waitress serving customers in Rosie’s Diner. Mrs Jacks sees her as a “girl” (l. 19), not a woman, which indicates that she is rather young. Meg is blonde (l. 19) and very kind towards Billy, as she herself has a developmentally impaired cousin and understands what taking care of Billy implies. She is polite and warm towards Billy, calling him “my Billy Boy” (l. 26) or “sweetheart” (l. 49). When she brings Billy a piece of cake, she places a candle in it, which suggests that she cares about Billy and knows what he will enjoy.

When she offers to look after Billy for five minutes while Mrs Jacks visits the garden shop, her role is to allow Mrs Jacks to detach herself from Billy, if only for a few moments. Meg immediately understands that Mrs Jacks longs to be alone for a few minutes and enjoy the plants and her offer to look after Billy for a few moments is meant to show the old woman that she deserves some time off:

‘Why don’t you two...