she said. He knew he was meant to say something flattering about her when she said this kind of thing. Sometimes he did and sometimes he didnât. What life really boiled down to, he mused, biting into his organic Digestive, was knowing when to play dumb. Kid on youâre daft and youâll get a hurl on the barra. Playing dumb took a certain amount of finesse, all the same. He bought a large Dairy Milk every morning when he stopped for his paper, but he never brought any of it home, not even a couple of pieces for a sly nibble. Ruby would have smelt it when she turned out the trouser pockets for the wash. He stared at the silent screen. For the first time it occurred to him that retirement might involve difficulties he had not so far considered.
ââWalter,ââ she sat down beside him with her latest copy of Puzzle Monthly and her rubber-tipped pencil. ââIâve been wondering.ââ
ââHave you?ââ
Behind the glasses, her eyes were large and earnest. ââIâve been wondering if we should ask Lesley next door to come in for tea now and then. Sheâll be lonely. I donât like to think of her on her own.ââ
He said nothing.
Much later, when the TV had been switched off, and Ruby had already gone upstairs, he was checking that the front door was locked when he heard a bang. Car door, he told himself, not loud enough for fireworks. These had been going off through most of the evening. No doubt there would be more at midnight.
ââDid you hear that?ââ Ruby called from upstairs.
ââHear what?ââ
ââThereâs a car at our gate.ââ
ââI donât think so, not at this hour.ââ And if there was, it wouldnât be Walter Junior, that was for sure. When he went into the bedroom, she was standing with her nose through the curtains.
ââOh my,ââ she said. Closing them carefully, she darted to the side for a better view.
He sat on the bed, pushed each slipper off with the other foot, and began unbuttoning his trousers.
ââOh. Oh my goodness.ââ
ââWhy are we whispering?ââ
ââLesleyâs sitting on the path.ââ
ââHers or ours?ââ
With a sigh he rebuttoned himself and joined her. Sure enough, there was Lesley, sitting on her own path beside the doorstep, facing the street.
ââDo something, Walter.ââ
He scratched the back of his head. It was all very well to say do something, when you didnât have to do the doing. He was still trying to think of an answer, when a male figure opened Lesleyâs gate and began walking up the path. The man helped her to her feet, and then, Walter surmised, there was an exchange of words. He gently detached Ruby from the window, letting the curtain fall, deaf to her whispered protests.
ââItâs none of our business,ââ he said.
Ruby smoothed Nivea over her face and lay on her back for a while to let the cream penetrate before her skin touched the pillowslip. She had put ear-plugs in, to counteract the bangs which would continue into the wee small hours, and she lay as still as possible, so as not to disturb Walter. Her mind meanwhile was anything but still.
Love
The ruined factory with its gaping window frames and rusty pipes smelled exactly like the abandoned buildings of his childhood where he had stripped with closed eyes. When he moved the brick and shone his torch into the space, the roll of fruit sweets was gone. From his coat pocket he took its replacement, a chocolate egg this time, plastic wrap over the bright coloured foil to protect it from dirt and damp. He put it into the hole, repositioning the brick, imagining her delight when she found it.
He switched off the torch and started back to the track. He had never hurt a child, and he never would. Everything was under control. He
ââWalter,ââ she sat down beside him with her latest copy of Puzzle Monthly and her rubber-tipped pencil. ââIâve been wondering.ââ
ââHave you?ââ
Behind the glasses, her eyes were large and earnest. ââIâve been wondering if we should ask Lesley next door to come in for tea now and then. Sheâll be lonely. I donât like to think of her on her own.ââ
He said nothing.
Much later, when the TV had been switched off, and Ruby had already gone upstairs, he was checking that the front door was locked when he heard a bang. Car door, he told himself, not loud enough for fireworks. These had been going off through most of the evening. No doubt there would be more at midnight.
ââDid you hear that?ââ Ruby called from upstairs.
ââHear what?ââ
ââThereâs a car at our gate.ââ
ââI donât think so, not at this hour.ââ And if there was, it wouldnât be Walter Junior, that was for sure. When he went into the bedroom, she was standing with her nose through the curtains.
ââOh my,ââ she said. Closing them carefully, she darted to the side for a better view.
He sat on the bed, pushed each slipper off with the other foot, and began unbuttoning his trousers.
ââOh. Oh my goodness.ââ
ââWhy are we whispering?ââ
ââLesleyâs sitting on the path.ââ
ââHers or ours?ââ
With a sigh he rebuttoned himself and joined her. Sure enough, there was Lesley, sitting on her own path beside the doorstep, facing the street.
ââDo something, Walter.ââ
He scratched the back of his head. It was all very well to say do something, when you didnât have to do the doing. He was still trying to think of an answer, when a male figure opened Lesleyâs gate and began walking up the path. The man helped her to her feet, and then, Walter surmised, there was an exchange of words. He gently detached Ruby from the window, letting the curtain fall, deaf to her whispered protests.
ââItâs none of our business,ââ he said.
Ruby smoothed Nivea over her face and lay on her back for a while to let the cream penetrate before her skin touched the pillowslip. She had put ear-plugs in, to counteract the bangs which would continue into the wee small hours, and she lay as still as possible, so as not to disturb Walter. Her mind meanwhile was anything but still.
Love
The ruined factory with its gaping window frames and rusty pipes smelled exactly like the abandoned buildings of his childhood where he had stripped with closed eyes. When he moved the brick and shone his torch into the space, the roll of fruit sweets was gone. From his coat pocket he took its replacement, a chocolate egg this time, plastic wrap over the bright coloured foil to protect it from dirt and damp. He put it into the hole, repositioning the brick, imagining her delight when she found it.
He switched off the torch and started back to the track. He had never hurt a child, and he never would. Everything was under control. He
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