Narrow Minds by Marie Browne Page B

sense of community that my gran used to talk about.’ I pondered the whole thing, then another thought occurred to me and I frowned. ‘There is one other thing, every morning that stupid postman comes to the door and delivers me a pile of letters.’
    Helen shook her head in confusion. ‘Yeah, so?’
    â€˜Well, it’s just that if you’re watching your budget and every day another bill comes in and another and another, and if it’s not bills it’s rubbish. Just bits of paper telling you that to live a fulfilled life you need to change your gas provider or your telephone provider.’ I huffed in exasperation. ‘On one hand they’re telling you to pay up because you’re in debt and on the other they’re offering more debt, more money, more …’ I paused trying to think of the word that would convey my utter disgust with the whole stupid process ‘… stuff.’ I shook my head, it wasn’t a good word.
    â€˜It’s obscene really and it’s no wonder that everyone gets into debt.’ I looked up at her and took in the lifted lip and disbelieving look. ‘I told you it was pathetic, but it was the one thing I loved about being on the boat, no post. We had a box in the city and we went once a week and picked it all up, half of it went straight into the recycling and the rest we just ignored until they went away,’ I said giving her a big smile, ‘it was heaven.’
    Helen shook her head in complete disbelief. ‘Everybody deals with post Marie,’ she said still shaking her head, ‘you just learn to live with it.’
    â€˜But I don’t have to live with it, I know I don’t and that’s the thing. I’ve seen the other side and quite frankly it’s really peaceful.’ I frowned and shook my head again remembering all the things about house living that I didn’t have to put up with.
    â€˜Well, I can see the appeal although I’m not sure I agree with you about the post.’ Helen leant back in her chair and took a large sip of her drink, the ice cubes clinking as she lifted it. ‘But if you want your way and you’re fairly sure that it’s going to be good for everyone and not just you, you’re going to have to do what we do best.’
    â€˜And what exactly is that?’ I sniffed at her.
    â€˜Pick your time and be really, really sneaky.’ She raised her eyebrows at me. ‘Fancy another?’

Chapter Three
Dignity Disolves in Alcohol
    A S WINTER GRUDGINGLY GAVE way to a wet and windy spring, life, unfortunately, continued unchanged. Charlie happily added to her group of friends and often went out at the weekends. I had met most of the group she hung around with and they seemed a nice enough crowd, although it is always a bit difficult to tell in a large group of gabbling thirteen-year-olds.
    Charlie decided she couldn’t take the accent any more and had taken it upon herself to teach them ‘proper English’ as she called it, consequently her closest friends now switched between barth and bath, Carstle and castle, glarss and glass with equal enthusiasm.
    Sam on the other hand had taken to the local lingo like a pro. Asking him on one occasion if he would like ice cream after tea he responded with an enthusiastic ‘wae’aye mun’. Geoff howled with laughter. I didn’t find it funny at all and had to go and have a sit down.
    Geoff, seeing I was upset, came and sat beside me. ‘What on earth’s the matter with you?’ He handed me a coffee. ‘You can’t expect him to live somewhere and not pick up a couple of the local sayings.’ He frowned. ‘I hadn’t got you pegged for such a narrow-minded, dyed-in-the-wool southerner.’ He paused then shook his head. ‘But that’s not it is it?’ He stared at me. ‘You’ve never worried if someone’s from Glasgow, France or flipping