‘I’m dead crazy about plants,’ she said. ‘Always buying them down at the market, though they usually curl up their little toes and die on me. I sort of forget to water them. I used to have this really cute one, it was called…oh, chain of hearts, something like that. It had long strings that dangled down and all these darling silvery green heart leaves growing on them. Plants are like people. You can talk to them and get energy from them, did you know that? And someone at a university or somewhere brainy carried out these tests and found out they react to music and to fights going on. They’re sensitive. It’s like they’re crying if people have a fight in the same room.’

Seymour hadn’t known any of that. His mother disliked house plants and Thelma had only one, a rubbery dark thing in the living room with sharp leaves like accusingly pointed hands. He knew all about quarrels taking place in rooms, though, but put that firmly out of his mind.

‘Where is it we’re going, Angie?’ he asked at the tram stop.

Angela looked at him blankly. ‘Oh, are you catching the tram, then?’ she said. ‘I didn’t realise. I thought you were just being a gent, walking me up to the corner.’

‘Yesterday…’ Seymour said. ‘You know, you said to come by and we’d go on the tram and you’d show me this terrific place you know about.’

‘Did I?’

She sounded genuinely puzzled, and in his embarrassment, Seymour began to apologise, not even knowing what he was apologising for. ‘I’m sorry. It’s just…you said. I must have got it wrong. Never mind, though, it doesn’t matter. I’ll just…’ He’d have to face the return trip up the alley all by himself, face all the dangers. Back to that bleak little house, where maybe he’d tackle some of the neglected school work, and perhaps sleep for a couple of hours. That would demolish at least part of the long day.

‘Hey, kid, don’t go nicking off on me!’ Angie called after him. I just forgot for a minute, that’s all. My memory’s like a leaky old sieve, I’m always getting into strife for it. You can still come with me. I reckon it’s a great idea, we’ll have an absolutely fantastic time. Only thing is, I’ve got to go somewhere else first, and it’s a long boring bus ride, all the way out to North Road terminal, last stop on the route. But once that’s over I’m not doing anything special. Oh, I do remember now, yesterday, and what I said I was going to show you!’

‘What is it?’ he demanded, brimming with renewed happiness.