BooksBarbecue
Back Grow
Chapters (75)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Title Page
  5. Intoroduction
  6. ONE
  7. TWO
  8. THREE
  9. FOUR
  10. FIVE
  11. SIX
  12. SEVEN
  13. EITHT
  14. NINE
  15. TEN
  16. ELEVEN
  17. TWELVE
  18. THIRTEEN
  19. FOURTEEN
  20. FIFTEEN
  21. SIXTEEN
  22. SEVENTEEN
  23. EIGHTEEN
  24. NINETEEN
  25. TWENTY
  26. TWENTY-ONE
  27. TWENTY-TWO
  28. TWENTY-THREE
  29. TWENTY-FOUR
  30. TWENTY-FIVE
  31. TWENTY-SIX
  32. TWENTY-SEVEN
  33. TWENTY-EIGHT
  34. TWENTY-NINE
  35. THIRTY
  36. THIRTY-ONE
  37. THIRTY-TWO
  38. THIRTY-THREE
  39. THIRTY-FOUR
  40. THIRTY-FIVE
  41. THIRTY-SIX
  42. THIRTY-SEVEN
  43. THIRTY-EIGHT
  44. THIRTY-NINE
  45. FORTY
  46. FORTY-ONE
  47. FORTY-TWO
  48. FORTY-THREE
  49. FORTY-FOUR
  50. FORTY-FIVE
  51. FORTY-SIX
  52. FORTY-SEVEN
  53. FORTY-EIGHT
  54. FORTY-NINE
  55. FIFTY
  56. FIFTY-ONE
  57. FIFTY-TWO
  58. FIFTY-THREE
  59. FIFTY-FOUR
  60. FIFTY-FIVE
  61. FIFTY-SIX
  62. FIFTY-SEVEN
  63. FIFTY-EIGHT
  64. FIFTY-NINE
  65. SIXTY
  66. SIXTY-ONE
  67. SIXTY-TWO
  68. SIXTY-THREE
  69. SIXTY-FOUR
  70. SIXTY-FIVE
  71. SIXTY-SIX
  72. SIXTY-SEVEN
  73. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  74. CLIMATE EMERGENCY
  75. Copyright

‘Wasn’t that impressed at first, lots of language being used I wasn’t used to hearing, things I’d been told you weren’t allowed to say, you know? So I thought about getting up and leaving. Told myself I would, too, when they stopped for a break. Was telling myself I was going to have to find somewhere else to drink, all that nonsense going on up here. But do you know what happened?’

There’s a pause. I can’t fill it.

‘Well, I’ll tell you. Soon as Carl finished talking, he comes up to me and offers to buy me a pint. Sits down with me for a long while and has a talk with me. Just me. There’s plenty of people in the room trying to catch his eye, but he talks to me, a fella he’s never met before. Don’t mind saying but it made me feel a bit special, you know?’

Yes, I know.

‘And he doesn’t say much either. Just asks me questions and listens to the answers. Actually listens. So I told him about me, my life, all that. And then I stayed. Simple as that. To be honest with you I don’t much care for the kind of things they talk about here. I could take it or leave it, but after the big lads have all finished lecturing, it’s the chat that comes after that I like. That’s what you’ll find here, Kid. Friendship. And we all need that, don’t we?’

My fingers slip on the door and it opens a fraction of an inch. Through the small opening, I see the back of a blue knitted jumper, fraying at the elbows. Faded jeans. The man is facing the opposite wall. I ease the door closed again. The hinges creak loudly.

‘So do you know Carl quite well then? Like, hang out with him and stuff?’ My question surprises me. So does the low voice I try to put on when I ask it.

‘Well, not so much really, apart from these meetings. But we always have a drink after. There’s not a lot of friendship going around at the moment. People are suspicious of everyone. Seem like everyone’s scared of each other I’d say. And anyway, even if it is only once a month, at least it’s something to do, eh? What else you going to spend your Sunday night doing, except sitting in a toilet?’

He laughs again, then coughs.