When did you lose your virginity evalindqvist asked. And because this was smalånger the next question was a nobrainer. Who did you do it with.

When I was fourteen she said not missing a beat. With fredrikkarlsson.

That was a surprise. Do you mean katarina’s fredrikkarlsson I said.

Yes she said without hesitating. Then she spun the bottle.

It stopped at märitljungqvist. Dare she said quickly and was given a glass of mümmelmann. 292

Arrghh she said afterwards and grimaced. Arrgh my ears. They’ve folded double. This is bloody awful stuff she said stressing the words. Then she laughed. As if relieved because she had passed a severe test and come through unscathed.

The game went on. We twirled and drank and answered questions.

Have you slept with a woman. Have you been in a threesome. Do you shave between the legs. What’s your most secret sex fantasy.

Minus had to put up with it too even though he was twisting like a maggot on a hook.

The first time it was my turn I said dare but when the bottle pointed at me again I had to go for truth. Because by then the rules had just been given an extra twist it was freeforall to add questions if they followed on from the subject of the first one.

Are you and john an item. No. Do you think he killed maria. No.

Are you sleeping with each other. It happens.

Is it true he’s big. Like rumour has it. Evalindqvist made a telling gesture and everyone laughed except bror.

And just as I was about to answer he happened to knock over a glass of wine so that darkred spills trailed across the starched linen tablecloth.

Quickly get some salt someone said. No not salt. Use bicarbonate. Or cornflour. Or vinegar on a sponge.

A flood of practical ideas. Bror came back with a roll of kitchen paper.

Plenty of tablecloths in this place he said leaning against angelika. He wanted to crawl into her arms to rest on her soft bosoms. Be cared for. Our eyes met and stayed fixed on each other. I picked up his thoughts.

Go for it I said like a cheerleader. 293

By one in the morning the minibuses arrived. The mümmelmanndrunks squeezed into the seats and were driven home.

Bror and I cleared away the last glasses and sat for a while in the kitchen. I made tea. Bror carried on drinking wine.

I thought you were meant to have stopped drinking. So I’ve started again.

What about the future then I asked. If you go on the way you did before you’ll lose your job again.

I don’t care he said and pulled his hand through his hair in a habitual gesture though his head was shorn like a new army recruit.