Rick Carter loved records – and he loved vinyl more than he loved anything else. This was a statement he heard often, both by his subconscious and voiced by his friends – or the people who might be his friends if he was into that sort of thing. It was also an accusation that was delivered at least once per day by his mother – whose back bedroom he had been living in since he dropped out of college twenty years before.

But he knew his mother just didn’t get it. He couldn’t remember her being passionate about anything – except maybe EastEnders – and that rubbish certainly didn’t count. Albums were a living thing – and vinyl was his passion. This store that he had successfully opened (much to his mother’s chagrin) with the money left to him by his father when he died was his life. Moreover, he appreciated when other people came to him – searching for some lost piece of music history – because he knew he could help them. For a price, of course.

Rick was searching through a section of his back room where he kept his rare and collectible albums. The English guy on the phone had been adamant that the version of Yellow Submarine he was looking for had to be a first edition UK pressing – and Rick had assured him that he could deliver.

Quickly finding what he was looking for – and holding the LP gingerly, Rick couldn’t help but snigger. Judging by the sound of his voice on the phone, the guy was a toff whom Rick would have never pegged for a Beatles fan. Still, it took all sorts.

He was snapped to attention by the bell over the front door of the shop. Smiling, he picked up the record and made his way through to the front. His first customer of the day. Crossing the threshold to the counter – he saw that this customer was in fact a toff. And he had a girl with him too. A pretty one.

Rick put on a thin smile when the guy introduced himself. ‘Yep. I have the record you called about.’ At this statement, he realised that Colin’s facial expression remained neutral – but the girl’s didn’t. She showed immediate excitement.

OK, she’s the shopper. Stay cool, man, he thought, looking at her scarf that looked unusual and expensive. Brown Thomas prices, he reminded himself.

‘Hello there, thanks for seeing us. This is the album in question?’ Colin asked as Rick headed behind the counter and laid the record out in front of him.

‘Yes. Still in shrink wrap, as you can see. Mint condition.’ Rick looked from the guy to the girl next to him, who was looking towards her companion, clearly hoping for direction.

A vinyl virgin, Rick thought. The toff, on the other hand, seemed not to be.