Ron turned to the girl and said, ‘If you want to park in my driveway? It might be quicker.’

She nodded to Ernie and said, ‘Nice to meet you, Mr …?’

‘Comrade Sharpe.’

She got in, started her car and pulled into number 30. Got out, and Ron followed, and continued his fitting.

‘Little bitch,’ Ernie muttered, standing, continuing.

You can’t know where you’re going, when you run through menswear. This is the world, as you swing from tree to tree, wiping your nose on someone’s new slacks. The idea of buying something, wearing, altering, are all irrelevant. The clothes are rough-skinned bark you can rub your back on. You can stand inside jackets, and put your arms in the sleeves, although your fingers mightn’t reach the elbows.

Down among the dead men …

Someone sounded their horn for Mr Glasson to hurry up. Hester ran out and spoke to them and told them to be patient (I guessed).

Lacewings, fairy dust, and a trail. As the bell rang. I closed my eyes to hear. Yes, a bell. Then Ernie and David and something about cats. Then, louder, a frantic ring. You wait and see what I’ll do … Unmistakable. So drunk so early.

I half-ran to the front door. Mum said, ‘What is it?’ but she was busy with the Brasso, so there was no point. Down the drive, to see David and Ernie going their hardest.

Ernie: ‘You don’t think I will?’

David: ‘Mum?’ Ringing his bell, until Ernie tore it from his hand and flung it to the ground.

I walked around. There was a man in a Valiant, waiting, watching from his uncovered seat.

Ernie pointed to a cat, and her litter of seven or eight kittens, playing in the grass. ‘That’s disgusting.’

‘What’s wrong?’ I asked, stepping forward.

‘I could get ’em and …’ Ernie moved towards the kittens and David tried to block him with his hand, then moved his wheelchair.

‘Mr Sharpe?’ I said.

‘Stay out of it, Clem.’ He approached the kittens, leaned down, but they darted under the house. ‘Little shits.’

‘Mum?’

‘No point stressing David,’ I said to Ernie, ‘it’s not his—’

He moved his face a few inches from mine. ‘You oughta seen it. Dozens of them, out in the sun, crawling all over his lap and …’ He stopped, noticed the man in the Valiant and said, ‘What are you lookin’ at?’

The muffled voice. ‘Go easy, mate.’

‘Not your fuckin’ mate. Who are you anyway, parked out the front of my house? He hasn’t got a licence to operate a business.’

I picked up the bell, placed it on David’s tray, but he didn’t touch it. Ernie just stood, tottering, studying the ground.

‘Is your mum home?’ I asked David.

‘Shops.’

‘When will she get back?’

David was watching Ernie, unsure. ‘Mum’s tried to get rid of them. She gave some to Miss Davis, but they came back.’