All change?

Monday July 23, 2007

“Whatever you decide will be fine with me,” I said, doing my utmost to hide my glee under a cloak of real concern.

“You mean that, don’t you.”

“Of course. You know me and glue.”

“Yer wot?”

Sings: “I’m sticking with you’
cos I’m made out of glue…”

“Daft old sod.”

He smiled, though, for the first time since I got to the holiday camp very, very late last night. It was dark, and there are no street lights out in the country, but the reflection from my driving lights together with the low-level glow from the dashboard was quite enough for me to see that he was smiling.

Mind you, you know, don’t you? Even in the dark?

“Peppermint?” I asked, proffering my in-car tube of Trebor’s Extra Strong.

“Please. I know I’m home with a peppermint.”

When we got home I gave him a good look in the bright kitchen light. He’s exhausted. Truly, deeply, exhausted. When, on the way, he’d said he didn’t think he could go on with the job I knew he meant it. What I didn’t know was just how much he meant it.

“Looks like we’re on the move again, then?”

“Probably. Just so long as you and Dolly don’t mind.”

“Me? I’m the original don’t-mind man. And Dolly is as glue-like as I am.”

“Thanks.”

“Sawlrite. All change, then?”

“Yup. All change.”