The Child in Time Page #3

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- The village?

- Not that I know. Not with me. Why?

I don't know, really, it looks

familiar. I thought I had.

Felt familiar.

I'd lose the socks, if I were you.

OK.

You look nice, by the way.

You look well.

Well?

Lovely. You look lovely.

Well fit.

THEY CHUCKLE:

How long's it been now?

Almost a year.

Hmm, Christ.

Beautiful is the word I was

looking for. You look beautiful.

Thank you.

- You could use a wash.

- Yeah.

It's all in your hair.

Mucky pup.

You've lost weight.

Just a little.

You smell like you.

That's because I am me.

Do you know, I've been

here for almost an hour

and you haven't even offered

me so much as a cup of tea.

Oh, bugger.

- What?

- Need the loo. Don't want to move.

Bugger.

Mummy. Mummy, we're going to the shops.

My turn. Then I'll make you that tea.

It can wait.

You must be hungry.

I teach a few hours at

a few schools locally.

I play Saturdays at a hotel

about five miles from here,

and I give lessons.

I make ends meet.

- What else is there?

- Sounds good.

It's nice. I like it.

And the train's just a muddy field

away, the village ten minutes' walk.

So how did you manage to

turn right instead of left?

Disorientated by my fall.

And how did you manage to fall?

Er, I was running because

I thought I'd seen her.

A girl in a yellow rain-coat.

I'd turned the corner out

of the station and I, er...

She went towards the

village, so I followed her.

You followed her?

I'm an idiot.

I'm still looking for her.

Not actively, just out

of the corner of my eye.

I am a little bit better.

Have you still got

your private detective?

No. No, no, he gave up. I think

he got bored of taking my money.

That was good of him.

- After he'd finished paying off his mortgage.

- Probably.

If it's any consolation, I see her too.

But I make sure I'm doing

other things as well.

She is out there.

Yes.

Are you busy? Writing?

Yeah. Yeah, er...

I'm writing a story about a

boy who wants to become a fish.

Why does he want to become a fish?

I can't tell you that,

it's top, top secret.

Why not a dog?

That's been done before.

Dogs sniff other dogs' balls,

arses. Who'd want to do that?

It's gross, kids would love it.

Yeah, yeah, they would.

I'll just check on your clothes.

Wouldn't want them to shrink.

What time's your train?

Four o'clock and then there's

another at sixish, I think.

- Dry as a bone.

- Thank you.

- Are you finished with that?

- Yeah, yes.

Are we going to talk about

what happened just now?

Did I miss something?

It was very nice, and that's

all I have to say on the matter.

I'm surprised I remembered what to do.

Which is my way of saying

there hasn't been anyone else.

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