,you’dsayassoonasyousawme.EicallyandsociallyI’maboutattheaveragelevelofEllesmereRoad.

    Ihadthestreetprettymuyself.Themenhadbuocatchthe8.21andthewomenwerefiddlingwiththegas-stoves.Whenyou’vetimetolookaboutyou,andwhenyouhappeherightmood,it’sathingthatmakesyoulaughiowalkdowreetsintheinner-outersuburbsandtothinkofthelivesthatgoonthere.Because,afterall,whatISaroadlikeEllesmereRoad?Justaprisonwiththecellsallinarow.Alineofsemidetachedtorture-chamberswherethepoorlittlefive-to-ten-pound-a-weekersquakeandshiver,everyohemwiththebosstwistinghistailandhiswiferidinghimlikethenightmareandthekidssughisbloodlikeleeches.There’salotofrottalkedaboutthesufferingsofthewclass.I’mnotsosorryfortheprolesmyself.Didyoueverknowanavvywholayawakethinkingaboutthesack?Theprolesuffersphysically,buthe’safreemanwhenheisn’tw.Butineveryohoselittlestuccoboxesthere’ssomepoorbastardwho’sNEVERfreeexceptwhenhe’sfastasleepanddreamingthathe’sgotthebossdowomofawellandisbunginglumpsofcoalathim.

    Ofcourse,thebasictroublewithpeoplelikeus,Isaidtomyself,isthatweallimaginewe’vegotsomethingtolose.Tobeginwith,enthsofthepeopleinEllesmereRoadareuheimpressionthattheyowntheirhouses.EllesmereRoad,andthewholequartersurroundingit,untilyougettotheHighStreet,ispartofahugeracketcalledtheHesperidesEstate,thepropertyoftheCheerfulCreditBuildingSociety.Buildingsocietiesareprobablythecleverestraoderntimes.Myownline,insurance,isaswindle,Iadmit,butit’sanopenswihthecardsoable.Butthebeautyofthebuildingsocietyswihatyourvictimsthinkyou’r