Therewasabombingplaneflyinglowoverhead.Foramiwoitseemedtobekeepingpacewiththetrain.Twovulgarkindofblokesinshabbyovercoats,obviouslyercialsofthelowesttype,neervassersprobably,weresittingoppositeme.OhemwasreadingtheMailaherwasreadingtheExpress.Icouldseebytheirmahatthey’dspottedmeforoheirkind.Upattheotherendofthecarriagetwolawyers’clerkswithblackbagswerekeepingupaversationfulloflegalbalohatwasmeanttoimpresstherestofusandshowthattheydidn’tbelongtotheonherd.

    Iwaswatgthebacksofthehousesslidingpast.ThelinefromWestBletchleyrunsmostofthewaythroughslums,butit’skindofpeaceful,theglimpsesyougetoflittlebackyardswithbitsofflowersstuboxesaroofswherethewomethewashingandthebird-cageonthewall.ThegreatblabingplaneswayedalittleintheairandzoomedaheadsothatIcould.Iwassittingwithmybacktotheengine.Oheercialscockedhiseyeatitforjustased.Iknewwhathewasthinking.Forthatmatterit’swhateverybodyelseisthinking.Youdon’thavetobeahighbrowtothinksuchthoughtsnowadays.Intwoyears’time,oneyear’stime,whatshallwebedoingwhenweseeohosethings?Makingadiveforthecellar,wettingswithfright.

    TheercialblokeputdownhisDailyMail.

    ‘Templegate’swinnerein,’hesaid.

    Thelawyers’clerksweresproutingsomelearaboutfee-simpleandpeppers.TheotherercialfeltinhiswaistcoatpocketandtookoutabentWoodbiiherpocketandthenleanedacrosstome.

    ‘Gotamatch,Tubby?’

    Ifeltformymatches.‘Tubby’,younotice.That’siing,really.ForaboutacoupleofmioppedthinkingaboutbombsahinkingaboutmyfigureasI’dstudieditinmybaththatm.