through europe

I’m a person.

I’ve got money. I went in a shop. I’ve got my cassette. It’s in my pocket. I bought it in the shop. Brother James and Sister Sue will play it when I get there. They’ll play it and they’ll sing and I’ll sing.

She’s not really called Sister Sue, that’s what I call her. She doesn’t mind. My feet are wet. They’re wet inside my trainers and they’ll be all wrinkly. They gave me these trainers at Makepeace House, when I left. Before that I wore slippers. When I was at Makepeace House I wore slippers and in the grounds I wore Wellingtons.

1.

L. sentì le mani pesanti di J. sulle natiche, mentre la fotteva, ma lei già pensava ad altro. O almeno di questo era sicuro J., mentre ancheggiava dietro di lei come un pendolo, senza vero impegno. L'attenzione di J. era tutta per la crepa sulla parete di fronte a lui, che prima o poi avrebbe raggiunto la compagna all'angolo opposto del muro.

"The first thing you have to understand is that this is a fucking professional environment. "It's like any other job. "But its also a lot tougher, you can't blink for a minute, there is always an opportunity to boost your value, make connections, develop your brand. "But we're also not looking for any grandstanding, you aint shit at the moment, and if you peacock yourself around like an asshole, no one is going to want to give your tragic ass a break - no one wants some over inflated ego or some old meat.

He hadn’t the time to get changed and the collar of his shirt was starting to annoy him. It was a stiff collar, almost ceremonial. Considering the total price of the shirt, that short strip of fabric must have been worth at least ten pounds. More or less the reimbursement fund for a whole day spent at ‘work’. And, to be at ‘work’, this kind of shirt was compulsory. There wasn’t a real uniform, apart from the price-tag of the clothes.

     Lettie said, I'm no genius never said I was, but my memory's in shape, know what I’m saying. Had said it to Mikeymike just the day before, down by the Sanitation Area, B Entrance. Had put him straight when he'd been on about the Roller, how long since he'd been seen on The Concourse.

18 months back, Mikeymike had said, when an Economy Toblerone was 41.

Thirtynine, she'd said. And not just that, but if he really focussed he'd remember it was exactly eighteen months ago give or take a week that there'd been talk of the 40 barrier being breached; and how in fact it never had been 41 

but jumped straight to 45.