Hemingway’s Chair

national
life’ and would stay that way for a long, long time.
    ‘How
am I going to give you the book?’ asked Harold Meredith.
    ‘Just
drop it down in the tray.’
    ‘I
can’t, there’s something over it.’
    ‘I’m
going to move that for you.’ Martin slid back the protective cover. ‘There you
are.’
    Reluctantly,
as if parting from a loved one for the last time, Mr Meredith let his pension
book slip down into the stainless-steel retainer. Martin slid back the cover,
almost catching Meredith’s still-outstretched hand.
    ‘Is
this because of Aids?’ Meredith stared enquiringly up at him.
    Martin
swiftly passed his checker over the barcode. It pinged appreciatively.
    ‘No,
no, it’s just to make us feel a little bit safer.’
    ‘Who
from?’
    ‘Blood-crazed
pensioners, Mr Meredith,’ called out John Parr, leaning over. ‘People with a
score to settle.’ Martin cast his eye over the docket for date and signature.
Harold Meredith watched suspiciously, it’s this new man, isn’t it?’
    Martin
reached for his wooden-handled date stamp and thumped it down, first on the
docket and then on the counterfoil. Since Marshall had told him of digital
scanners that could read a pension card, check details 0n a database, mark the
transaction and automatically count out the sum to be paid, Martin had been
unusually sensitive to the laboriousness of the process.
    ‘Armed
raids on post offices increased twenty-five per cent last year, Mr Meredith.’
    He
tore the docket from the counterfoil and, sliding open the till at his
right-hand side, began to count out the money.
    ‘How
many armed raids did you have in Theston?’ asked Mr Meredith.
    ‘That’s
not the point.’ Martin laid a fifty-pound note, three five-pound notes and
ninety pence into the tray together with the book, it could happen any time.’
He slid the cover back.
    ‘What
do I do now?’ asked Meredith.
    ‘Take
the money.’
    ‘Is
it electrocuted?’
    ‘Only
the fifty-pound note.’
    ‘I
don’t want a fifty-pound note. What am I going to do with a fifty-pound note?’
    Martin
withdrew the note wearily, it makes it easier for us, that’s all.’
    Martin
replaced the note with a twenty, two tens and two fives.
    ‘What
would I do with a fifty-pound note, old boy? I’m too old to buy wedding rings.’
He chortled with laughter. ‘Eh?’
    Martin
gave a weak smile. ‘My mind was elsewhere.’
    ‘What?
I can’t hear you through this thing.’
    John
Parr watched him go. He grinned. Martin clipped the fifty-pound note back with
the others and slid his till shut. John Parr sniffed, twitched, blinked and
leaned across to him. ‘Now you know why they put those screens up, Mart. It’s
to stop us shooting the customers.’

Nine
     
     
     
    After
much persistence Ruth had felt the first flickerings of a
friendship with Mrs Wellbeing. It turned out her name was Rose. She’d married
Ted Wellbeing quite late in life after nursing him through a long illness. Ruth
had begun by regarding her as prudish and censorious and Rose, as it turned
out, had jumped to the conclusion that Ruth must have been a scarlet woman,
hiding out from some scandalous love affair. The shared relief in finding each
other wrong helped them to a sort of friendship. Rose Wellbeing determined that
Ruth should meet someone. She didn’t think it was right that an attractive
thirty-five-year-old should still be unattached. She began by bringing her the
local paper with interesting events ringed. These included folk evenings and
dressmaking classes and even Mothers’ Union meetings: ‘You could say you
were a mother.’ Ruth resisted, as politely as she could.
    Theston
Fair seemed the perfect answer. By ancient tradition the first Saturday in
November was set aside for this annual festival which celebrated Queen
Victoria’s granting of a borough charter in November 1893. As this year was
centenary year it was to be celebrated with even greater enthusiasm than usual.
It was, Rose assured her, an occasion not to be missed, one that would offer
Ruth a chance to observe the locals without being too conspicuous. Even so, she
woke up on the appointed day feeling apprehensive As she selected an outfit she
realised that although she had many friends back in America, she hadn’t had to
make them. They mostly came with the job. And they were nearly all women. She
was not entirely comfort, able with men. They were so unpredictable. Friends
pals and buddies one minute and urgent,