Brief Encounter

"Ooh hello. Fancy seeing you here Mrs er …"

"Clancy."

"Mrs Clancy."

"Ann Clancy."

"Ann Clancy. Fancy that … going into town?"

"No, I’m waiting for the thirty six."

"Thirty six? Goes up the Thirlmere estate doesn’t it?"

"Yes, yes, it does."

"What do you want to be going out there for?"

"See our Janet."

"Janet? Janet Clancy?"

"No, Costello. Clancy’s my married name."

"Ann Costello … didn’t you used to -"

"No …"

"I remember -"

"No …"

"I’m off into town myself."

"You’ll be wanting a number seven?"

"New coat."

"Or the fifty three."

"This one’s seen it’s best days."

"Got your eye on something?"

"Houndstooth check."

"Black and white, eh."

"Proper real wool blend, Marks and Spencers."

"Bit price"y now in there."

"No."

"Not like it used to be."

"You get what you pay for our Arthur always says."

"Gone all modern and trendy."

"Never married then? Your Janet."

"Partner."

"Partner eh, they all have partners now."

"Been with him best part of thirty years."

"Thirty years."

"Not many last that long these days."

"Hold on. Didn’t she used to go with one of them Dewhirsts?"

"Derek."

"They were real so and so’s them."

"Dave was."

"Dave Dewhirst … didn’t he do time?"

"Derek doesn’t have anything to do with him -"

"Thumped Bill Davies in the Old Crown -"

"It was a long time ago -"

"Beat him up real bad. Shocking."

"Not half as bad as it is round here now -"

"Dewhirsts, bad lot them, mark my words."

"Did you see that in the evening press -"

"Mind you, Thirlmere, they’re all the same up there -"

"Last week, beat some young lad up, it said -"

"Is that a thirty six?"

"Thought he was an informer -"

"No, number nine -"

"Said it’s them Tosneys, they’re wicked, nearly killed him …"

"No."

"Organised crime, it said, fingers into everything -"

"Yes, number nine -"

"Protection rackets, prostitutes -"

"That’ll do for me -"

"Proper bad lot they are -"

"Anyway -"

"Nine doesn’t go into town?"

"Near enough."

"Goes up by the prison, doesn’t it?"

"Does it?"

"Terminates at the new industrial estate -"

"Anyway, cheerio."

"Oh … Well, nice meeting you anyway, Mrs …"

"Er … Tosney. Mrs Tosney."

Richard Coldwell is a 51 year old writer and full time Leeds Rhinos fan, likes craft beer, food, reading and travel. Currently half way through an OU degree, specialising in creative writing.

Picture copyright of David Constantine.