Chapter Ten #4
I’m so engrossed in trying to blend into the healthy-crisp stand, I’ve stopped watching Ed. But all of a sudden I’m aware that he’s made his purchase and is striding out of Pret, holding a takeaway bag. He’s heading past me. Right past me, feet away…please don’t look….
Shit.
As though he can hear my thoughts, he glances over to the right—and meets my eyes. He registers surprise but no embarrassment.
“Later, buddy,” he says, and slides his phone shut. “Hi there.”
“Oh. Hi!” I try to sound casually nonchalant, as though it was always the plan to be found lurking in Pret, clutching a wrap and a smoothie.
“Fancy…um…seeing you here. My dinner plans…fell through.” I clear my throat.
“At the last minute. My friends called and canceled, so I thought I’d grab a bite to eat… . The wraps are great here….”
Somehow I force myself to stop babbling. Why should I be embarrassed, anyway? Why isn’t he embarrassed? He’s been caught out as much as I have.
“So, I thought you had dinner arrangements,” I say lightly, raising my eyebrows. “What happened to your plan? Was it canceled too? Or is it such a fancy dinner you’re worried you won’t get fed properly?” I glance at his takeaway bag with a little laugh, waiting for him to look discomfited.
He doesn’t even flicker. “This was my plan. Buy some food and get some work done. I have to fly to Amsterdam first thing tomorrow for a conference. I’m giving a paper.”
“Oh,” I say, thrown.
His face is dead straight. I have a feeling he’s telling the truth. Damn.
“Right,” I say. “Well…”
There’s an awkward pause, then Ed nods politely. “Have a good evening.” He strides out of the Pret A Manger, and I watch him go, feeling wrong-footed.
Josh would never wrong-foot me. I knew I didn’t like this guy.
“Big Issue?” A voice interrupts my thoughts.
“Oh.” I focus on the skinny man in front of me. He’s unshaven and wearing a woollen hat and an official Big Issue seller’s badge. Feeling bad for all the times I’ve walked by because it’s too much hassle, I decide to make amends. “I’ll buy five copies,” I say firmly. “Thanks very much.”
“Cheers, love.” The man nods at my vintage outfit. “Nice dress.”
I hand over the money and take five magazines, then pick up my supper items and head to the checkout. I’m still trying to work out exactly the witty, snappy thing I should have said to Ed. I should have given a lighthearted laugh and said, “Next time you make dinner plans, Ed, remind me to—”
No, I should have said, “Really, Ed, when you said dinner—”
“What’s the Big Issue?” Sadie’s voice breaks me out of my trance. I blink a few times, feeling suddenly annoyed with myself. Why am I wasting brain space on him? Who cares what he thinks?
“It’s a street magazine,” I explain. “The money goes to projects for the homeless. It’s a really good cause.”
I can see Sadie digesting this.
“I remember people living on the streets,” she says, her eyes distant. “After the war. It seemed as though the country would never find its footing again.”
“I’m sorry, sir, you can’t sell that in here.” I notice a girl in uniform escorting the Big Issue seller out of the sandwich shop. “We do appreciate the work you do, but it’s company policy….”
I watch the man through the glass door. He seems utterly resigned to being ejected, and after a moment I can see him offering copies to passersby, all of whom ignore him.
“Can I help you?” I realize a cashier is calling out to me, and I hurry forward to the till. My credit card has lodged itself right at the bottom of my bag, so I take a while paying and lose track of where Sadie is.
“What the—”
“Bloody hell! What’s going on?”
Suddenly I become aware that all the cashiers are exclaiming and exchanging looks. Slowly, I turn around to see what they’re looking at. I don’t quite believe my eyes.
There’s an exodus of customers from the shop. They’re all piling out onto the pavement and accosting the Big Issue seller. I can see some holding several copies in their hands, others thrusting money at him.
There’s one last customer remaining in the shop.
Sadie is floating next to him, her face intense, her mouth to his ear.
A moment later, with a startled look, he puts down the sushi box he’s holding and hurries to join the throng outside, already pulling out his wallet.
Sadie just stands back and watches, her arms folded in satisfaction.
After a moment she glances at me, and I can’t help giving her a huge beam.
“You rock, Sadie!” I mouth. The next moment she’s right beside me, looking puzzled.
“Did you say I’m a rock?”
“You rock!” I pick up my bag and start walking.
“It means…you’re great. You did a really good thing.
” I gesture at the customers outside, all milling around the Big Issue seller.
Passersby are now joining the crowd to see what’s up, and the seller looks overwhelmed.
We watch them for a moment, then turn and start heading down the street together, an easy silence between us.
“You rock too,” says Sadie in a rush, and I look up in surprise.
“I’m sorry?”
“You did a good thing too. I know you didn’t want to wear this dress tonight, but you did. For me.” Her gaze is resolutely ahead. “So thank you.”
“That’s OK.” I shrug and take a bite of chicken wrap. “It wasn’t that bad in the end.”
I’m not going to admit it to Sadie, because then she’d crow over me and be unbearable. But actually, this whole twenties look is kind of growing on me.
Kind of.