THE STREET

‘You want to buy a quilt cover?’ said a man on Stokes Croft to another man who was there too.
‘No thanks,’ said the other man.
‘You sure you don’t want one?’
‘Yes, I’m sure. Sorry.’
‘They’re Laura Ashley. They’re usually six but I’m selling them for ten.’
‘You sure you got that right?’
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘You want one?’

THE LIFT

‘Morning,’ I said.
Morning,’ he said. ‘Or should I say, “afternoon” as it is the afternoon?’
‘Afternoon is good.’
Waiting.
‘Nice today, isn’t it?’ as we went up in the lift.
‘Hope it stays like this for the weekend.’
‘Been a bit unpredictable lately, hasn’t it?’
‘Monday was sunny. Tuesday rain...Wednesday rain again...’
‘What about Thursday?’
‘Friday too.’
‘Who knows about Sunday?’

THE VASE

On the corner of Picton Street and Ashley Road is a small patch of open space. Concrete, weeds and today a couple were selling things from a table. I’ve seen them walking, arguing, drinking, around the area together.
On my way back from Licata’s I saw the couple were packing up.
I went over and said, ‘how much for the vase?’
‘What do you think?’ said the woman.
‘You say and we’ll start from there.’
‘Er...I don’t know...’
‘A pound,’ I said picking out two fiftys.
‘Okay,’ she said holding out her hand.