THEY’LL FIND OUT

He came down the slope as I came down the steps and we met at the entrance to the subway.
‘How’re you?’ I said.
‘I’m annoyed at the Action Group.’
‘You’re always annoyed with them.’
‘Yes,’ he said, ‘but this time they stole my idea.’
‘What idea?’
‘The flats? They’re forty this year, October twenty-forth, it is,’ he said. ‘So my idea was have a birthday party but now the Action Group’ve got a party on Saturday.’
‘But they always have a street party this time of year, don’t they?’
Our shoulders touched as we walked together through James Barton.
‘I’ve already got a car,’ he said.
‘For what? the party?’
‘Yeh, it’s in the car park at the end by the recycling bins.’
‘What you got in mind?’
‘Thought we could have a bonfire. Torch the car.’
‘Do the owners know?’
‘No, they just left it there then got a taxi. I saw them.’
At the flats we stood behind the car.
‘Looks tidy,’ I said.
‘And the tax is out of date.’
‘Do they know what you’ve got in mind?’
‘They’ll find out.’