A NICE EVENING

He’s not been around awhile at least I’ve not seen him but he got in a few floors below mine as the lift went down. I was a bit annoyed it stopped but quite pleased to see him.
‘Alright?’ he said looking out from the hood of his jacket.
‘Hello,’ I said. ‘How’re you?’
‘Got a touch of the flu,’ he said, bent double, hands on his knees.
‘Is it swine flu?’
‘I haven’t got the temperature,’ he said. ‘So I don’t think so, well they said I didn’t.’
‘No?’
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘But it’s not the thing.’
‘Oh?’
‘No,’ he said, ‘the thing is I can handle the flu but it’s my thigh’s the thing that’s getting me.’
‘What about it?’
‘It’s blue and it hurts,’ he said.
‘You had it checked out?’
‘I’m going on Monday,’ he said. ‘It’ll be alright til then if I stay indoors and keep warm.’
‘Okay,’ I said.
As I held the front doors as we left the building he kept talking, walking as if stomach cramps. I listened, concerned, this young man always friendly, a user, vulnerable, in pain, things to say, asking after me and whoever else is waiting for the lift and shares the ride...
‘I’ll be alright,’ he said.
‘You take care of yourself,’ I said.
‘I will,’ he said. ‘Have a nice evening.’