Коллекционер

           Iheardhermotherspeakonceinashop,shehadala-di-davoiceandyoucouldseeshewasthetypetodrink,toomuchmake-up,etcetera.

           Well,thentherewasthebitinthelocalpaperaboutthescholarshipshe’dwonandhowclevershewas,andhernameasbeautifulasherself,Miranda.SoIknewshewasupinLondonstudyingart.Itreallymadeadifference,thatnewspaperarticle.Itseemedlikewebecamemoreintimate,althoughofcoursewestilldidnotknoweachotherintheordinaryway.

           Ican’tsaywhatitwas,theveryfirsttimeIsawher,Iknewshewastheonlyone.OfcourseIamnotmad,Iknewitwasjustadreamanditalwayswouldhavebeenifithadn’tbeenforthemoney.Iusedtohavedaydreamsabouther,IusedtothinkofstorieswhereImether,didthingssheadmired,marriedherandallthat.Nothingnasty,thatwasneveruntilwhatI’llexplainlater.

           ShedrewpicturesandIlookedaftermycollection(inmydreams).Itwasalwaysshelovingmeandmycollection,drawingandcolouringthem;workingtogetherinabeautifulmodernhouseinabigroomwithoneofthosehugeglasswindows;meetingsthereoftheBugSection,whereinsteadofsayingalmostnothingincaseImademistakeswewerethepopularhostandhostess.Sheallprettywithherpaleblondehairandgreyeyesandofcoursetheothermenallgreenroundthegills.

           TheonlytimesIdidn’thavenicedreamsaboutherbeingwhenIsawherwithacertainyoungman,aloudnoisypublic-schooltypewhohadasportscar.IstoodbesidehimonceinBarclayswaitingtopayinandIheardhimsay,I’llhaveitinfivers;thejokebeingitwasonlyachequefortenpounds.Theyallbehavelikethat.