1984

           Hewouldgointothepub,hewouldscrapeacquaintancewiththatoldmanandquestionhim. Hewouldsaytohim: ‘Tellmeaboutyourlifewhenyouwereaboy. Whatwasitlikeinthosedays? Werethingsbetterthantheyarenow,orweretheyworse?’ 

           Hurriedly,lestheshouldhavetimetobecomefrightened,hedescendedthestepsandcrossedthenarrowstreet. Itwasmadnessofcourse. Asusual,therewasnodefiniteruleagainsttalkingtoprolesandfrequentingtheirpubs,butitwasfartoounusualanactiontopassunnoticed. Ifthepatrolsappearedhemightpleadanattackoffaintness,butitwasnotlikelythattheywouldbelievehim. Hepushedopenthedoor,andahideouscheesysmellofsourbeerhithimintheface. Asheenteredthedinofvoicesdroppedtoabouthalfitsvolume. Behindhisbackhecouldfeeleveryoneeyeinghisblueoveralls. Agameofdartswhichwasgoingonattheotherendoftheroominterrupteditselfforperhapsasmuchasthirtyseconds. Theoldmanwhomhehadfollowedwasstandingatthebar,havingsomekindofaltercationwiththebarman,alarge,stout,hook-nosedyoungmanwithenormousforearms. Aknotofothers,standingroundwithglassesintheirhands,werewatchingthescene. 

           ‘Iarstyoucivilenough,didn’tI?’saidtheoldman,straighteninghisshoulderspugnaciously. ‘Youtellingmeyouain’tgotapintmuginthe’olebleedingboozer?’ 

           ‘Andwhatinhell’snameISapint?’saidthebarman,leaningforwardwiththetipsofhisfingersonthecounter. 

           ‘‘Arkat’im!Calls’isselfabarmananddon’tknowwhatapintis! Why,apint’sthe’alfofaquart,andthere’sfourquartstothegallon. ‘AvetoteachyoutheA,B,Cnext.’