День триффидов
Frustration
"Idon’tknow.What’sCokersay?"
Coker,itseemed,hadnotbeencommittinghimselftodetails.Alfhadhisownopinion,though.
"‘Fyouaskme,Ireckonthereain’tnobodygoin’tocome.Iftherewas,they’d’vebeen‘erebeforethis.Differentifwewasinsomelittletowninthecountry.ButLondon!Standstoreasonthey’dcome‘ereaforeanywhereelse.No,thewayIseeit,theyain’tcomeyet—an’thatmeanstheyain’tneverLoin’tocome—an’thatmeansthereain’tnobodytocome.Cor,blimy,‘oo’dever’vethoughtitcould‘appenlikethis!"
Ididn’tsayanything.Allwasn’tthesorttobejolliedwithfacileencouragements.
"Reckonthat’sthewayyouseeittoo?"hesaidafterabit."Itdoesn’tlooksogood,"Iadmitted."Buttherestillisachance,youknow—peoplefromsomewhereabroad..
Heshookhishead.
"They’d’vecomebeforethis.They’d’vehadloud-speakercarsroundthestreetstellin’uswhattodobynow.No,chum,we’ve‘aditthereain’tnobodynowheretocome.That’sthefactofit."
Weweresilentforawhile,then:
"Abwell,‘tweren’tabadol’lifewhileitlasted,"hesaid,Wetalkedalittleaboutthekindoflifeithadbeenforhim.
He’dhadvariousjobs,eachofwhichseemedtohaveincludedsomeinterestingundercoverwork.Hesummeditup:
"Onewayan’anotherIdidn’tdosobad.Whatwasyourracket?"
Itoldhim.Hewasn’timpressed.
"Triffids,huh!Nastydamnthings,Ireckon.Notnatcheral,asyoumightsay."
