«It was so kind of you to see Julian yesterday.»
«I enjoyed it.»
«I hope she hasn't been pestering you.»
«Not at all. Here we are.»
I dashed among the shelves followed by Rachel. «I must buy some more of my special notebooks. I'm going to be doing a lot of writing soon. Rachel, let me buy you something, I must, I'm in a present-giving mood.»
«Bradley, whatever is the matter with you, you seem quite delirious.»
«Here, let me give you these nice things!» I had to load somebody with presents. I collected for Rachel a ball of red string, a blue felt tipped pen, a pad of special calligrapher's paper, a magnifying glass, a fancy carrier bag, a large wooden clothes peg with urgent written on it in gold, and six postcards of the Post Office Tower. I paid for the purchases and loaded the bag with all Rachel's spoil into her arms.
«You seem in a good mood!» She said, pleased, but still a bit maussade. «Now can we go back to your place?»
«I'm awfully sorry, I've got a rather early lunch engagement, I'm not going back.» I was still worrying about the chair and whether she wouldn't try again to remove the book. It was not that I was unwilling to talk to Rachel, I was greatly enjoying it.
«Well, let's sit somewhere.»
«There's a seat in Tottenham Court Road, just opposite Heals.»
«Bradley, I am not going to sit in Tottenham Court Road and contemplate Heals. Aren't the pubs open yet?»
They were. I must have spent longer than I realized in meditation. We went into one.
It was a featureless modern place, ruined by the brewers, all made of light plastic (pubs should be dark holes) but with the sun shining in and the street door open it had a sort of southern charm. We visited the bar and then sat at a plastic table which was already wet with beer. Rachel had a double whisky which she proposed to drink neat. I had a lemonade shandy for the sake of appearances. We looked at each other.
It occurred to me that this was the first time since I had been smitten that I had looked another human being in the eyes. It was a good experience. I beamed. I almost felt that my face had the power to bless.
«Bradley, you are looking odd.»
«Peculiar?»
«Very nice. You look awfully well today. You look younger.»
«Dear Rachel! I'm so glad to see you. Tell me all. Let's talk about Julian. Such an intelligent girl.»
«I'm glad you think so. I'm not sure that I do. I'm grateful to you for taking an interest in her at last.»
«At last?»
«She says she's been trying to attract your attention for years. I warned her you probably won't keep it up.»
«I'll do what I can for her. I like her, you know.» I laughed crazily.
«She's like all of them now, so vague and inconsiderate and doing everything on the spur of the moment, and so full of contempt for everything. She adores her father but she can't help needling him all the time. She told
