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Rosamund Hall

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The Outsider

Sniggers behind the door
noisy breathing and a kind of whine
then a soft knock
'Ah, Rosie, a ... client would like a word.'

He came in slowly
each heavy step accompanied by gasping
They shut the door on us
He rubbed his eyes
and then with lumbering determination took a chair

He was quite drunk and maybe old
His clothes sagged
as did the whole man
The voice was thick Glaswegian and once started
indignantly droned on
Wanted a room, a flat, a house
needed a home
knew his old regiment would help
The accent was so harsh and spittled too
I, English administrator,
heard again the sniggering of colleagues
confident I could not understand or cope

So I was English and administrated
explained there was no money for a legal case
but he could telephone
I'd get the number and it would be free
Head down he heard what he had heard before
now only driven up our stairs by rain

The sniggering had stopped
They had expected helplessness
or some wild hopeful promise
I had sat firm on all the rules and promised nothing

Stinking of damp
one filthy hand pressed on the desk
he heaved out of the chair
As he stumbled to the door I saw his shoes were broken
but they were clean and ready for inspection

They were right to think me helpless
but I was useful to them now
for knowing and saying that nothing could be done
and in an English accent

 

 

Page(s) 27-28

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