Some: A Robin Roughley Thriller (Robin Roughley's None Series Book 2) by Robin Roughley

Author:Robin Roughley [Roughley, Robin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Dragon Publishing LTD
Published: 2022-05-17T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 32

Ruben stood with arms folded. He was watching a wildlife documentary on one of the large TV screens in-store. It showed a herd of wildebeest travelling across the vast expanse of the African plain.

When he felt the tap on his shoulder, he frowned before turning to find a diminutive woman smiling up at him.

‘I’m sorry for bothering you, but I was just talking to the nice lady on the service desk. I’m interested in buying a new fridge-freezer and she said that you were the man I needed to speak to. She called you the guru of white goods.’

‘If you’re talking about Pendulous Breasts, then she tends to exaggerate,’ Ruben said.

The woman had smaller than average-sized eyes, and yet they opened wide at Ruben’s response. ‘I’m sure her name was Tina. At least, that’s what it said on her nametag.’

‘What kind of fridge-freezer are you looking for?’ Ruben asked.

‘Well, the thing is, I’ve had my old one for five years. I was hoping it would have lasted longer, but it just seems to have packed in completely,’ she said.

‘Not many people realise it, but the manufacturers design their appliances to last for a limited time only. If you think about it rationally, if they made machines that lasted ten to fifteen years, then they would soon go out of business. I realise it’s difficult, and I understand both your frustrations and disappointments, but I’m afraid that’s the nature of the game,’ Ruben said.

‘I never realised that, and it’s shameful really when you think about it,’ the little lady said with a sad shake of her head.

‘The human body is the same, designed for practical use for a limited amount of time. You can patch it, mend it, but ultimately it will let you down, and when it does, you will find yourself six feet under, or in an urn on the mantelpiece, or scattered in a place that meant something to the individual in question.’

For a couple of seconds, the lady looked distressed at Ruben’s words, and then she sighed again. ‘I suppose you’re right. But I was interested in a fridge-freezer that dispenses ice cubes. I saw one once years ago on an episode of Columbo, and I was fascinated by it.’

‘I’m sorry you’ve lost me, though I can only assume that Columbo was a television show?’ Ruben asked as he tilted his head.

‘Oh yes, I used to love it. He was an American detective, and he always smoked a big cigar and had wonky eyes,’ she said. ‘Every episode you thought he was stumped, and then right at the end he would turn and then all this stuff would come out. He was so clever, so intelligent, not like the shows that we used to make. Things like The Sweeney, and The Professionals. All that running around and shooting their noisy guns, it used to drive me mad.’ This time the woman tutted; her expression set in a frown of disapproval.

‘I rarely watch television’ – Ruben paused – ‘although I occasionally catch the local news, but that’s about all.

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