Tycoonery by Roger Smith

Author:Roger Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Verso Books
Published: 2012-07-05T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

He wanted me to come to Ireland for Christmas. I was to fly over with Maureen to Cork Airport and he would meet us there. Ted was to be away the four days of the festive season on a golfing holiday-cum-tournament. He must have known by now of her affair with David, for she was not particularly discreet and he must have recognised at that unfortunate party and its aftermath that there was more to their relationship than a Saturday swap. At that stage I could only guess at his reasons, but it seemed that there was more than an element of complicity on his part, as to spend four days on windy greens and iron-hard fairways is well beyond the limits of sporting enthusiasm.

There was some discussion as to whether I should bring a girl and for a while I was somewhat uneasy that the bold Vicky would be suggested as a likely candidate, but fortunately for me family ties exert a stronger pull than promiscuity at that season of the year, and she was to spend it with her husband and two children round the tree with yule log blazing. I explained that I did not feel in particular need of female companionship and the discussion was finally dropped. To me it was something of a relief to get out of London at this time, especially since David was footing the entire bill, air tickets and all. Christmas is always a moment of anxiety for me as the only alternative to my barren and cold room, where there is always the possibility of starvation since the local cafe closes its steamed-up and welcoming doors, is to share the festivities somewhat glumly with my ageing parents, who still sport crackers and paper hats at dinner before settling down to the marathon task of twenty-two hours’ TV viewing without respite, save for the occasional meagre offer of port or sherry or tea.

So I set off to Cromwell Road to catch the Heathrow bus in unusually high spirits, rather like a prisoner on temporary release from Wormwood Scrubs. The weather was not too bad and I had avoided the flu. The traffic in the streets had a purposeful air, rather than the irritable lethargy of mere commuting. The terminal was jam-packed with eager faces. all were in their new going away clothes, trolleys piled high with luggage and brightly wrapped presents. BEA, Air France and Alitalia announced the departure of their flights in the icy way that tannoys have. And there was I in it all with my battered little suitcase with its worn strap and a crisp new ticket in my pocket. Jingle bells already!

It seemed somehow very appropriate that she should be standing by the large glittering Christmas tree in the departure lounge, in black leather boots and bright red coat and hat … She smiled and waved her hand as soon as she saw me. There was something really marvellously warm and open about her, and I felt glad that I was travelling with her.

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