freeline-104 - Flipbook - Page 204
PETER LUCK
s t ares had vanished and t he g e nt l e c o n s e r va t i o n re tu r n e d to
a l l the tab les round the ba r. “ Yo u wo rk i n g a ro u n d h e re ? ” B i l l
a s ked. The chap turned to fa ce hi m , s t ar t l ed by t h e fa c t t h a t
s o meone had actually spoke n to h i m. ” E r ye a h , I ’ m wo rk i n g o n
t h e old estate up the road ,” h e s a i d . B i ll o rd e re d a n o t h er p i n t
a t the same time as he fin a lly d ra i n ed hi s gl a s s . “N o , I ’ l l g e t
i t ,” said the stranger. “Muc h o b li ge d ,” s a i d B il l .
They both took long swig s f ro m t he i r re sp e c t ive gl a s s e s a n d
t h en paused, savouring the c o o l a m b er li q u i d as i t f l owe d d ow n
t h eir throats. “Lovely dro p o f b e e r! ” t h e s tra n g e r exc l a i m e d .
“ Yeah, especially on a warm d ay l i ke to d ay,” B i l l m u s ed . “ Yo u
l o oked a bit peeved when I c am e i n . A ny t h i n g w ro n g?” a s ke d
t h e stranger. “Nah, not re al ly ; I ’m j us t s u f fe ri n g w i t h d rawa l
sy mptoms, that’s all,” sai d B i l l . T h e s t ra n g e r l o o ke d t a ke n
a b ack for a second and the n as ke d t i mi dly, “ W i t h d rawa l f ro m
what , then?” “Fishing!” exc la i m ed B i l l. “ F i s h i n g ? ” re p l i e d t h e
s t ranger with a sigh of re li e f . “ Fo r a m o m e n t I t h ou gh t I ’ d
m et some kind of junkie.” B i l l l au gh ed a t t hi s a n d s l a p p e d t h e
s t ranger heartily on the b a ck , c a us i n g t h e st ra n g e r to ne a rly
c h oke on his beer.
“What did you say your na m e wa s? ” a s ke d B i l l , s t i l l c h u ck l i n g
a t the stranger’s last rema rk . “ I d i d n’ t , b u t i t ’ s Pe te ,” s a i d t h e
s t ranger. “Well, Pete, I’m c er ta i n ly gl ad yo u c am e i n to n i gh t ;
yo u’ve really been a tonic to me . I ’ve b e en m o p i n g a ro u n d al l
d ay,” said Bill, taking ano t h er sw i g f ro m h i s gl a s s. “ Te l l me ,”
a s ked Pete. “Why withdrawa l sy m p to m s ? L o s t yo u r f i sh i n g ro d
o r something?” Bill replied , “ I t ’s o bv i o us yo u ’ re no t a n a n gl e r;
t h is is the closed seaso n, an d I ’ m c e r t ai n ly mi s s i ng i t t h i s ye a r.”
“ When does it reopen then ? ” a s ke d Pe te . “ Ju n e s i x te e n t h ,” B i l l
a n swered. “Have you eve r f i s he d t he l ake i n t h e e s t a te I ’ m
FREELINE 74
