Page 45 of Wish You Were Here
‘No fucking point, eh. They’ll just stick me in the death centre with all the other fucking dying people. I’d rather cark it in my own bed, thanks very much, love.’
‘Fair enough, but you aren’t dying, Lou.’
‘Doctor now, are you?’
‘No, but—’
‘Then don’t tell me I’m not fucking dying, when I’m as crook as a Rookwood!’
‘Fine, you’re dying, Lou, which makes me think about your son. Do you want us to call him? Tell him you’re crook, and he should come and visit before you cark it?’
I realise I am being a little insensitive and blunt, but this is Lou. Insensitive and blunt are two of his favourite things.
‘Like I said, love, he’s busy. He’ll be off all over the place. No time for me.’
‘But surely if I explain to him how sick you are, Lou, he’d want to see you.’
‘Just let it go, eh.’
I look at Lou in his bed and it makes me so sad to think he’s lying about his son, and why he has no-one as an emergency contact. Doesn’t he have anyone? Surely in his whole life, he must have someone who cares about him. Someone who will miss him when he’s gone. I know he wants me to stop asking him questions and to let it go, but I can’t. We’ve always had such a good, light-hearted relationship, and I let him joke about seeingmy tits, but I don’t want him to die on his own. If there is one thing I have learnt from Lou Sanders, it’s that sometimes in life, things are worth fighting for. In his case, it was a chicken parma, but still, the point is valid.
‘I’m sorry, Lou, but I can’t let it go. Do you have a contact number for your son? I can call him for you, make arrangements.’
‘I said, let it go,’ says Lou, slightly more aggressively.
‘I’m sorry, Lou, but I need to know what’s really going on with your son. I need—’
‘Get the fuck out of my room. Now!’ shouts Lou suddenly.
‘But I’m just trying to help.’
‘Fucking sticky beak! Get out of my room or I’ll call for fucking help!’
‘Okay, fine, I’m going,’ I say, and this time I do. This time I know I need to leave, but it isn't the end of it. I have to find out the truth about Lou’s son before it’s too late.
19
Ben
‘This is your girlfriend from university?’ says Abigail. She is sitting on our sofa next to Simon, and they’re in the middle of eating dinner whilst watching an episode ofPointless.
‘That’s right,’ I reply.
‘You just bumped into her on the street?’
‘I did. I haven’t seen her since just after graduation. Apparently, she’s been off around the world, but now she’s back living in London.’
‘And straight into your pants!’ says Simon.
‘It’s not like that,’ I say, and Abigail nudges Simon in the ribs.
‘I was just saying,’ says Simon.
‘It’s just a drink. A catch up. That’s all.’
‘So definitely not a date?’ says Abigail.
‘Definitely not a date.’
