2’

The taverner, Wills, let him in even as they were yet to open and the taps weren't ready and he had to settle on a warm one from the shelf and nursed it a good while till the place got swell for lunch. There were all the regulars plus the lads in their construction fluro. June came in with her bag of groceries and her pa, and she looked a good sort like that with her hair up in a bun and unbothered with the powder on her face. Pete was on his fourth when she tucked in next to him, her father opposite.

'Lost another one, then.'

'I'm doing swell,' he said, rubbing his jowl.

'I see. It's just a job, innit.'

Like birds they come and go.'

'What birds?' her Pa said.

'That's right, dad. What birds?'

'Your daughter here for one.'

'She can do better,' her Pa said.

The old man was losing his mind but there was no argument from Pete on that. They drank as it got noisy and he felt his head clear, or merely make room for the next.

June eyefucked the lads in the bar, making all sorts of unsubtle sounds.

'Would you look at that,' she said, tonguing the glass.

Pete looked to where she looked. A youngish lad and his hair still holding tight on his head walked up to the bar.

'You don't want that.'

'Why not?'

'He's fresh.'

'Just off the bus, yeah.'

'Come on! You don't want that.'

'I'll take three or four of that, thank you very much.'

Pete dribbled his drink down his chin.

'You need someone like me, baby.'

She gave him a side eye and snorted.

'No thanks.'

'Think about it, yeah. When you're with me you feel good about yourself, don't yous. Well, if you're with him how you gonna feel good about ya self. You never liked to work. That over there is work. Me, I'm all leisure time and trackies.'

'Let a girl have a little fantasy in her life, won't ya.'