west london tales 1

The door is heavy on the hinges. Since the weather turned, it hasn’t wanted to shut. The other day he noticed the hinges had become loose. On his way out to get some bread, he remembered to pick up a screwdriver to tighten the screws. The door closed shut and he still had the screwdriver in his hand. For a moment he thought about posting it through the letter box, then decided to stick it in the back pocket of his jeans.

The scaffolding was going up in earnest now. Men with hard hats were calling for things he’d never heard of. He walked round the corner onto the Harrow Road. The traffic was still being held up by the temporary traffic light. He nipped across the road, in between the stationary cars.

As he did so he felt something fall from his pocket. He stopped, looking up to see if the traffic was still moving, then darted to pick up the screwdriver. Looking up as he turned towards the pavement, he saw a police van directly in front of him.

He went to one of the two Arabic grocers and tried to choose some tomatoes. As he stood making up his mind, a policeman approached him.

Would you mind stepping this way please.

He stepped away from the shop. The policeman was young, with specs and tawny hair. A policewoman stood beside him.

What’s the screwdriver for? The policeman asked.

The explanation was profound. He pointed at his block of flats and talked at length about hinges.

It’s just you looked a bit suspicious, that’s all. You don’t look like a car thief, but you looked suspicious.

He acknowledged he probably did look suspicious.

Can I just have your name please, sir, just to say I spoke to you.

He gave the young policeman his name.

The policeman and woman got into the police van and headed off.

He turned back to the grocer’s. A group of Arabic men were gathered outside, looking at him with curiosity. He chose some tomatoes.

What did they want, the shop owner asked. The others were listening in.

Nothing really, he said.

They are all crazy, the shop owner told him.

Yes, he said, they probably are.

He chose some fruit juice then went over to pay.

Be careful out there, the Arabic shop owner said with a benevolent smile.

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