My lucky watch."
Rob took something out of his pocket and tossed it onto the bedcover. It was the black diver-style watch he'd offered Tariq as an extra bribe. "You better have that instead, then. Ten quid in Argos. Glows in the dark, too. Great story to tell the grandkids."
It was unlikely Mike would ever have any, but it was a kind thought. He strapped on the watch next to his hospital ID bracelet.
"That's lucky enough for me. Thanks."
Rob took out his cell, tapped it a few times, then handed it to Mike with a big grin that completely transformed him. "Look. This is my boy, Tom. I love him to bits and he's going to university next year. Computer science and linguistics."
Tom looked like a teenage version of his father. Rob started chatting, and in minutes Mike was sure he'd known him all his life. They were still talking like long-lost buddies — family, how much England had changed since Mike had been at Oxford, politics, the price of gas — when the nurse interrupted them. She walked in with a diagnostic trolley and an expression that said it was high time that Rob left. Mike checked his new lucky watch. They'd been talking for nearly two hours.
"Rob, give me your contact details," he said. "We've got to stay in touch. There has to be something I can do for you besides shake your damn hand."
Maybe Rob thought Mike was one of those guys who thrust his business card at people he met on vacation and insisted they look him up sometime without really meaning it. For a moment, Rob hesitated. Then he rummaged in his pockets and produced a pen and a few dog-eared business cards. One was a taxi company's. Mike flipped it over and started writing.
"You hang on to this." Mike handed back the card. "Now you give me yours. You saved my life."
"I think the surgeon did that."
"Yes, but he didn't patch me up under fire when he could have walked away."
"Bugger it, Mike, you're making me sound even more amazing than I already am." Rob glanced at the nurse, who was waiting with silent impatience, and wrote on another card. He got a faint smile from her, though. "Yeah. Let's stay in touch."
"Seriously. What can I give you? What can I do for you?"
Rob shrugged. "If you ever need someone to clean the toilets, let me know."
"Sorry?"
"More bloody defence cuts. Got to get a proper job soon."
Mike panicked for him. "Hey, I can definitely help with that."
"Thanks." Rob looked awkward, breaking eye contact for a moment. "I appreciate it."
"You've got my number. Call me next week. Understand?"
"Thanks."
"I mean it. I'll call you if you don't." Mike was already trying to formulate a rescue plan. It just took money, and that would never be a problem. "That's the kind of thing I'm good at fixing."
Rob finally surrendered to the nurse's time-to-leave stare. "I better be going." Perhaps he didn't want his future fixed for him. "Look after yourself, Mike."
"You too, buddy," Mike said. "Keep in touch. Whatever you need, I'm there."
"Three wishes, too, eh?" Rob winked conspiratorially. "Keep your head down. I won't be around the next time."
Mike watched him go as the nurse moved in with the blood pressure cuff, and felt oddly cheated. But what was his display of gratitude for, to convince the guy that he'd done something life-changing that would never be forgotten, or to make himself feel like a better human being? No, Mike liked Rob. It was the same as that instant connection he'd had with Nick nearly thirty years before. Plucked from the river a second time, Mike was determined to value this extra lease of life and the man who had given it to him.
It looked like it was going to be hard to give Rob anything, though. He was visibly self-reliant, the kind of man who'd finish a race on a broken leg rather than ask for help. But Mike had his own stubborn streak. He could do good, and he would do it for Rob Rennie.
LOCKSWAY SUPERMARKET, BRISTOL, ENGLAND
DECEMBER, ONE YEAR LATER.
In the aisle between the display of ed does and the
Rob took something out of his pocket and tossed it onto the bedcover. It was the black diver-style watch he'd offered Tariq as an extra bribe. "You better have that instead, then. Ten quid in Argos. Glows in the dark, too. Great story to tell the grandkids."
It was unlikely Mike would ever have any, but it was a kind thought. He strapped on the watch next to his hospital ID bracelet.
"That's lucky enough for me. Thanks."
Rob took out his cell, tapped it a few times, then handed it to Mike with a big grin that completely transformed him. "Look. This is my boy, Tom. I love him to bits and he's going to university next year. Computer science and linguistics."
Tom looked like a teenage version of his father. Rob started chatting, and in minutes Mike was sure he'd known him all his life. They were still talking like long-lost buddies — family, how much England had changed since Mike had been at Oxford, politics, the price of gas — when the nurse interrupted them. She walked in with a diagnostic trolley and an expression that said it was high time that Rob left. Mike checked his new lucky watch. They'd been talking for nearly two hours.
"Rob, give me your contact details," he said. "We've got to stay in touch. There has to be something I can do for you besides shake your damn hand."
Maybe Rob thought Mike was one of those guys who thrust his business card at people he met on vacation and insisted they look him up sometime without really meaning it. For a moment, Rob hesitated. Then he rummaged in his pockets and produced a pen and a few dog-eared business cards. One was a taxi company's. Mike flipped it over and started writing.
"You hang on to this." Mike handed back the card. "Now you give me yours. You saved my life."
"I think the surgeon did that."
"Yes, but he didn't patch me up under fire when he could have walked away."
"Bugger it, Mike, you're making me sound even more amazing than I already am." Rob glanced at the nurse, who was waiting with silent impatience, and wrote on another card. He got a faint smile from her, though. "Yeah. Let's stay in touch."
"Seriously. What can I give you? What can I do for you?"
Rob shrugged. "If you ever need someone to clean the toilets, let me know."
"Sorry?"
"More bloody defence cuts. Got to get a proper job soon."
Mike panicked for him. "Hey, I can definitely help with that."
"Thanks." Rob looked awkward, breaking eye contact for a moment. "I appreciate it."
"You've got my number. Call me next week. Understand?"
"Thanks."
"I mean it. I'll call you if you don't." Mike was already trying to formulate a rescue plan. It just took money, and that would never be a problem. "That's the kind of thing I'm good at fixing."
Rob finally surrendered to the nurse's time-to-leave stare. "I better be going." Perhaps he didn't want his future fixed for him. "Look after yourself, Mike."
"You too, buddy," Mike said. "Keep in touch. Whatever you need, I'm there."
"Three wishes, too, eh?" Rob winked conspiratorially. "Keep your head down. I won't be around the next time."
Mike watched him go as the nurse moved in with the blood pressure cuff, and felt oddly cheated. But what was his display of gratitude for, to convince the guy that he'd done something life-changing that would never be forgotten, or to make himself feel like a better human being? No, Mike liked Rob. It was the same as that instant connection he'd had with Nick nearly thirty years before. Plucked from the river a second time, Mike was determined to value this extra lease of life and the man who had given it to him.
It looked like it was going to be hard to give Rob anything, though. He was visibly self-reliant, the kind of man who'd finish a race on a broken leg rather than ask for help. But Mike had his own stubborn streak. He could do good, and he would do it for Rob Rennie.
LOCKSWAY SUPERMARKET, BRISTOL, ENGLAND
DECEMBER, ONE YEAR LATER.
In the aisle between the display of ed does and the
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