Nearest Thing to Crazy Read Online Free PDF Page B

different characters. All the weathered faces and gnarly old hands. Do they have secateurs stuffed in their pockets ready to steal bits of other people’s gardens?’
    ‘I’m afraid they do. All part of the perks of the trip. They’re quite adept at surreptitious snipping. Watch for the carrier bags stuffed into their pockets.’
    ‘I was thinking how nice it would be if you helped me with my garden. We didn’t get a chance to talk about it the other day. I don’t want to spend much, or plant stuff that will take years to appreciate. Instant gratification – is that possible?’
    ‘Sure. I can give you lots of things from my garden. But I think pots would be best. Then if you move you can take them with you,
and Jules won’t object to you digging up her carefully laid lawn.’
    ‘Did you train?’
    ‘No. I’m just an enthusiastic amateur, learning from books, magazines, other people’s gardens. It’s just since we’ve lived in the cottage that it’s become a passion of mine.’
    ‘My mother was very keen. Too keen. I used to think she cared more about those bloody plants than she did about me.’
    ‘Is she still alive?’
    ‘No. She died last year. Electrocuted in her bath.’
    ‘Oh my God! How absolutely dreadful!’
    ‘Yes. She dropped her radio. Wireless, as she always called it. Shame it wasn’t wireless, as it happened. She struggled with getting batteries in and out because her fingers were so arthritic – thanks to the bloody gardening, no doubt. Bet you never realized how lethal The Archers could be. She might have got away with it had she not had a pacemaker fitted.’
    ‘Ellie, I’m so sorry. What a shock that must have been for you. Oh . . . God . . . I can’t believe I’ve just said that.’
    ‘Don’t worry. You’re not the first. They tell me she wouldn’t have known much about it.’
    I didn’t know what else to say. It just seemed such a horrible thing to have happened. I was beginning to realize that Ellie, this woman who seemed to have everything going for her, was marked by tragedy. As she had said only the other day, it just goes to show that you never really do know about people, do you?
    ‘I’m just so sorry . . . really.’ I squeezed her hand.
    ‘Well the way I see it you’ve got to die of something, haven’t you? And she didn’t have some awful lingering illness . . .’
    ‘I suppose not,’ I said. ‘My own mother’s in a care home. It’s . .
. well, it’s difficult a lot of the time.’ But I didn’t want to talk about my mother today, and I couldn’t imagine that Ellie wanted to talk about hers. We were supposed to be enjoying ourselves. ‘Anyway, let’s change the subject, shall we? Talk about something more cheerful.’
    ‘Absolutely,’ she said. ‘What about Laura, your daughter. What’s she studying?’
    ‘She’s doing a degree in media studies. She’s just finished her second year but she’s staying in her student flat in Birmingham so that she can use the library for a project. It’s a worrying time, jobs being so scarce.’
    ‘Perhaps I’d be able to give her some contacts.’
    ‘Really?’
    ‘Possibly. I’ve been out of journalism for a while, but I still know a few people.’
    ‘That would be fantastic. Laura would be thrilled.’
    ‘Well I can’t promise, but I’ll help if I can. You must miss her.’
    ‘It’s not so bad now. Not like at first . . .’
    ‘No. I can imagine that must have been difficult, especially as she’s your only child. And your husband, where does he work?’
    ‘He’s in Birmingham too. In advertising.’
    ‘Yes, I remember now. He did tell me. He’s a sweetheart, you’re lucky. Well both of you are very lucky. How long have you been married?’
    ‘Twenty-eight years. How can we be that old already?’
    ‘Well you don’t look it. So many marriages break up these days. It’s a bit of an achievement, isn’t it, to have been together so long? I envy you.’
    ‘It’s not all been plain