Car 7

250
Mr Harry Runciman

Outward appearance

Plump, Pickwickian gentleman in un-ironed striped shirt, plaid green jacket, grey trousers, greenish Burberry.

Inside information

Lecturer at the new Electronic Polymer Unit at the University of the South Bank. Has had to wear the same clothes since Monday.

What he is doing or thinking

Facing up to the fact that he does indeed need to go shopping for clothes. Shopping is something that seldom enters his purview. Harry does not shop. A market researcher once thought she had found a prime AB. She questionnaired Harry. How often do you buy the following: CDs? What are they? Oh, you mean those compact tape things. Televisions? Don't have one. Video recorders?

He does his laundry on Sunday nights. Last Sunday night, he smelled smoke. He thought it was his lovely log fire. When he finally went downstairs to the basement to unload his laundry, he was amazed to see smoke pouring out of the washing machine. Flame circulated round and round inside it. It was only 18 years old.

All eight pairs of underpants, four shirts, four string vests and three drip-dry slacks were burned to ash. He has nothing to wear. It's depressing because he knows from past experience that he won't be able to find exact replacements.

An old woman is asking people to dance. Harry loves eccentrics. He begins to giggle as she starts to sing. Then to his surprise, people join in.

Harry just happens to have a bottle of whisky in his briefcase, and plastic cups. You never know when there will be a party.


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