Read Online Empty Vessels by Marina Pascoe - Free Book Online

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    Ê»Norman, what on earth are you talking about? Whoʼll see you? Why are you here, youʼre not due in for almost another hour?ʼ
    Ê»Mrs Williams donʼt know Iʼm ʼere, Kitty. Iʼve been ʼere all night.ʼ
    Ê»Now youʼre being ridiculous – all night? Why?ʼ
    Kitty was beginning to wonder what Norman was talking about when he emerged fully from under the brown wooden counter. His hair was sticking up all over the place, his braces hung loosely down by his sides, and he clutched his Fair Isle jumper and jacket in front of him in an attempt to cover up the worst bits, which, at that moment, were probably all of him. He spoke in a low voice, urgently.
    Ê»Last night, when weʼd all gone ʼome, I was taking a walk into town and thatʼs when it ʼappened.ʼ Kitty listened, bemused. She knew Norman liked to walk – everyone in Falmouth must have known it. A lot of people liked him, others were really irritated by him. He had a habit of following people around, trying to be one of their group or gang. Whenever they turned round, there was Norman. He would spend his money on them – buying flowers or small items of jewellery for the girls and penknives or beer for the boys.  As a child, the other boys had used him terribly – in fact, they still did. When he was younger they would get him to steal things from shops: sweets, cigarettes, money. When he came out, and was a safe distance from the shop, they would be waiting to take everything from him. He put up with it because he was anxious to have them for friends and to have their approval; of course they never did make him a friend or one of their gang, they just carried on using him. Occasionally they’d accepted him, but usually they’d ridiculed him.
    Norman was slightly backward from complications arising at his birth, but he got on all right – although Kitty hated to see him being taken advantage of. He often did stupid or childish things in an attempt to make people laugh so that they might like him. He was so kind-hearted and he and Kitty liked each other a lot. Sometimes Rose Pengelly would invite him round for tea – how he could eat! Eighteen years old, he was always well-dressed, clean, and tidy with jet black hair which had a centre parting that looked like he had cut it with a razor blade. Cheap hairdressing preparations made it gleam blue-black. He always wore a tie and a Fair Isle sleeveless jumper. He lightened Kittyʼs day with far-fetched stories of boy heroes and high seas adventures.  He lived mostly in a fantasy world of film stars and their characters – cowboys, gangsters, pirates. Now,though, he looked awful, and Kitty waited for what he could possibly say next.
    Ê»I was walking past the shop when I saw someone inside – ʼere beside the counter – they must have been tryinʼ to pinch fags or something. I knew Mrs Williams would be in danger if she disturbed ʼem so I went round the side and slid open the little window – look, Iʼll show you.ʼ
    Norman pointed to the small window and Kitty felt herself wondering how anyone over about five years old could ever get through this window. Norman went on with his story.
    Ê»I got in but there was no one ʼere – they must have just escaped. Anyway, I ʼeard a noise and the window slammed shut – that could have been them – and I couldnʼt open it and I knew I was trapped. So, I just had to stay ʼere all night. Mrs Williams donʼt know. You wonʼt tell, Kitty, promise you wonʼt tell.ʼ
    Kitty had to try hard not to laugh – poor Norman.
    Ê»Of course I wonʼt tell – youʼd better get ʼome and make yerself presentable, youʼre due to start work in less than an hour. My, you almost gave me a heart attack.ʼ
    Ê»Iʼm really sorry, Kit – I didnʼt mean to scare