Tom, looking down, can’t argue. He does find it difficult to walk the round, he is only twenty nine, a young man but an old man of fifty can out walk him now. He slowly gets up and walks out of the office and quietly closes the door behind him.

Tom sits at home watching Ruby play with Ivy. The baby keeps putting a peg in her mouth and Ruby pulls it out.

“Don’t eat that, it’s dirty”

The baby just giggles. Ruby is good with little Ivy, and it gives Ellen some breathing space.

“Don’t you mind looking after the baby?” asks Tom

“No not at all”

“But don’t you work as well? Aren’t you tired when you get home?”

“No it’s all right. I enjoy looking after her. It’s fun”

“What do you do…For work?”

“Oh, I’m a cashier. I work for Harrods”

“Oh very posh” says Tom

Ellen overhears and says “now now Tom. It’s a very good job, with good prospects”

“No no, I know I’m pulling her leg and so on, but it’s good, isn’t it?”

“What Mister Lane?” asks Ruby

“Well, when I went away, there weren’t many jobs for women. Now I’m back, everywhere I go, I find women in the work place”

Ellen isn’t sure if Tom is serious or not but she changes the subject and mentions the butchers.

“What butchers?” asks Tom

“You know, the one that got smashed up”

“Oh yes, the piano”

“That’s the one. Well, they’re still there”

Tom looks slightly puzzled then asks “they didn’t go away?”

“No, they stayed here”

“Don’t people bother them now?”

“No, the crafty so and so’s changed their name. The butchers is called Jones now”