‘Really?’ She laughed and continued in her thick Irish accent, ‘Not you, Jimmy, you don’t amaze me.’ ‘Is that a compliment or an insult, Sister?’ ‘A compliment if you’re humble and an insult if you’re proud.’ ‘I’ll think about that. Where do you want this box of paper towels?’ She pointed down the harshly lit, institutional green corridor which ran between the staircase and the dining room. ‘Down there, in the cupboard under the stairs.’ They walked to the cupboard. ‘No, it’s Lucy Amhurst who amazes me. It’s not just that she gives her time in helping out here, it’s that she’s so good with the clients. She has no training or background in care or social work, yet she seems to know just what to say and do for them.’ ‘It’s a knack, some people have it.’ ‘It’s a gift. Here, I’ll open the door. Put them on that shelf.’ Jimmy put the box on a shelf and closed the cupboard door. ‘What now?’ ‘The toilets.’ ‘Again!’ ‘Sorry, but let those toilets go for a minute and we’d need to divert the Thames to get them clean again.’ Jimmy moved away to collect the necessary equipment.
