It was late on a Friday afternoon, and Henry rather hoped that Bill was calling to suggest a round of golf on Saturday morning, or perhaps with an invitation to join him and his wife Sue for lunch on Sunday. But the moment he heard the voice on the other end of the line, he knew the call was of an official nature. ‘When you come to check the High Commission’s account on Monday, you’ll find you’ve been credited with a larger sum than usual.’ ‘Any particular reason?’ responded Henry, in his most formal tone. ‘Quite simple really, old chap,’ replied the bank manager. ‘The exchange rate moved in your favour overnight. Always does when there’s a rumour of a coup,’ he added matter-of-factly. ‘Feel free to call me on Monday if you have any queries.’ Henry wondered about asking Bill if he felt like a round of golf tomorrow, but thought better of it. It was Henry’s first experience of a rumoured coup, and the exchange rate wasn’t the only thing to have a bad weekend.
What do You think about The New Collected Short Stories?
