His name was Desmond Whitely and he was tall, slim, and very handsome, with straight, white-blond hair and dazzling blue eyes. He came to see Mam every Friday on his way home from work. Mam called him ‘Des’ and used to cry when he left. Des was better dressed than all the other men Ernest knew. He wore a suit and a collar and tie. The suit had frayed cuffs and his well-polished shoes were worn down at the heels, but he still looked dead posh. The first finger of his right hand had a dark blue stain that Mam said was ink. ‘He’s a bookkeeper,’ she said proudly. Des always came with a little gift for Ernest: a magic painting book, a drawing pad, a box of crayons, a wind-up toy. He would give Mam money before he said tara, always using exactly the same words, ‘I only wish it were more, Peggy, but I’ve got three more mouths to feed.’ ‘It’s all right, Des,’ Mam would say. ‘I know you do your best.’ Every now and then, Des would turn up with a paper bag that contained clothes for Ernest.
What do You think about The Old House On The Corner?
