Chapter 38: letter to Carmella

Dear Carmella,

Thank you for your letter. I’m sorry I didn’t get to see you on the day you left.

I hope you got home okay and your family are well.

Things are much the same here: work is the same, still bananas and apples every day. A woman collapsed next to the bananas today, and an ambulance came and took her away. It was scary. The woman shuddered and twitched as she lay there, it shook the whole display.

Ian has a girlfriend. Her name is Nina. She is nice, she makes nice food; lots of potatoes, though. They both love potatoes. I don’t mind them now, especially when Nina cooks them. The house is full with three of us there, but I don’t mind that.

I think about that last day too, in the pub. I’m sorry I drank so much, I felt nervous. You seemed withdrawn, like you were already on the plane home. I didn’t know what to say, so I kept drinking. I haven’t drunk much since that night.

I hope you are well, and the monkeys aren’t too noisy in the evening.

Yours sincerely,

_____