Ginger was notorious among his mates for the gloomy view he took of life. No one had ever discovered his enthusiasm for anything. If he went to a football match and the team he favored were beaten, it was no more than he expected; if they were victorious his comment would be that they ought to have scored more goals. If the horse he backed won, he blamed fate because his stake was so small. The more beer he absorbed the more misanthropic he seemed to become.