Middle England

for offering me secluded bolt-holes in which to write

tentative gesture of faith in their equivocal, unknowable future

THE ROTTERS’ CLUB

The conversation among the four middle-aged English diners became heated, and then broadened out to include Brexit, Donald Trump, Syria, North Korea, Vladimir Putin, Facebook, immigration, Emmanuel Macron, the 5-Star movement and the contentious result of the Eurovision song contest in 1968

Him and his fucking austerity

Your English is perfect,’ said Claire. ‘It’s just that you gave the most brutal assessment of Benjamin’s life that he’s probably ever heard

And in the meantime, he’s going to have plenty to occupy him

That’s my point exactly. If you can’t even summon the strength to be jealous about it

Culpepper’s composure wavered momentarily when this name was mentioned

He did know a futile gesture when he saw one, after all