Another excerpt from my unpublished novel "The Mummy and Daddy Christmas Present Fund"
Tuesday 9th November 1971
John came into the office to find a note from
Lynda on his desk: “Mr Parfitt would like to see when you come in.”
So A.J.F. was already up and prowling. John
removed his coat and hung it up on the coat-stand. Well A.J.F. wasn’t going to
make him jump through a hoop like a tiger at the circus. It was raining and the
tube up to Mayfair had been packed. And the train up to Cannon Street had been
packed as well. John sat down at his desk, and checked his calendar. There was
just one phone call he had to make, and it would be sufficient if he called
this afternoon. And Lynda had also left the usual file containing the typed-up
letters awaiting his signature. Normally, this would be a casual day. He hoped
A.J.F. would have coffee served, if it were to be a serious meeting. But
probably it wouldn’t.
He waited exactly 10 minutes and then called
A.J.F.’s extension.
“Parfitt,” A.J.F.’s clipped voice answered.
“Oh good morning, A.J.F., it’s John Osborne
here. You left a message for me?”
“John. Could you come up to my office straight
away? There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
Oh. Someone he’d like him to meet. Really. Who
might that be then.
John took the stairs to the 4th
floor. He made the formal knock on A.J.F.’s door and entered almost
immediately, only just overlapping A.J.F.’s confirmation of “Come.”
