Chapter 24
On the main road through the village, at the little ‘ABC’ shop, Nicks stood enjoying the sunshine whilst he drank his beer and listened to the conversations.
Terézia, the owner, stood in the doorway, feeding biscuits to BooBoo the one-eyed black Labrador with a penchant for chasing cars. Not every car, just some. Nicks was trying to work out the dog’s logic. It’d kept him occupied for quite a while and he was still none the wiser though he was hopeful BooBoo would let him in on the secret one day.
Big Feri and Little Feri, the two builders, discussed the best types of plaster. Immy, the ex-Securitate man, didn’t want to talk about that life anymore but a few more beers and he’d regale them with the time he’d been demoted after being found by a senior officer loudly ‘interrogating’ a suspect whilst banging the table, slapping his hands together and repeatedly howling in mock pain in total contravention of all the rules on violent encounters.
Mihai, the gentle giant, newly dismounted from his bike, shared the peaches he’d been given after a hard day’s work in the orchards and Radu, the car salesman, was still intent on selling Nicks a car he didn’t need. Perhaps a four by four? No, ok, what about a white one?
He loved this place; Romania, the village, the ABC, the beer and the new house he and Anca had bought, on the hill with its little garden and beautiful views.
He stepped inside and bought another beer then returned to the sunshine. His mobile buzzed. Smiling, he casually pulled the phone from his pocket.