Problems, Problems

"Five of us on the panel," said Bernie. "Albert for age. Me for class and the women's side. Darek for the new arrivals. Mrs Sandhu for the faith forum. Wren for the university. Marian called us the people who aren't problems yet."

She poured you tea you hadn't asked for. "She came in at half past six yesterday, nervous as a cat. She'd moved the cabinet consultation from six in the evening to the afternoon, because half the women who clean this city can't do six o'clock; they're at somebody else's tea table. She said tonight she was meeting someone at the quay. A man who needs to see it with his own eyes, she said." Bernie put the kettle down. "I told her not to go alone. She said she wouldn't be alone, and the man was nothing if not punctual."