Page 45 of The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels
OM:Yeah, she got to be editor right when the paper went online. Talks like she works for CNN – spends all day trawling Twitter for rubberneckers’ snaps of police cordons. Doesn’t even produce a printed paper any more—
AB:Still, we had training—
OM:[He bursts out laughing. EC] They tried to recreate the old apprenticeship schemes. The industry had moved on even then.Utterly pointless, and I knew it at the time.
AB:That isnotwhy you have bad memories. Oh my God, you’re gaslighting yourself.Youcouldn’t bear to be somewhere everyone else was more talented than you. For the first time in yourlifeyou had to work. But even when you did, you werestillrunning to catch up. And especially with me. I’m notfocused. I can see therealyou. That’s why I annoy you, even now—
OM:That is such a load of—
AB:Your response was to put me down. Make me look stupid whenever and however you could—
OM:You’re talking shit. As ever. That isnothow it was …
AB:I was younger than you, I was less educated,un-educated in fact, and I wasdifferent—
OM:Yeah! You smelled of vinegar!
AB:What the fuck?
OM:From thechipon your shoulder! [Mand, you’re both hammered. I’m embarrassed listening to it. EC]
AB:You have no idea … That scheme was thebestthing that ever happened to me. It changed my life. [OMG, Mand, you’re getting really upset. It’s horrible. EC]
OM:And I couldn’t care less! It wasyearsago – get over it!
AB:You couldn’t handle it, so you—
OM:Bollocks—
AB:And that’s why you—
UV:[Unknown voice. EC] Can you keep it down please? There’s people trying to talk at other tables.
AB:Sorry.
OM:Very sorry. [He whispers. EC] At least I finished the course. You bottled it.
AB:[You whisper. EC] I wasforcedto leave!
OM:Whatever you tell yourself now, you couldn’t hack it. Simple.
AB:Are you fucking serious? You genuinely do not remember?
OM:No, I don’t. [Sounds genuine. He really doesn’t. EC]
AB:Nothing plays on your mind from that time? Nothing you might have done?
OM:No.
AB:OK, fine. Fine. You’re right. It’s in the past. [Long contemplative silence. EC]
OM:Look, what’s gone is gone. I want us to work together. I don’t want to fall out.
AB:Nor do I … but you … [You’re both tearful now. Never play this to anyone, Mand. EC]
AB:I just wish you hadn’t … things could’ve been different … we could’ve been different.
OM:Twenty years ago. Get over it.
