Jack Brewis

Fava Beans

Tonight's soup with crusty bread, as on Saturday, but tonight with Fava Beans from Frank's. An overflowing window-box when I arrived, poor Mrs Rodriguez and her watering can hand, trembling, water splashing on khaki trousers collected at two from Penguin the dry cleaner, a quick bite before the show, 'War Horse' in a West End theatre, a tin of beans on a dusty shelf reminding me of my mother, the night they took my uncle away.

ward twenty-seven
just after intensive care
the all night vigil