Roddy was on his way to the arcade when he saw her. She was talking animatedly to someone who looked like a tourist, while the cafe owner's dog yapped happily at her feet. He watched her for a couple of seconds before heading on to the arcade to enjoy his weekly Gaming Hour.
An hour later, Roddy passed the cafe again, on his way back home. She was still inside, except now she was, judging by the contemplative look on her face and the pencil in her hand, doing the crossword. He walked backwards a few steps to the door and pushed it open. She looked up as the bell tinkled, and smiled on seeing him. He asked for peppermint tea, and sat in the seat opposite to her's.
Fifteen minutes, and a cup of peppermint tea and a crossword later, she announced that she had to leave, or she'd miss her favourite show (also the only one she watched) on television. Roddy tried not to look completely crestfallen.
"You can have the paper," She said with a small smile.
That was the nth time that she had pulled that little trick on him.
'Video Games? Pshh!' was the title of the article.
Roddy was amused and annoyed at the same time. He was also pretty determined to take revenge. That was why he spent the next few days scouring all the newspapers he could lay his hands on for articles indicating dropping book sales, decreasing interest in books et cetera, et cetera, and then bribing his niece into sticking all the articles that he had found in a scrap book. He spent his free time putting finishing touches on it.
Roderick was extremely pleased with himself.
When she woke up the next day, and dragged herself to the door to get her milk and newspaper, she was surprised to see a scrap book with a bright green cover that said "HAH!" in great, bold letters lying on the steps leading to her house. She picked up the book, bottle and newspaper, leaving the former and latter on the table as she went to make her breakfast - a sunny side up, four toasts and coffee.
Half an hour later, she was sitting at the table, tears in her eyes, almost choking on one of her toasts. Her cat, Skedaddle was giving her a look.
"'Save paper and do it now!'" She giggled. "Oh, Roddy! He really is ridiculous, isn't he, Skedaddle?"
Skedaddle had a smug, feline smile on her grey, feline face because she knew.
She knew Adele was irrevocably in love with him.
An hour later, Roddy passed the cafe again, on his way back home. She was still inside, except now she was, judging by the contemplative look on her face and the pencil in her hand, doing the crossword. He walked backwards a few steps to the door and pushed it open. She looked up as the bell tinkled, and smiled on seeing him. He asked for peppermint tea, and sat in the seat opposite to her's.
Fifteen minutes, and a cup of peppermint tea and a crossword later, she announced that she had to leave, or she'd miss her favourite show (also the only one she watched) on television. Roddy tried not to look completely crestfallen.
"You can have the paper," She said with a small smile.
That was the nth time that she had pulled that little trick on him.
'Video Games? Pshh!' was the title of the article.
Roddy was amused and annoyed at the same time. He was also pretty determined to take revenge. That was why he spent the next few days scouring all the newspapers he could lay his hands on for articles indicating dropping book sales, decreasing interest in books et cetera, et cetera, and then bribing his niece into sticking all the articles that he had found in a scrap book. He spent his free time putting finishing touches on it.
Roderick was extremely pleased with himself.
When she woke up the next day, and dragged herself to the door to get her milk and newspaper, she was surprised to see a scrap book with a bright green cover that said "HAH!" in great, bold letters lying on the steps leading to her house. She picked up the book, bottle and newspaper, leaving the former and latter on the table as she went to make her breakfast - a sunny side up, four toasts and coffee.
Half an hour later, she was sitting at the table, tears in her eyes, almost choking on one of her toasts. Her cat, Skedaddle was giving her a look.
"'Save paper and do it now!'" She giggled. "Oh, Roddy! He really is ridiculous, isn't he, Skedaddle?"
Skedaddle had a smug, feline smile on her grey, feline face because she knew.
She knew Adele was irrevocably in love with him.
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