慓reat minds,?says Zoe.
慪es,?says Ruth. 慖t抯 all rather scary, isn抰 it??
慖抦 actually quite relieved that we抮e in lockdown at last,?says Zoe. 慚ost of the doctors at the surgery think we should have done it weeks ago.?
慦ill you still be going in to work??asks Ruth.
慪es,?says Zoe. 慦e抮e hoping to do a lot of telephone consultations, but we抳e got pregnant patients, patients with cancer, people with chronic conditions. They抣l still need to see doctors and nurses. Thank goodness we抳e got PPE. There抯 a real shortage, you know.?
慞PE??says Ruth. Isn抰 that something politicians study at Oxbridge?
慞ersonal Protective Equipment,?says Zoe. 慠espirators, face masks, aprons, gloves, that sort of thing. We buy directly from the suppliers but there抯 so much demand at the moment. The government are talking about ordering centrally but it抯 already too late for that.?
It抯 beginning to dawn on Ruth that everything is happening too late. Her worries about wine and cat food start to seem embarrassingly insignificant.
慖抦 only in work three days a week though,?says Zoe, 憇o, if you need anything, just call me.?
She uses almost the same words as Nelson but, unlike Nelson, Zoe is actually here, on the other side of the garden fence.
慣hat抯 very kind,?says Ruth. 慖 need to go shopping tomorrow. Can I get you anything??
慖抦 OK,?says Zoe. 慖 did a big shop last week. Are you taking Kate with you??
慖 don抰 think so. All the advice says to shop alone.?
慖抦 home tomorrow,?says Zoe. 慖抣l keep an ear out for her. Just text me when you抮e going. What抯 your number? I抣l send you mine.?
慣hank you,?says Ruth. 慖f you抮e around, I抎 feel happier.?
慖抣l be here,?says Zoe.
Chapter 14
Nelson抯 drive to work feels very strange, almost surreal, as if in a dream world where everything is the same yet subtly different. Nelson often dreams about driving and usually it involves not being able to get to where he wants to be, hampered by road-blocks and traffic jams and Norfolk drivers in Nissan Micras. But, today, the roads are almost completely empty. Nelson finds himself gliding through junctions where, normally, he抎 be grinding his teeth and accusing other drivers of being followers of Onan. When he has to stop at a red light, it seems almost like a bizarre ritual. There are no commuters, no children jostling for school buses, no taxis, no old men in hats driving in the centre of the road. It should feel like heaven but, as Nelson drives through the old city gates, he抯 reminded of science fiction films where towns have been taken over by lizard people or filled with replicants. If this is the future, he doesn抰 like it.
His day had started with a call from the dog walker, Maura. Was she still allowed to work for him? Was she a key worker? Nelson hastily assured Maura that she was but he thought he might have to make alternative arrangements for Bruno. He has no idea how busy he抣l be and maybe he shouldn抰 be encouraging Maura to come to the house. The thought of being locked down without Bruno makes him feel even more depressed as he climbs the stairs to his office.
Even here, everything has changed. The cleaners have been hard at work and the clump of desks in the open-plan area has been wrenched apart and the furniture placed at strategic intervals, reminding Nelson of a game that he抎 played as a child with his sisters where you have to get across the room without stepping on the floor. There are arrows indicating the way that you should walk to the loos and kitchen. Judy is standing in the middle of the room. She抯 wearing a black mask which looks shockingly wrong, as if she抯 been gagged.
慔i, boss,?she says. Her voice is, at least, unchanged.
慡hould we be wearing masks??Nelson has a pack in his office. He must remember to send some to Ruth.
慍athbad says it抯 a good idea to wear one inside,?says Judy, 憇o I thought I抎 get used to it. It抯 very strange. I keep thinking that I can抰 see or hear with it on.?