14
The Six Horseshoes Pub, Cheltenham – The Next Day
‘You’ve lost weight, Derek,’ Eli placed the tray down on the scarred brown wood table with care. He didn’t want to spill his burden of bitter, double whisky, two packets of crisps and a lager shandy.
‘You’ve lost hair,’ Red Cap said reaching for the whisky. He tossed it to the back of his throat with practised pleasure. ‘When did you go for the full monty?’ Red Cap used his fingers to brush back his own lank locks that were streaked with grease and grey.
‘When I couldn’t fake it any more,’ Eli said raising his voice above jeers of the crowd at the other end of the pub. A middle-aged comedian stepped off the makeshift stage and slunk away. The audience’s bloodlust satisfied, the decibel level dropped as the next comedian, a tall dread
