Geezers
Some time before the fluorescent strips came on, grey underwater light was slowly brightening the room. The geezers at the far end were already chatting away, dawn chorusing as old boys do. “’Ow are you then?” asked one.
“Terrible,” his mate replied, “I died in the night!” – and they laughed and laughed, and I sniggered and went back to sleep.
The far bed was empty and tightly made up. Geezer Number Two sat by silently looking at the opposite wall. “What happened?” I asked the nearest nurse.
“He died last night.”
“Yeah, he said.”
I don’t think she heard me.
