The Complaints

“[About a tiresome colleague]: He could bore for Scotland.”

“This was the winter of 2008/9. Work was ongoing to reinstate a tram system in the city. A lot of people couldn’t see the point of trams and many more disliked the disruption. Streets were closed off. There was almost a sense of ‘apartheid’ as the roadworks made it difficult to move from New Town to Old Town and vice versa. Added to which, the weather was fairly grim. And the banks looked ready to implode.”

“The man nodded and brought a bottle from the glass-fronted fridge,”

“We’ve piled his plate high with shit,” Fox conceded. “And not even tied a bib around his neck,” Kaye added. “Is your afternoon grilling to be courtesy of a woman called Stoddart?”

“People just come and do things around him, making decisions for him - same as politicians and even our bosses do for us. They're the ones who run our lives. Adverts tell us what to buy, government tells us how to live, technology tells us when we have done something wrong.and coffees arrived 'on the house'"no we will pay for them""You're rubbish at this game, Foxy. I have been lying to my wife since the morning after the honeymoon...""what was the lie?""I told her she was really something in the sack...""I don't think so you introduced yourself...""I gave my card to your daughter," Fox answered."My...?" Realization dawned on Wishaw. "That was my wife""Then you should be ashamed," Fox said, deciding this was as good a parting shot as any.If walls have ears, then windows definitely have eyes.:this was family. That explained a lot. Where family was involved, the normal rules did not apply.”

“Fox picked up the cup and blew across its surface. He knew it was going to be the cheapest brand of powdered instant; knew the cup wasn’t as clean as it could be. But he would remember the smell and the taste and the pattern on the saucer for the rest of his life.”