"Robert Rankin - Sex, Drugs & Sausage Rolls" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rankin Robert)

The offices of theBrentford Mercury were just as Soap remembered them. Worn at heel and down
upon the uppers. At ground level the Electric Alhambra, BrentfordтАЩs only cinema, its doors long closed to
an indifferent public, slept in the sunlight. Peely paint and crumbling brickwork, rubbish strewn upon its
mosaic entrance. And above, behind the unwashed window-panes, the boroughтАЩs organ.

Soap squared his shoulders and made up the cast-iron fire escape. The door at the top lacked a sign,
but Soap gave it a knock.

The door swung in and so did Soap.

The place was a bit of a mess. Packing crates and cardboard boxes filled the outer office. Soap did the
old тАШCooeeтАЩ and тАШShop?тАЩ

тАШHang about, hang about,тАЩ called a voice. тАШIтАЩm all in a tangle here.тАЩ

Soap steered his sturdy boots between the towers of boxes, bits and bobs and came upon a woman
who was worrying at wires. She had many wires to worry at and wires they were of many different
colours.

тАШWhy are you worrying at those wires?тАЩ asked Mr Distant.

тАШWeтАЩre going on the Web,тАЩ said the woman, and there was pride in her voice as she uttered these
words. тАШWeтАЩll soon have our own Homepage.тАЩ

тАШYour words are strange to me, dear lady,тАЩ said Soap in a suave and silken tone. тАШBut I have every
reason to believe that you know what youтАЩre on about.тАЩ

тАШYeah, but I donтАЩt know what goes where,тАЩ she said, and she looked up at Soap. тАШOh my Gawd!тАЩ

тАШSoap DistantтАЩs the name.тАЩ Soap removed his hat and goggles.

тАШOooh, your тАШair,тАЩ went the woman.

тАШMy apologies for my appearance. I have been many years below.тАЩ Soap got some serious timbre into
that final word:below, It was a belter of a word,below. One of his all-time favourites.

тАШBelow?тАЩ said the woman.

тАШBeloooooooooh,тАЩ repeated Soap. тАШI would present you with my card, but at present I do not possess
one. I thought I would wait until after my knighthood before I had any printed.тАЩ
тАШKnighthood?тАЩ said the woman. Loony, she thought. Soap smiled and nodded and bowed a little too.
SheтАЩs a fine-looking woman, he thought, and itтАЩs clear that sheтАЩs taken with me.

тАШThe doorтАЩs that way,тАЩ said the fine-looking woman, pointing with a fine-looking hand. тАШDonтАЩt forget to
close it on your way out.тАЩ

тАШI am expected,тАЩ said Soap. тАШI have a three oтАЩclock appointment with the editor.тАЩ

тАШAh, youтАЩve come about the job.тАЩ