CREATIVE Tony Bianchi

NWR Issue 96

Eric 'n' Ernie

‘What d’you think of it so far?’ Asks the little one with the hairy legs. ‘Rubbish!’ says the other.

My father’s sitting with his back to the window. His legs are stretched out in front of him, the left foot resting on the right. He is in fact more lying than sitting, and his body fills the chair. From here he can watch the television without turning his head; he can see me, too, with only the slightest shift of his eyes.

‘Absolute rubbish!’ says the tall one with the spectacles.

‘Ha!’

Dad laughs. A little cough of a laugh. He rearranges his legs, rests the right foot on the left, gives his nose a rub with the knuckle of his index finger. This is his favourite programme and he is in a good mood. ‘Ha!’ He folds his hands across his belly, across his grey cardigan.

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