Silver-bronze…that was the beauty of your voice, br deep and rich and flexible, br as you sat yourself down on the bench br in the waiting-room on Kensington High Street Station br almost deserted on a dull afternoon br not long before Christmas br br and spun your almost convincing tale br of the African Union scholarship, was it, br of which the monthly payout was late this month… br br and I watched myself, br hypnotized by that voice which should be singing br Porgy and Bess up there on the stage, br and felt good, dammit, that I was br trusting a stranger to borrow more than I’d given – br let alone lent – any Christmas up to then… br br yes, it felt really good, as if br I’d paid for a lesson in how br to stop thinking of myself as mean, uncharitable – br an hour with a psychotherapist br who knew exactly what to relieve me of… br at about the standard ratebr br Michael Shepherdbr br