When I saw him getting out of the van on Wednesday it felt a little like that scene in Amelie when she discovers that it’s the technician that keeps leaving the unwanted photos in the passport photo kiosk. As with Amelie it all fell into place. He was Smoker (2) and it turns out that he is the owner or user of the Openreach van that we see parked just beyond what we call the courtyard. I’ve often mused over what he did for a living. He seemed to be at home at lot, certainly when his two little boys get out of school. And there it is. He’s a spy. That’s what we call the Openreach brigade. They park up by the now derelict Tax Office. A clogging of vans, in which they can be seen sitting in the front eating their lunch or snacking on coffee and rolls. Men mostly, though there are some women, their work is a mystery. Hence the spy reference. Perhaps it’s true. Perhaps they listen in to our phone conversations. Who knows. Stranger things have happen. He never gives us eye contact. A self-contained man who I used to attribute unhappiness to. Perhaps I was wrong. I hope so.
