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– What about her parents?
– both dead by then
Maggie, that was my sister – half-sister, really
but we always treated each other like brother & sister
she went first, when Annie was still at school
her Dad looked after her after that
& I guess he did his best, but it wasn’t the same
Mickey, Michael going off like that almost did for him
though it was the cancer that got him
after that Annie was on her own
but maybe I’m putting you off with all this family talk
are you & her …?
– just friends
how else could one put it?
she found me on the beach this morning
I’ve lost my memory, & maybe I reminded her of her brother
though she didn’t mention that
in fact I didn’t know anything about her until now?
– are you staying here, then?
sorry to be such a nosey parker
but there’s lots of things round here that need fixing up
I’ve been meaning to come down myself & do some repairs
but if you’re here
you’ll be wanting to help out?

– I’m not really sure
I just arrived today
– but you’ll be here a while?
a couple of days, anyway?
– I guess so
Annie, the house, now Bob
seems enough to cope with
now he’s faced with the prospect of finding his way back to town
whatever that town might be
finding his street, his school, his life
& with it, no doubt, his name