‘Awhat?’
‘Tree person,’ he said hurriedly. ‘Trees. I’m a student of trees.’
‘Oh,’ she said. Then she thought about it. ‘You’d have liked our book about sublime landscapes.’
‘I would like that!’ he said.
‘Ah. We don’t have it.’
‘And the other one … ?’
‘Okay, well, let me order it for you,’ she said. There wasn’t a computer in the shop, and she had to call the wholesalers on her phone – really embarrassing – so she kept a book for orders. As she wrote down the details, he picked up a book near the till. It was an illustrated edition ofA Christmas CarolRamsay had sent over on – kindly – a sale or return basis, with paintings by Arthur Rackham.
‘Wow,’ he breathed.
‘I know,’ said Carmen. ‘Isn’t it awesome?’
‘I love his woods … his trees.’
‘I suppose you would.’
He grinned.
‘I suppose I would too.’
‘Would you like it?’ said Carmen. He lifted his hands off instantly.
‘Oh. No. I’m … thank you. It’s all right.’
But his eyes still followed it regretfully.
‘Sure. Can I take your number?’
He looked at her. His eyes were very green indeed, she noticed. How unusual. She wondered where he was from.
‘Um.’ He seemed awkward.
‘For the order,’ she said briskly, annoyed with herself because she knew she was colouring. ‘So we can tell you when it’s in … ’
‘Of course, of course. Sorry,’ he said. ‘Oke.’
‘Okay?’ she said.
‘No, I mean, Oke. That’s my name. O-K-E. Well, it’s short for … ’
He stopped himself.
‘What?’ said Carmen.
‘It really doesn’t matter,’ he said.
‘Ooh,’ said Carmen. ‘Okehampton?’
‘Um, I don’t know what that is.’
‘Ocarina? Hang on,Idon’t know what that is.’
They smiled at each other, but he remained tight-lipped and so Carmen wrote ‘Oke’ down alongside a number that started +55.
