Not one of the boys like me. I’ve put their noses out of joint.”“Well, they were never good-looking lads.

Mary, we met in a pub. As you weren’t banging a tambourine, I understand you weren’t selling the word of God.

I don’t know what came over me.”Charlie smiled. He drew her to him and kissed her. “Me,” he said.

I don’t know what came over me.” Charlie smiled. He drew her to him and kissed her. “Me,” he said.

She fell on the bread and cheese as if she were a lioness. Did lions eat cheese? He didn’t know. He knew Mrs Prater’s kitten ate cheese. He ate anything. Poor bloody animal. Still, he was a slum cat, no reason why his life should be better than a humans' sad ruddy existence.

Pye turned his paw over and chewed his claws. “Humph. What you think of me is none of my business.”“You don’t know, do you?”“Know more than you . . . Know what?”“You are dead.”Pye patted his paws. “No, I’m not.” He rolled on his back and stretched, enjoying the warmth of the fire.“I’ve been here since 1665.”Pye chuckled. “You are, if I may so, in remarkably good condition.” Apart from the hole in your head, missing tail, and pulmonic plague cough.“I’ve seen them come. Seen them go. Seem them hang around in limbo. That’s what it’s called when beings don’t leave this Earth.”“Purgatory!”“I am responsible for many deaths,” Rita said.“You!?”“They couldn’t build the graves fast enough to bury the bodies.”“I don’t understand how a mere stump-tailed fur ball could endanger life.”“If I were you I'd think that.” A silence followed before Rita said, “I did not work alone.”“Oh?

Jim slept deeply, lulled by the rhythmic rumble of the purring Pye.

Grown tall, like a ruddy weed, on his food.

Writing is like knitting. Stitch after stitch, word by word, and before you know it you have a book ... or a jumper!

That’s the difference between them and us. ‘Them’ view foxes as vermin, and ‘us’ identify with the fox.

The hall erupted into punches, blows, and kicks. The dancing ended but the band played on. The older men escorted the women from the premises and so ended a bloody-good night.