Seeing An Old Schoolfriend In The Street

The two had been drawing attention from passers-by outside; hence M. had insisted that Tooley follow him into here. Scarcely stopping himself from throwing the man on the floor (despite the risk of intervention from the other café customers) M. rounded on him fiercely.

"Now just you stand there and listen, you; for once in your life. It's the very first time, I'll warrant. Yes. For once in your life you stand there and take your criticism. Why, you can't go on getting away with this sort of thing all your life - of course no doubt you don't see it that way at all, do you . . ."

Tooley's mouth began to tighten into a snarl of affront; but M. saw it, firmed up his grip on Tooley's shoulder, shook him two or three times calling out "you would, would you; just you try - see what a bouncing I'm capable of giving you, my lad" (this despite the two of them being the same age) and instantly the man's resistance evaporated to nothing.

M. continued. "Collaring me like that in the street, as if you were the aggrieved one. No, that's really too much! You press yourself against me, with your fawning insinuating manner, befouling me with your slobber, all in order to see what you can get from me - yes, I'm on to you all right; you can stand there agape like that, it won't wash, I assure you. Next, behind my back, you whisper to your cronies (like I saw you do) giggling like mannerless children; then, to add to my loss of face, you ignore me until no doubt you next want me to treat you and these cronies to another drink at the bar, when you will (I'm sure of it) reach right in my pocket and help yourself, probably without even looking up at the side of my face . . ."

Here Tooley began to protest, but M. flung his arm at him, sending him scuttling to the further side of the room. "That's why, after spending just a little time thinking things over, I marched right back to sort you out my boy. No, it's really too much, I repeat. Why, what sort of a way to greet a former schoolfriend is that, I want to know? Perhaps we never actually spoke to one another in those former days, but we certainly recognised one another and thus we have a history together. Are there no politenesses due a fellow pupil, after all this time? Even a few - no matter how insincere - would have helped . . ."

Even before M. had finished his complaint, Tooley began to flatter him - M. was more sensitive than the people he's used to, and that is a good thing (no doubt about it) but he must make allowances for Tooley's familiarity; and Ok perhaps it is true to a little extent that Tooley has got into bad habits, who can tell? 

M. shrugged him away again. "All right, enough of that animal cunning of yours. You certainly know how to sweeten a man up, don't you! Still, you have managed to draw out the sting a little, and that's to your credit, I admit. Now look, I don't want us to part enemies; I could get to tolerate you I think (at this point Tooley smiled) though obviously you are not of my kind. You haven't even asked me why I'm back in this old school town of ours - and the fact is I'm in a bit of trouble . . ." Tooley came in closer. He thought as much. Why, it was written all over M.'s face . . .  .

Ten minutes later, both of them wary of the other, left the premises one after the other and ducking off in different directions.