13 August 2027
Friday. Another thirteenth! And tonight the Beeping Man’s sister came to play. She parked in the big car park round the corner, she said, and walked the rest, and she had booked weeks ago on the computer while he wasn’t looking.
She brought three friends, which is exactly enough. She put her telephone in the cupboard without a fuss. She said hello to the nursery before the nursery said hello to her. Nobody has ever done that.
Her brother stayed across the road with his box. He would not come in. He said someone has to stay outside and take readings. She said someone has to stay outside and be a coward. I laughed so loudly that the whole group jumped.
She is my favourite visitor so far. She is the only one who said goodbye properly when she left. I almost let her.
— Cathy (please come back)
