On my way to kill myself one hot day in July 1991, I stopped to fill up with the petrol necessary to see the job through. An old woman with heavy shopping bags was trying to cross the road. She was staggering and in danger of being run down. I offered help. She asked me to call a taxi to take her home. There was no phone so I offered to take her myself. With difficulty I got her into the car. She put the hosepipe on her lap. Half a mile up the road she said: 'The shops were so crowded, but then there's only four days to go. Still, I've got all my shopping done now.'

LRB 23 August 2001 | PDF Download