Maybe a cat… They’ll sleep on whatever. It’s pretty much a mattress on the floor. More specifically, it’s a thin futon mattress on a couple ...f disused forklift palates, presumably there to promote airflow, and to prevent mold and pests. Seems like a pretty good barometer of how ramshackle things are around here, but at least someone thought to put it on the palates. Last night we used our clothes as pillows, and used each other when we got cold.“...You leaving?” my companion asks me, her. ‘It’s O.K., Captain, it really is. Everything’s going to be fine.’ The she tightened the tourniquet on my thigh, strapped me to a stretcher and stabbed me full of morphine to stop my screams. I came to, standing in front of my pale, horrified wife, then turned and hopped to the bathroom. I dove for the toilet, put my face in the bowl and threw up and threw up . . . and threw up. ‘Denny! Denny, what’s wrong?’ Olivia looked down at me in panic. ‘Denny, what’s happening?’ ‘Fuh . . . fuh . . . fuh. Terry thought for a minute then mucked his cards, “Fold.”That left just Matthew who stared at my dad for a good two minutes before he acted.“All in,” Matthew said.“Call,” Dad said instantly, showing his cards.“Shit!” Matthew swore, showing a pair of fives. “You called pre-flop with Q high? And raised with two pair?”“Yes,” Dad replied, raking in the chips.He had slightly more chips than Matthew, so that knocked Matthew out of the game.“I had you all the way,” I said. “AK, but that Q on the River. On top of all that he was just about the best damned nurseryman in the Southern Counties. Maggie and I got our coats and went out to the yard, still laughing. By the time the builders were organised and ready to work, it was past eight and getting light, Mikey, the remaining student part timer had arrived and we were ready to open for business. Emma had made everybody teas and coffees and volunteered to look after the shop for a couple of hours and although there was a lot for the staff to do.