Page 37 of Love Letters on Hazel Lane

‘Doctor Ras, before we start, I’ve been having some trouble with my ankle this week,’ Sylvia piped up.

A collective groan ran round the room.

‘You know what I’m going to say, don’t you, Sylvia?’

‘Yes, yes, I’ll make an appointment,’ she trilled. Jo heard her mumble to Mr B, ‘Always worth a try.’

‘Everyone, grab yourselves a cup of tea and then we’ll make a start,’ Ras said.

Florence left Jo’s side, seemingly determined to reach the urn first. A queue began to form behind her.

‘Only nine tonight,’ said Ras, sidling over to Jo. ‘Sometimes we get a couple more.’

‘Is there an entry fee?’

‘No, no charge.’

‘Who pays for the hall?’

‘I do. It isn’t much. I’ve done a deal with the vicar.’

‘You must love Scrabble,’ Jo said.

‘I do. But it’s not only about the Scrabble.’

‘Isn’t it?’

‘No, it’s about community. I want to help people who are lonely. A little social contact is surprisingly effective in helping maintain someone’s mental health, and it can even have a positive effect on physical health too. It’s important for people to feel socially embedded.’

Jo followed his gaze as he looked round the hall, at the people greeting each other, chatting and laughing.

‘So, it’s kind of a work thing for you?’

‘Kind of.’ He hesitated for a moment. ‘I don’t know about you, Jo, but we all get lonely sometimes, don’t we?’

Jo was about to admit that she certainly did, when the man in the green jumper thrust a cup of tea into her hand – and one into Ras’s – and said, ‘Who’s this, Ras?’

‘I’m Jo.’ She shook his hand with her empty one. ‘Nice to meet you, Malcolm. It is Malcolm, isn’t it?’

He nodded. ‘Joanna,’ he said. ‘Or Josephine?’

‘Just Jo.’

‘Well, if you ever need to know anything about insurance, I’m your man.’

‘Thanks, Malcolm. I’ll bear that in mind.’

Ras put down his tea and clapped again, and the room fell silent.

‘How shall we do this tonight?’ he said. ‘Three tables of three?’

‘Or you and I could play together,’ said Linda to him, somehow managing to make the words ‘play together’ sound suggestive, ‘and the others could make a four and a three.’

There was a general murmuring of dissent about this idea. Most people, it seemed, wanted to play on Ras’s table.

‘I’ll challenge Sylvia to a two-player game,’ said Malcolm.

‘You’re on,’ said Sylvia.