“£14.49”

I tell him

and he says: discount?

what for? I ask.

discount! he says.

yeah, I say, but on what grounds?

discount! he says. no discount?

you got a voucher? I ask.

no! he says.

gift card?

no!

you a student?

no!

you work for NHS?

no!

you in the army?

no!

you a member of staff?

urgh! he says, his face scrunched up,

he was especially offended by that notion.

no!

then no, I say.

no discount? he asks.

no! I say, no discount!

so he grabs a loaf of bread, squeezes it and says: damaged!

waving the loaf at me. damaged discount! and smiles

and I don’t know if he’s talking about him or me

or the bread, but we’re all discounted already.

so: no.

then he left the shop

which was great

but then another customer came in

which wasn’t so.