Crazy Joe's Painting

written by © Peter Howard, first published in Envoi 1996?

"Not since...Ha! There's another outside, much bigger.
Every six weeks or so, this mate of mine comes round,
Asks have I done with them yet ... That's his
House I think. He's my guv'nor, right
See you next Tuesday. All sorts of commodities
Going to waste; we disposed of them.
One day I saw them putting in two whole kippers:
"They'll make a good dinner for someone."
But I'm not sure. That's a good one. I'll buy him a drink
and put it to him if you like. What were Thatcher's principal
Objectives. Well if you go into town there're hundreds
and they throw them at you. What's the height of one storey?
Fifteen feet? That'd make the whole building sixty.
Christ. That'll make the phones ring. We'd better go this way."

"No, Joe. That door's locked."