The Fall and Rise of Gordon Coppinger. David Nobbs

       For Briget, Mark and Max

      Table of Contents

       Title Page

       Dedication

So it had come to this

The suspicions that would overwhelm him

It was going to be one of those days

‘I really have shocked myself’

Can we be absolutely certain that they can’t lip-read?

We never said a word about Jack

The evening ended, as it had begun, in silence

A great deal nearer than the Solway Firth

Those insidious doubts

Perhaps we have intruded enough

Staring at himself with astonishment

Not such a useless lump of a nun after all

       ‘Shame’

       His night’s work is done

       A serious mistake

       ‘A perfect memento’

       That didn’t make Sir Gordon happy at all

       It began to rain

       A great deal of pain

       He was gone

       He might yet be able to save his fortune

       ‘Siobhan,’ said Sir Gordon, ‘you’re a genius.’

       Flat, flat, flat

       Back into the real world

       An opportunity had been lost

       He would need a long, hot bath

       There was no chance

       It’s wasted already

       She is even more astonished

       ‘I do not listen to your calls. Ever.’

       And felt an answering squeeze

       What hope is there?

       I hope we haven’t

       Beyond Gravesend

       Fred Upson went pale

       What the letters SFN actually stood for

       He rather liked bees

       A thing that they had never done before

       ‘I can’t afford to get rid of him’

       ‘Decision time’

       A magic moment

       He didn’t think that problem would be any easier

       Suddenly he was very sober

       The Great Fire of Stoke

       ‘I’m so sorry’

       ‘For Jack’

       A plan was beginning to take shape

       He was fibrillating wildly

       It has no future either

       And went to bed

       The message from his wife

       ‘Grief makes you very hungry’

       No respecter of wealth

       Scrambled eggs are his favourite

       Acknowledgements