She heard the voice on the other end and put the phone down.
"Wrong number. Let’s have that cup of tea. Are you ready for a doughnut?"
"Is the Pope Catholic?" Vi slapped her ample hips and laughed.
"Oh, if only I could fit into some of these clothes. Won’t you take a look at what’s just come in? It’s such good quality! Just right for you...slip of a thing."
Vi held up a business woman’s suit in one hand and a spotted silk blouse in the other.
"I mean, they’re perfect. Go on, try them on. It’s got one of those label thingys, designer."
"Oh, I don’t know. I’ve had so much since working here. John’s beginning to think I’ve met a sugar daddy."
"Takes one to know one."
"He can’t believe the stuff people throw away."
"Folk are just passing it on. It’s not the same as throwing it out."
"I’ll try them on later, when we’re finished."

While she was making the tea, Joan heard the phone again.
"I think there must be a problem. When you pick it up to say hello, there’s no connection." Vi tells her.
"Best take it off the hook then."
It rings again. Vi has a mouthful of doughnut and signals for Joan to answer. She lifts the receiver.
"Can I help you?...Oh! Hello John…I know...There’s been a fault on the line...All day...Yes, it’s working fine again now...Four. I finish at four, the usual. Vi wants me to try some things on but I’ll do it before then...Yes, I know, but...Okay...Fine. I’ll be out sharp...Bye."
"It’s working then?"
"No problem."

Joan takes her teabreak into the shop.
"For goodness sake, sit down, there’s nobody there!" Vi calls after her.
"We shouldn’t leave the shop empty, especially at this time of day."

Just then a group of schoolkids runs past jeering and laughing. A plastic bottle hits the glass shopfront, bouncing off onto the pavement outside. Joan lets out an involuntary scream, upsetting her cup and saucer, dropping everything. China shatters. Vi is there with a cloth, mopping spilt tea and picking up pieces of cup, salvaging doughnut, the only thing intact.