B) 21st June

Woken up about 7.45 by Mum running into the kitchen (which is under
my bedroom) yelling jubilantly "WE GOT ONE!"

Dad replies "One what?"

"A GOAL!!!!!! "Mum's voice gets fainter as she dashes back to the telly
"Micheal Owen!..."

Dad carries on clattering plates out of the sink

Mum wails like a lost soul "Ooh Nooooooooooo"
Sound of Dad dropping watering can in concern "What is it, are you
alright?"
"Beckam's gone off, I think he's hurt!"
"Ah"
Sound of watering can filling up

Later, when I'm in the bathroom, hear heavy tread up the stairs, know
we've lost
"2-1, Brazil"
Come out of the bathroom. Mum is bashing pillows as if they were
Ronaldo "Their defence was too good, we never got a chance"

On the way to drop me off at the supermarket and do her shopping Mum
discusses the game. Neither of us has a clue about the rules, but we
think Beckam's gorgeous and David Seaman has a lovely smile. We argue a
bit about Christoph Henri : I say he has the loveliest smile of anybody
(I hate to be so unpatriotic but preferred the last cup) I say I don't
like Beckam's voice much. Mum says that doesn't matter. She mentions
that Scottish presenter on BBC neither of us can understand at all, on
whose lips we hang avidly (though unfortunately metaphorically) Who
needs to understand the rules?

At work a lorry driver is holding forth at Mike off back door in an
aggressive, whingy voice. "Should've put Sheringham on sooner..." Mark
protests they were the best team in the world, says we did well to get
a goal. Later hear the same man saying the same things to Wayne, Mike's
boss; he too says we played well. Then he says it to Joe, off produce,
and Joe defends us too. It's a strange, happy thing that no one is
complaining, except the lorry driver.

On the shop floor one of our neighbours asks where the green peppers
have moved to, then she asks why it's so busy? I say it's because the
football's finished. "football?" she asks