Children of Albion Rovers. Irvine Welsh

you hear me?’ she said.

      Hilly moved his lips. He didn’t say anything but he moved his lips.

      Martin went through and got Sarah. By the time they returned Hilly seemed less peaceful, more restless, almost groggy. For the first time, he looked to be genuinely ill and everybody seemed pleased.

      Within the half hour, Hilly was sitting up, taking some fluids and responding to the doctor’s questions. He was a bit doped and sluggish but, other than that, there didn’t seem to be anything much wrong with him.

      Hilly took it all in. Yes, he knew who he was. Yes, he remembered what had happened. Yes, he understood that he was in hospital.

      In fact, waking up in hospital didn’t seem to bother Hilly – whereas the sight of Martin and Ray did. ‘I just had this crazy dream about you pair,’ he said. ‘Going on and on. Havering the biggest pile of nonsense I’ve ever heard.’

      Martin and Ray smiled, but it was Sarah who laughed. ‘Then you could maybe introduce us all some time,’ she said.

      Hilly turned his head away. The very thought seemed to cause him nothing but shame.

      It was then that he noticed the Walkman.

      Hilly reached over. He picked up the tapes and the piece of paper.

      ‘Your favourite records,’ said Ray.

      ‘We taped them for you,’ said Martin.

      Hilly seemed chuffed. ‘So this is what brought me round then, eh?’

      Martin and Ray nodded. Although, as they did so, they were thinking to themselves as how it wasn’t the tapes, the music, that had brought Hilly round – no, if anything was responsible, it was them, the sound of their voices. Not that they’d ever dare dream of telling Hilly that, of course. After all, the three friends had an arrangement to keep: they’d only ever meet up on the first Tuesday of the month, and they’d only ever talk about records.