O For a Girl Who Wears Sweaters

28 January 1990, Sunday, Glasgow

Painting room¹.

1. Naively, young-Toby has insisted he’ll only take the room he found yesterday if the landlord, Mr S.P., allows him to redecorate it, and pays for paint, etc.

Toby wants to make his top-floor bedsit less grey, more liveable-in over the long term — because he’s not anticipating leaving.

Mr S.P. agrees.

Toby starts work.

During a break, he scribbl…