The youngest asked whether I could check the collar of his shirt before he went out to ask about work. He had ironed it himself but the back was folded wrongly. I straightened it and began to tell him who he should speak to, as usual, then he said he knew already. His voice was not rude, only tired. E pain me small because he was dressed so carefully for something that might give him no answer again. I told him the shirt was fine and gave him transport money without making another speech. When he returned he greeted us normally and went to his room. I wanted to follow with questions. My wife shook her head, so I waited until food was ready.

After Sunday rice I fell asleep with the radio beside me and woke with one arm feeling as if it belonged to somebody else. My wife said I had been lying on it since the programme started. I moved my fingers slowly until the tingling passed, then stayed in the chair because there was no fourth floor waiting for me. During the week I am always getting up before I have finished sitting down. Today my knees were quiet and my stomach was full, perhaps too full because my wife had warned me about the second serving. Fuji came on and I kept the rhythm with my good hand. She asked whether I intended to rest or conduct the musicians. Both, madam.

My grandson in Manchester asked what I do in the building before everybody comes. I said cleaning, then began naming rooms, but he wanted to know how I enter if the doors are locked. The keys were the interesting part for him. I showed him the bunch on the video call and he counted badly because I kept moving them. It made me think how many different doors I open without looking at the labels now. Some people have left and their office still comes into my head by the old name. I nearly told him all that, but he was already asking whether I have a key to a secret room. Thirty-four years and the company has still not provided me with one.