I felt like a batsman who sees a slow full-toss sailing through the air.
“It’s the only thing I can get taken,” I said. “I’ve had quite a lot in the Chronicle and occasional bits in other papers.”
He seemed relieved.
“Oh, that’s all right, then,” he said. “You know ‘On Your Way.’ Perhaps you’d care to come in and do that for a bit? It’s only holiday work, but it’ll last five weeks. And if you do it all right I can get you the whole of the holiday work on the column. That comes to a good lot in the year. We’re always taking odd days off. Can you come up at a moment’s notice?”
“Easily,” I said.
“Then, you see, if you did that you would drop into the next vacancy on the column. There’s no saying when one may occur. It’s like the General Election. It may happen tomorrow, or not for years. Still, you’d be on the spot in case.”
“It’s awfully good of you.”
“Not at all. As a matter of fact, I was rather in difficulties about getting a holiday man. I’m off to Scotland the day after tomorrow, and I had to find a sub. Well, then, will you come in on Monday?”
“All right.”
“You’ve had no experience of newspaper work, have you?”