The man with a van was familiar with Bonnington Square.
'I tried to squat here in the 1980s, but all the squatters were Australians and they didn't give me a chance'. He lives in Stretham, in a 3 bedroom victorian terrace, renting the other rooms to pay the mortgage. That's how it works in London: if you can't beat the landlords, you join them.

He didn't really help much 'I'm a bit frail this morning' he said on the phone. Probably the hangover from Saturday night.
On the way to Brixton he told us of his plans to have a fleet of yellow vans, one in each borough of London, each one with the number and website printed on the side. 'But I've never done anything about it. I just have my card in a couple of sweet shops'.
I saw your ad in the Brixton wholefoods, I said.
Ah yeah, he said, you look like the Wholefoods types. Well you join the list of my illustrious Wholefoods clients. The last one was the guitarist from Faithless.

He drove into the Mansions courtyard, and helped us get the stuff into the flat. 'Not much light in there eh... You're going to have to stay most of your time out of the flat... we'll be seeing you in Brockwell Park!'
We will indeed.

* * *

I'm talking with my brother on the phone. I can hear my mom in the background 'how many rooms have they got there?'
Me: a bedroom, a hall, a kitchen and a toilet.
My brother, to my mom: Four. they've got four rooms.