There was such a loud rustle every time that I budged in my seat that the other cinema goers were leaning over to tell me to shush. I couldn’t understand why my jacket would make such a racket until someone suggested that it was perhaps due to its age and state of cleanliness.

I left the screening early to investigate the reasons for my noisy clothing. I discovered that the jacket was so old and dirty that a family of chattering insects had set up home within the purple fleece fabric. I needed to find a washing machine – fast.

BC offered me the facilities in her ramshackle house. Although there was no washing machine to be seen, there were bath tubs of various sizes in just about every room. I was also welcome to make use of the numerous lavatories scattered around the building.