黑洞社区

Election fever is mounting, but there鈥檚 only one battle taxing minds in this corner of west London: Ken vs Boris for mayor.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think Boris has a chance,鈥� says Mark.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 think he鈥檚 got any policies,鈥� says Katharine. 鈥淚鈥檓 for Ken, myself.鈥�

The newt-fancier may have done wonders for the capital, but it was winning the Olympics that will get him re-elected, according to the group from Hunter & Partners.

A friend of Mark鈥檚 was with Livingstone when he was told about the bombs on 7/7. 鈥淗e made that great speech,鈥� he recalls, 鈥渂ut apparently he went straight out into a lift, and burst into tears. Cried his eyes out.

I can鈥檛 see Boris doing that.鈥�

No, Johnson is more the stiff- upper-lip type. From him, we move to a discussion of Alastair Campbell, the former spin king.

鈥淚 saw his diaries on television,鈥� says Sally. 鈥淚t was rather addictive, actually.鈥�

鈥淢y wife鈥檚 friends find him sexy,鈥� says Mark, with something like disgust. But not his wife? 鈥淚 hope not. Not that she鈥檚 ever told me!鈥�

It turns out that Mark and Paul are both doing up their houses. They commiserate with each other on the perils of DIY.

鈥淚t just never ends,鈥� moans Paul. 鈥淛ust when you think it鈥檚 finished, along comes another thing to do.鈥�

鈥淎nd when you鈥檙e an architect,鈥� chips in Mark, 鈥渆veryone expects your house to look amazing.鈥�

Isn鈥檛 that fair enough?

鈥淣o,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen architects鈥� houses that would make you weep. Tat everywhere.鈥�

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 go to an accountant鈥檚 house,鈥� adds Paul, 鈥渁nd expect everything to be frugal.鈥�

As a blast of music wafts across the river, the group reveal the first records they ever bought.

Mark鈥檚 was the Clash (鈥渜uite cool鈥�); Paola鈥檚 was Eros Ramazzotti (鈥測ou won鈥檛 have heard of him鈥�); Sally鈥檚 was Abba鈥檚 Take

A Chance (鈥渋t鈥檚 an epic鈥�); Paul鈥檚 was Ghost Town by the Specials.

But Katharine? 鈥淚鈥檓 too embarrassed.鈥�

After some prolonged pleading, Katharine finally admits her first record was by 鈥� Roland Rat.

鈥淎ll my friends know, though, so you鈥檙e okay to print it.鈥�

With that we drink up, and it鈥檚 so long, rat fans.