Bluebird Cafe

John Vir runs a newsagent in Southampton, the only shop around that still stocks packets of petrified celery soup, fruit studded with fruit flies and boxes of henna.

His favorite customers are Lucy and Paul, who live across the road above Snooke's Electrical Stores, which is about to become the Bluebird Cafe. Lucy paints blue doves beneath the picture rails, buys stripped-pine chairs and works in the newly opened cafe, while she also works in the Oxfam furniture store. Paul spends his time volunteering at the Badger Centre.

John, meanwhile, thinks of little else but Lucy. He invites her to the cash and carry, hoping it will lead to something more exciting for them both.