The beans that Sando started growing were beautiful; cooked, they could be creamy, meaty, chestnutlike or herbaceous-tasting, textures and flavors he’d never experienced.
Why, a hand-shake, if it's done in the right way, will send a current of warm cheer rippling through the entire day of both parties, both of the hand-shaker and the hand-shaken.
What do you call yourself, then?
Me? I'm a fingersmith. I'm a professional fingersmith. He spoke the words solemnly and proudly, as though he were telling me he was the President of the Royal College of Surgeons or the Archbishop of Canterbury.
I've never heard that word before, I said. Did you invent it?
Of course I didn't invent it, he replied. It's the name given to them who's risen to the very top of the profession. You've 'eard of a goldsmith and a silversmith, for instance. They're experts with gold and silver. I'm an expert with my fingers, so I'm a fingersmith.
It must be an interesting job.
It's a marvellous job, he answered. It's lovely.
And that's why you go to the races?
Race meetings is easy meat, he said. "You just stand around after the race, watchin' for the lucky ones to queue up and draw their money. And when you see someone collectin' a big bundle of notes, you simply follows after 'im and 'elps yourself.
The second their center snapped the ball, I submarined between the big guy's legs and tackled the halfback.
