RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30975, 3 February 1966, Page 24

RANDOM REMINDER

A THING IN THE NIGHT

The drip drip dHp of a leaking tap does not compare, in damage to man's repose, with an unidentified squeak. This information is offered, without charge or restriction on republication, to all sufferers from insomnia, the Lancet, and the Reader's Digest. The squeak began weeks ago and as, from our conference room beneath the blankets, it was too steady to be coming from a burglar, unless he was wearing new boots, we emerged and took a live interest. It V

was a rather plaintive sound, repeated at irregular intervals, brief, and just the one note. We tried the windows of the bedroom. Silence. A little later it began again, and we tried the windows in the next room. We shut all the doors which were open, we got back and we waited. It started again. And this went on for weeks. We tried getting on to the roof, not knowing much about tiles, in case one was lifting and grating in the breeze. We tried every

door and window in the house. Still it went on, and we beat our puny little fists on the window panes in a frenzy of frustration. The small squeak continued, on and off, through the long sleepless nights. The front gate hinges were oiled, outside lamp fittings inspected, wardobes gone over inch by inch. To no avail. We stayed there in the dark, our eyes like glowing coals, red-rimmed. We know what it is now. It is astonishing what late hours are kept by one of the Estuary sea-birds.