The Wheatsheaf, and Brock

When I was going through town yesterday evening, I came upon Marina, standing outside the Wheatsheaf with an official looking chap in a suit (chaps in suits are rare in Hay, so it's a good bet they're something official when you do see one). Marina lives next door to the Wheatsheaf, and it's not always been an easy relationship. The pub used to be known for fights in the evenings, and since then there have been problems with an extremely loud juke box - and both Marina and Derek Addyman have had windows smashed over the years. By the standards of a big city it's probably nothing to get excited about, but it stands out here.
The topic of conversation this time seemed to be the consequences of the smoking ban. Groups of huddled smokers now gather outside the front door of the pub, and Marina said that she'd found broken glasses on the pavement on some mornings.

It wasn't the only problem Marina was having - in the morning, Di Blunt's dog Molly attacked her dog Brock, and he had to have six stitches. Normally when they meet, Molly makes a rush at Brock, snaps, and then makes a big detour round him. This time, her teeth connected with the loose skin just under the top of his back leg, a difficult place for it to heal, because it's constantly moving as he walks.