Page 4 - the man from MI5

Every evening after a hard day teaching art to the children of the Waterside School of Art. Mr Jenkins

would always visit the Tate museum to see and study just one artwork; “Instinct” by the artist McKee.

To Jenkins all the other paintings in the museum did not exist; to his eye all the other paintings had

been scribbled out. Jenkins would stand for an hour every day gazing at the painting asking himself;

“How can I explain to my pupils the pleasure I receive from this artwork?” McKee uses the
blindfolded man as his subject to capture “Instinct”. It is instinct that causes the blindfolded man to

pause mid step.

Jenkins is a bachelor and lives alone so every night after looking at the painting he would go

upstairs to the self service restaurant for his evening meal. All through the meal Jenkins had been

thinking of the painting and what he could pass on through his teachings, when suddenly there was a

loud crash of breaking plates from the kitchen. This made Jenkins look up and around the circular
restaurant, a few tables to his right sat a large, unhealthy looking man who seemed to be studying

Jenkins in quite some detail. On reflection Jenkins had seen this man on several occasions before,

but thought he must be a widower or bachelor like himself just there for an evening meal.

As Jenkins was putting on his overcoat to leave he noticed the large man had already left the

Restaurant. Once outside Jenkins asked himself “Do I wait for the river bus, or prepare myself for the
long walk along the river to my home in Battersea?”