1      That woman who does the colours, the one that wrapped us all in those tatty scarves for hours on end, she told me I was a winter. Apparently, that means I should wear nothing but black and white and some other daft colour—pale blue, I think it was. Harsh shades, black and white, I always thought. Night club colours. Waitress colours. Actor colours. Not really colours at all, if you think about it, more like old sheets, something you’d use to cover your furniture when you’re doing a bit of painting around the house. A bit masculine, actually. Not like a nice bright red or an emerald green. Everyone else was very taken with the whole thing, clutching their colour swatches to them like prayer books, rushing off to the dress shop to buy a whole new wardrobe.      In my day, seasons were to do with changes in the weather, not your pasty face or your olive tinges. You got a new coat every Easter and you only wore white shoes in the summer, and even then, you made sure they were always immaculate. Everything had to be immaculate. The hem of your slip, the fingertips of your gloves, the heels of your shoes, the rim of your collar. It showed what kind of family you came from, you see. No-one seems to care about that anymore.      Well, whatever my season, I’m sticking to navy. I’ve always been more of a navy person. You can’t go wrong with navy blue. It always looks smart and it goes with everything. It’s just as formal as black, you know.      By the way, this skirt may look like it goes with this top, but it’s not a set.      I bought them separately.        2      More bread, more milk, more tea, possibly. Sherry? Biscuits. Bread, biscuits, butter … Brownies. Helena to Brownies by four. Or is it Ballet? Tuesdays, Brownies. Thursdays, Ballet.      Today’s Thursday. Bread, biscuits, butter, Ballet.      Blow Ballet. She can miss it this once. It won’t …      I was sure we had more bread in the freezer. They’ll be wanting sandwiches. Sherry?      Bugger.        3      The good ones are Pearls, which are quite rare, especially the aqua ones, and Snowflakes, which are see-though like Cats-eyes but shiny, and Crystals, which aren’t shiny. They’re clear, except for bits of colour. Bits of colour on the outside. Dolphins and Turtle Shells are quite good too, but no-one wants Dummies or Cats-Eyes.      Bonkers are one size up. I’ve got a green Pearl Bonker, and a Candy. Jacks are twice as big as a Bonker, and then there are Emperors, really big ones. I’d measure the Emperor, but I can’t find my ruler.      Peewees are smaller, but a Blood isn’t a peewee. It’s dark red, like stained glass, not black like the Vampires. Or painted like a Red Devil.      Then there are the Clearys, which are clear, and the Steelies, which are steel, and the Frosties, which are frosted, and the Oilies, which are shiny and oily and yucky. Worms are metallic but covered in worms, and Claws are clear, except for the strings. They look like claws, I think, but some people think the strings look stringy, and call them Spaghetti.      Cokes are light-brown and Tidal Waves are browny-greeny-blue, not as blue as the Deep Blue Seas, though. Blue Moons are dark but see-through. Mystics are never blue, just misty. Galaxies can be black or oily, and their speckles kind of look like stars. The Universe has every colour. Some people call the Universe a Dinosaur’s Egg.      You can take them to school, but you have to be careful when you’re trading. Someone might pick out one of your Pearls, and that’s worth at least four Candies. In games, Dolphins can play a Crystal or a Turtle Shell, but not a Pearl. If I was playing with a Pearl, they’d have to play a Steely or a Blood.      Sometimes there are fights. People can get pretty upset when they lose marbles.      I’ve got about thirty five in all right now, but Mum says I can’t bring them to the funeral.