He watched the cab drive out into the Strand and turn the corner.

Then he went back to the table and asked for his bill.

While he waited for it, he lit a match and drawing from his pocket the crumpled check, he set fire to it.

He held it by the corner until the flame burnt his fingers.

Then he dropped it in his plate and pounded it into ashes with a fork.
"That was a bad break," he said to himself.