RAY Cupper eases onto the old sofa in the kitchen, the shooting pains in his knee causing him grief again.

“Wendy!” he cries out to his nine-year old-daughter, “go get a needle.”

Wendy obediently hurries down the hallway to fetch a needle and some tweezers. She need not ask dad what he wants the sharp implements for, they’ve been through this before.

“This bloody knee,” he grumble...