by Ron Thomas
‘Count me in,’ another voice shouted.
‘See? Problem solved.’ Lou said, beaming. ‘Easy, Yosef! Dick can come and help whenever you want. There’s plenty of others. He turned to Meggsie. Why don’t you take him back with you tomorrow? You can have the rude bastard. Plenty of help here.’
Yosef Abrahams smiled for the first time. He reached into the pocket of his coat and withdrew a little leather wallet. Slowly he extracted a couple of business cards and passed one to Lou, and then another to Fred.
‘We should keep in touch,’ he said.
Lou looked at the card and laughed loudly, as Yosef looked perplexed.
‘Abrahams Affordable Apparel Emporium! I could tell from the start you weren’t a fruity,’ he said, laughing. ‘You’re too overdressed!’
‘And I won’t be … ever. The ridiculous hours don’t suit me,’ Yosef replied with a widening grin. Fred turned to Meggsie.
‘Well, are you going to buy anything, or did you just come to chat?’ he asked.
When Yosef shook hands with the fruiterers, half an hour later, they had become friends, a common goal uniting them. Meggsie was surprised and delighted. He’d wondered how Yosef would react to the rough-and-ready manner of the fruit and veg men, but he knew better now, and was glad Yosef had come.
***
David Elazar was a very tall cadaverous man wearing a dark suit, that gave a very sombre first impression, until their eyes met and Meggsie could see the twinkling there.
‘So, you’re the famous Ginger Meggs that Yosef has told me so much about. I feel I know you already,’ he said. His welcoming smile quickly put Meggsie at ease.
‘And that makes you Federico, right?’ Elazar asked.
‘Yes sir. That’s me.’ Federico replied as they shook hands.
‘And you’re doing law, right?’
‘Yes, sir. I’ve got a year to go.’
‘We came to thank you for your help with the insurance claim,’ Meggsie said. ‘We don’t know anything much about insurance.’
David Elazar grinned. ‘I’ll bet you know more now than you did before, eh? That’s the hard way to get experience!’
‘Yes. It has been a hard road, but it’s been worse for Benito.’
‘No doubt. Darby Maddocks was due here at about eleven, but he’s always late. Eleven’s when the edition closes. Take a seat and tell me how it’s all going. Would you like tea, or water with a slice of lemon. That’s what I have.’
‘I’ll have water, please,’ Meggsie said.
‘Me too,’ Fed added.
Just then, Darby Maddocks appeared in the doorway. He leant on the door jamb, puffing heavily.
‘Another edition put to bed, and here I am!’ he announced triumphantly. ‘Welcome, Meggsie. I’ve been hoping to hear from you!’
He turned to Federico. ‘And you’re Benny’s budding lawyer?’ Maddocks asked.
‘Yes. Federico, Mr Maddocks,’ Fed replied.
‘Gilbert was just starting to tell me how things are going with the shop,’ Elazar interjected. ‘There’s water coming, mate. You look like you could use some.’
Both men listened intently, without interrupting as Meggsie told the story of the struggle to resurrect Benny’s Fruit Market. By the end of his tale, it was clear they approved.
‘So, Yosef Abrahams has helped us enormously,’ he concluded. ‘I don’t think we could have done it without him.’
‘Yosef’s a good man to have on side,’ Elazar said. ‘I’m pleased Darby and I could help out. I specialise in insurance matters, and this claim was quite unusual in that the insurance people were concerned that a family member might have been in some way involved.’
‘That’s Guido Caletti, he’s talking about,’ Maddocks interjected. ‘Sometimes people burn their own premises down for the insurance money. Quite often, they use a family member to light things up. It’s sometimes referred to in the trade as a ‘Chinese stocktake’. If business is bad, you get your uncle, or some friend to burn the joint down, take your insurance money and run. They had to satisfy themselves that Guido had no part in it.’
‘I’d never thought of that,’ Meggsie replied.
‘They were suspicious of that possibility, even though the police report indicated otherwise. They are always understandably wary about people like Mr Caletti,’ David Elazar explained. ‘Mr Maddocks here swung the day in your favour when he suggested that perhaps The Truth might like to publish a feature article about recalcitrant insurance companies. That can get very expensive for them.’
‘Thanks so much, Mr Maddocks,’ Meggsie said. Maddocks just smiled and shrugged.
‘It will take about six to ten weeks for the money to come through. They’ll try to string that out, but I understand that Yosef Abrahams intends to provide bridging finance,’ Elazar explained.
Meggsie didn’t really understand the nuances of bridging finance, and hadn’t known that Yosef was intending to provide it.
‘That means reconstruction can begin immediately,’ David explained. Meggsie clearly understood now.
‘We’re both delighted we could be of assistance,’ David Elazar said, getting to his feet, and offered his hand. ‘Give our best wishes to Benny and tell him we’ll be at the opening,’ he said.
‘And don’t forget to call us if you need our help,’ Darby Maddocks added. ‘I mean that.’
***
Excitement built, as the new Benny’s reached its final stages. Lou’s man Dick had been an enormous help, and Alessia and Claudia helped when they could, but despite the help, Meggsie had just about had enough of working long hours under duress. Confined to just a small corner of the site, they all just wanted the construction finished.
Benito had been cleared by the doctor to begin work on light duties, and he visited the shop every few days now, and was heavily involved in the planning of the opening. He would have returned full time also if he’d been allowed. Therese, with support from Yosef, and Meggsie’s tacit agreement, had insisted, against his wishes, that Benito wouldn’t return to work until the new shop opened and things were more comfortable.
Meggsie had mixed feelings about Benito’s return. He’d enjoyed his position of importance and, though he looked forward to seeing his friend back in his leather apron, he knew he’d find returning to his old position difficult.
***
From the first day of construction, Meggsie had found that Alfie, the taciturn builder was disinclined to take directions from a mere boy, and Yosef had been happy to step in. Each lunch hour, the tailor had fallen into the practice of closing his shop for an hour, buying a pastrami sandwich at Joe’s eatery and inspecting progress. He and Meggsie would eat together, while the builders were away having their customary pub lunch, and Dick looked after business. Yosef would then raise any issues that needed attention while Meggsie got on with the fruit and veg business.
‘It all looks fine to me, Gilbert,’ Yosef declared with a smile. ‘Alfie’s boys have delivered. Alfie’s a difficult character, but he’s a good builder. As far as I’m concerned, if you’re satisfied, we can sign off on it as soon as they finish the painting and tidy up. That gives us an extra few days to prepare for the opening. I have to go, now. I’ve got a wedding party coming in for a fitting.’
‘Thanks so much for helping us, Yosef. None of this would be happening without you,’ Meggsie replied. ‘I couldn’t have done it. I didn’t know it, but I know it now.’
Yosef smiled enigmatically. ‘We’ll never really know, will we, Gilbert? I’m inclined to think you would have found a way. Anyway, that’s what mates are for. If I’ve helped, I’m happy.’
‘Thank you for everything, anyway.’
‘How do you feel about Benito coming back? You seem to have enjoyed being your own boss.’
Meggsie shrugged, realising that his perceptive friend was reading his mind. ‘I’m excited that he’ll be back. It will be different until I get used to it, I suppose,’ he replied.
‘What do you want to
do in the future, Gilbert? I mean the longer term. Do you see yourself being in the fruit and veg business? You’ve grown up since Guido introduced us under… difficult circumstances. I’ve watched as you’ve become a man, and I like what I see. You’ve learned to take a man’s responsibilities and Benito is justifiably very proud of you. You can be anything you want to be.’
Meggsie was wondering where the conversation was leading. In recent hectic days, he’d thought little about anything but survival until Benito returned. The thought of being anything other than a fruit and veg man hadn’t really entered his thoughts.
‘I’ve made heaps of friends in the fruit and veg business,’ he replied uncertainly.
Yosef laughed out loud. ‘Business is business and friends are friends. The friends you’ve made will always be there if you care about them. You don’t need to worry about that. I just want you to remember that if you want to be a fruit and veg man, Benito, Therese and I would all be happy about that, but if you want to be something different, we’d support that, too.’
‘I wanted to be a racing car driver, but I’m not so sure about that now.’
Yosef put his hand on Meggsie’s shoulder. ‘You could be a racing car driver if you want it badly enough. Perhaps it might be something you could do part time at first. Anyway, there’s no rush to decide. You’re still young. This year, next year, whenever. But I have to hurry now, or I’ll have a cranky wedding party on my hands. I’ll call in tomorrow.’
They walked together, picking their way through the last of the construction debris and stood side by side on the footpath. Yosef held out his hand. They had grown very close in recent days and their handshake was a comfortable recognition of their easy bond.
Yosef took a couple of steps then stopped and waved his hand to the new façade. ‘This is all your doing, Meggsie. All yours.’ Without awaiting a reply, he turned and strode quickly away. It was the first time Yosef had called him Meggsie, and it somehow felt comfortable.
Meggsie stood watching Yosef as he walked away. When his friend disappeared into his shop, he looked up and down Darlinghurst Road, then turned to go back inside. From the corner of his eye, he noticed a furtive figure in the alley opposite. On closer inspection, to his surprise, it looked very much like Guido Caletti. He’d not thought much about Guido over the past few months, but now he calculated that Uncle Guido’s prison sentence was about due to finish. He walked back into the shop and continued to watch the road. Suddenly Guido ran diagonally between the traffic. The angry blast of a car horn caused him to swerve and shake his fist, but he didn’t slow down until he was inside the shop.
‘Morning Meggs,’ Guido said, breathing heavily. ‘The new shop looks classy. Nearly finished, eh?’ He was trying to be cheerful, but he appeared to be quite harassed.
‘Yes. The builders will be finished by Tuesday. I didn’t know you were out. I’ve been pretty busy with all this,’ Meggsie replied, already wondering suspiciously what Guido wanted from him.
‘I got out the day before yesterday. Those bastards have been watching my house, but I gave them the slip. The silly bastards will probably watch it for another week before they work out I’m gone. Let’s go out the back, where we can’t be seen.’ Meggsie wondered who ‘those bastards’ were. Guido had plenty of enemies.
‘Bloody consortos, they’re giving me the shits,’ Guido explained, once they were safely in the back room. ‘If they see me with any of the boys, or even Nellie they’ll haul me in, even if I’m just minding my own business. She won’t come back to my place because they’d nail us both. It’s giving me the shits! I’m gonna hang out here until they get off my tail.’
It came as a complete shock to Meggsie to find that Guido intended to hide out at Benny’s, so he was lost for words for a few moments. Even more surprising, Guido’s bravado seemed to have deserted him. Perhaps it was one too many prison sentences, or perhaps the feeling he was no longer in charge, but Guido had taken on a hunted look. If it had been anyone else, Meggsie would have felt sorry for him.
‘There are builders coming and going all day,’ Meggsie explained. ‘They are finishing off. You can’t be here.’
‘You’ll just have to tell them to piss off, that’s all,’ Guido spat petulantly. Meggsie shook his head, immediately recalling Therese’s dark angels discussion. Only Guido could expect construction to stop so he could hide out.
‘I can’t do that. We are opening it up in a week’s time. They’re rushing to finish the paintwork. There are three builders coming back in about a quarter of an hour. They went to the pub for lunch.’
Guido thought for a moment. ‘Well, I’ve told the boys to meet me here. I’ll come back after they leave. What time do they knock off? They were gone by four thirty yesterday. I know, because I tried to get in the back gate, but it was locked and my key didn’t fit. You’d better get me a new key so I can come and go when I need to. I’ll be setting up a meeting with the boys in the next few days.’
‘There’s no bed or anything; no table and chairs,’ Meggsie said, grasping at straws. ‘We can’t have them until we sign off for the building work and take possession.’
‘We’ll have to make do for the moment. Get it sorted out as quickly as you can. I’m back now. Is the back gate open?’
‘No, they will have locked it,’ Meggsie replied, then he couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. ‘There are criminals about, you know, Mr Caletti,’ he said. Guido didn’t seem to get the joke.
‘Let me out, then,’ he said testily.
As he followed Guido out into the yard, Meggsie realised that he no longer regarded the tough man in the hero-worshipping way he’d done when they first met. Guido was still dangerous, a man to be reckoned with, but admiration? No more. He opened the lock.
‘Leave it open tonight, Meggs. I might want to get in the back way,’ Guido said as he swivelled his head, checking apprehensively up and down Hopewell Lane, slipped through the gap and was gone.
It was a contemplative Meggsie who walked back into the shop. Despite all that had happened, all the trouble he’d caused, Guido clearly regarded the shop as his to use as he wished. Meggsie was determined to find a way to change that before Benito returned.
It was pension day, and business was brisk all afternoon. Both Meggsie and Dick were busy, and it was late afternoon before Meggsie was able to sit down for a few moments and think about the problem. Though he considered a visit to Detective Blissett, his well-developed distaste for ‘ratting’ made him seek another way.
***
When Therese asked Benito to get the bread out of the oven, Meggsie took his chance and followed him out into the garden.
‘Guido came into the shop today,’ he said as Benito peered into the oven.
‘Is that so?’ Benito replied. ‘Bread needs another two minutes or so.’
‘He’s changed. This consorting business has him spooked.’
Benito spat on the grass. ‘Won’t do him any harm at all. About time he got a dose of his own medicine.’
‘He seems to be looking for somewhere to hide out until things cool off.’
Benito reached out, grasped Meggsie’s shoulder and, keeping his voice low, whispered emotionally in Meggsie’s ear.
‘For Christ’s sake, Meggsie, don’t mention that to Therese! She might suggest he comes here!’ It didn’t seem to have occurred to Benito that Guido might be considering the new shop as a potential hideout. Meggsie knew that, with family issues at stake, he couldn’t involve Benito.
‘Is that bread right now?’ he asked.
Meggsie was quiet over dinner. He had things on his mind. Therese was keen to find out about the day’s events, and she noticed that he had something on his mind.
‘What’s up, ragazzo?’ she finally asked, after getting a couple of noncommittal answers. Meggsie glanced across at Benito, who was trying hard to suppress rising alarm.
‘Nothing much, Therese. I’m just tired of moving fruit. There’s just
some painting to go and the tidying up. It will be great when the new shop opens and we don’t have to move the stock all the time. Yosef said he is happy to sign off on the building, and that would mean the builders would move out on Tuesday. I think we might have to close for a couple of days while we set up. We can’t do much until the new display shelves arrive, but then it will be hectic.’
‘It’s all very exciting, don’t you think?’ Claudia asked.
‘Yes, but being honest about it, I’m totally worn out.’
Claudia turned to Alessia. ‘We can come down and help in the evenings, can’t we?’ she suggested brightly. Meggsie recognised that he was at risk of getting himself into difficulty, but he didn’t want to sound discouraging. Fortunately, Benito intervened.
‘I’m-a thinking Gilberto should be coming home at a reasonable hour. It won’t hurt to close down for a few days. It will all come together in good time. When Fred and Lou were here a few days back they said if we needed more help for a week or so, they’d be happy to organise whatever we need.’
Meggsie saw an opportunity to change the subject.
‘In the longer term, I think we will need at least another person. We were talking about that before the fire, and the new shop is bigger,’ he said.
‘Yes, and Benito can’t work the long hours he was working before,’ Therese interjected. None of them doubted that she would be limiting Benito’s working hours.
‘We’ll see about that,’ Benito replied, raising his eyebrows in Meggsie’s direction.
‘I had an idea,’ Meggsie said. ‘About the new staff.’ He hesitated, somewhat uncertain. ‘I’ve been chewing it over for a while now. Before I came to the shop I lived on the street, and I met other kids like me. Kids who’ve not had the chance that Benito gave me. I reckon one or two of them might be the answer.’ He turned to Benito, clearly uncertain of the reaction his suggestion might get. ‘Do you think that’s a possibility, boss?’ he asked. Benito looked down at his empty plate, and Meggsie thought he was considering the suggestion.
‘Gilberto, I’m not-a the boss any more,’ he said quietly. ‘What you’ve done for my family is … wonderful. Mille grazie! We are partners now. When Uncle Guido gave you a chance to work at Benny’s, he didn’t realise what a good thing he was doing. It’s the best investment I ever made! If you think these kids will be like you, go ahead. You don’t need my approval.’
