by Tony White
But him no stop for long is it. And he walk back to the road feeling like a young kid in some ways because he crunch through them piles of dead leaf on the way init. His mum never let him do that when he was a real kid since she say there be dog shit or whatever under them but now he no care about that him just enjoy.
Once he get back on the road it all seem to pass a bit more quickly even though him well freezing by now. Romford Road is a long road but he know it lead to Stratford and then not far to Bow. And he figure take it a little bit at a time like that it gonna pass quicker. Because he feel him anger a bit more under control now init. He holding that back fe later. Now him a warrior who must bide him time and make him preparation fe battle. And he do that by plot him movements once he get over Whitechapel. First thing fe do is get down Shadwell and check fe Rocky and them. After that he not quite sure because a lot depend on what Rocky and them can do fe Zafar init but either way him begin to work out some plan.
So while him a walk down pass all them bank and shop there he well concentrating on what he have to do. And a couple of time he bump into people come the other way because him not really watch what him doing there. But when they shout and say whatever at him he decide fe play thing cool and keep an eye out since him no want fe get in any angry scene or fight since that would fuck him plan for real.
As him get near to Stratford him tempt fe buy some cool drink because even though it cold and him just wear him usual thin jacket with just like T-shirt an jumper underneath he still burning up and a sweat yeah from the pure physical exercise a walking. But all the while him aware that he mustnt spend the hundred dollar in him pocket. He gonna need that later. But listen because then him have a stroke a luck. Kind of thing that might happen to anybody walking down some busy street like that. Because as him step over the cross road at Stratford Broadway he see some like business guy come a rush out a that small business centre there and run fe catch the 25 bus what pull up there and while him doing this he pull probaly some bus pass business or whatever out of him pocket and some paper or whatever fall out of him pocket and all only that man no notice this and him just jump on the bus init. Zafar quickly check if anyone else notice this and him realise no they never so him swiftly bend down as if fe tie him trainer and that paper there next to him foot so he pick it up quick and hold it in him fist while he tie them shoe lace. Then standing up he stuff it straight in him pocket and carry on. He dont need fe check to see that this piece of paper like a pale purple colour because him know is a twenty.
Shit man him bust out and laugh as him walk down the road, and near the town hall him see place like Cafe Mondo which is some like cafe and takeway behind the Fish and Chip and him figure well no point go hungry at this stage is it so him step inside there and order up some big milky coffee and like chicken sandwich and chip. There was a nice table free near the heater and him slip off him jacket and unzip the collar of him jumper and just sit back and wait fe him food to appear.
Zafar look a bit out a place there fe true since all them other few customer is like white for one thing but most of them at this time of day is like student or whatever so him no stand out too much. And him figure well me spend a white guy money init! Which make him laugh again.
That coffee arrive first but him also get a glass a water which him drain in one go then wipe him chin on the back of him hand and take out a Silk Cut and enjoy himself. Him stretch out him feet neath the table init and pure relax and just think, ‘This the life man fe true.’
One or two of them young student is pretty you know and one of them girl turn around fe check him then she and her mate huddle up close and say something him no hear and laugh together. Shit man! If he wasnt on him way fe sort things out with Foxy-T he would a check one of them girl number before him leave this place init. Zafar felt like a king there eating that chicken sandwich and take him time over the coffee so by the time him come fe leave him feel well rested and ready fe whatever the evening might throw him way.
Mind you it take him another hour near enough fe reach like Bow tube there and by this time it start rain. Not serious just that shit English drizzle where you hardly see it in the air but it catch on your coat like mist and slowly soak its way through till the wind just need fe catch it and it send chill deep in your heart. Zafar hate this shit English weather but him no tempt fe catch the tube now. Him nearly there.
Last time him come down this way was the day he was up in court. Him go in the front door of the magistrate court there but him come out the back way fe true! Last bit of fresh air he had that day was a cigarette out the front where all them guys what is sent up have there last smokes before them hearing. The pavement done litter with them cigarette end and piece a gum and roach. Nothing change much round here and him shudder fe remember stand out here and smoke and wonder what them magistrate a go say. But this time him no need a last cigarette is it and Zafar reflect that him never going in there again fe true. One stretch in Feltham was all any man can take. Especially an Asian youth like him with all them racist boy up there. Zafar had kept him head down and through sheer luck never need fe share a cell with one a them cunts. Sheer luck man thats all it was. And Zafar smile to himself and think about find that money on the pavement and think about how him come across Foxy-T when him look for him grandad and how he get the better a that thief out in the back yard and I tell you man him figure that he is a lucky guy generally seen. Which is good because he a go need it later init.
By the time him approach Stepney Green it way past five like five thirty or so. And him reckon it now time fe give Rocky a call so he pull out him mobile and call up the number. Him no keep none of them kind of number in him phone book just remember them is safest. Him stop outside the cinema there and make him call. Rocky suggest meet up in an hour up Bethnal Green Road in that Fry Chicken place opposite the Blade Bone pub. One with the machine them. Zafar knowed that shop and figure him could probaly walk it just about in that time but now the time fe walk is over and him need to get on and do them things. Him better not be late fe Rocky. No way man. Him still have a tenner left and a bit of change out a that twenty so him nip back up Stepney Green Tube and get a day pass. Quickest way him figure a get up there is go Liverpool Street and walk from there. Is only like ten minute walk init so him hop on the first Hammersmith train and sit tight.
Now let me take you on a little walk.
Follow me up past Shadwell DLR and the Crispy Cod. There nuff rude boy hang out neath them archway there by the DLR. And nuff tag on them wall init. Man like Elament and Buzz and Cash and Bisto and Rex is all tag there seen. Plus some name we know init man like Red-Eye, Ifty, Shah, Ranky and Shabbaz is got there tag there and all. Man like Zafar. Some rude boy is walk through them arch now init and chat upon him mobile and say like, ‘You a pussy boy. Shut the fuck up! Shut the fuck up! You a pussy boy, you a pussy! No I said to you …’ then him pass down Shadwell Walk and take him chat with him init.
That post office there is close now so there no one else about except some few man what come down the stair from the DLR and look around fe some type a sign that can tell them how fe reach the Shadwell tube station. Only there aint no sign so them sucker wander round this way and that till them either get rob or see some other older person what look like they know the way around. Them never gonna aks none a them rude boy the way believe me.
Straight up the road and now we walking past them brick up flats. No film crew here today is it. No police neither. No stabbing tonight. Not yet seen. No one live in them flat is it. All them window a brick up and the council fit up all them steel door. Some day you see that a different door been broke down so them local junky and tramp or whatever find somewhere fe sleep. But then the council come back down and brick it up again till they find the next one. One day them flat a go be demolish init either that or get a lick a paint and done up but they is well wreck now and empty for about three four year. Up at the end a them flat is Watney Market what is dead now. None a them shop even the Vict
oria Wine dont stay open past about six. Is fucking dead man. Was different when that Sainsbury was there but even that now a Iceland since Sainsburys move up Whitechapel init. And it no open late believe me. Only old people go shop in Watney Market these days. All them shop with like fake fag packet in there display init because them shopkeeper sick a get rob.
But we aint going there man we is walk along Bigland Street. Normally man say we could cut across the grass there seen. Only as its been raining thats all mud there so we go around the long way and turn left onto Bigland up by the Watney Market bridge. Aint much go on here. There be a few Muslim kids dress up and hang about outside the school there. But apart from that and all them building works what go on outside Norton House it quiet man. And them builder gone home now and all. But walk with me now along Bigland Street past them low redbrick building of the Mulberry School and the infants yeah and check that turning past them two-storey low rise down by the Surma Town Cash and Carry. Like a old cobble street what seem like maybe it use fe go somewhere one time only now it just a dead end except for another one of them old block of flat. Sometime you know there be like fifty rude boy hang around down there in that turning. Spar and joke and smoke some little weed or whatever and listen to them sound system them. For a while man use to be able to get down there and check fe some brown except that scene move along. That scene never stay no where long is it through that type a rude boy always keep move and find some quiet place where them can attend them business without get disturb. Only tonight it quiet down that turning init just a couple of beemer park up with there lights off so man cant see if there anyone sitting in them or not except you know there is init and if you hang around fe long enough then another car go come and park up and there be some swapping around and one car drive off then come back and someone get out and drive away in still another car you never notice before. Thats the kind of runnings that goes on down there only you never gonna hang around and watch it man because them heavy thing man and you never want fe know about them kind of things. But one a them car might be Rocky sitting in it you know. You dont want fe know what kind of runnings him a deal with believe me.
So maybe we just pop in the Surma Town Cash and Carry and check the vegetable from back home. Check them nice river fish and all fresh caught and freeze back home. Them big motherfucker too them river fish. Maybe get some cigarette then walk out quick man because them meat bin round the side of the shop is all the butcher waste and it only collect like twice a week so it stink man believe me. Same with that other Cash and Carry opposite. Shit no wonder fe rats is it. Sometime man hear them fighting in a them bin and rattling around in there fe fight over some scrap. But we no bother with rats now. Not like Shabbaz who pick up some dead rat by the tail man and chuck it at him sister! Shit man you could hear them girl scream in fuckin Watney Market way him scare them!
See like I say Bigland lead direct on to Cannon Street Road. That building opposite you can read the writing on the wall there init. Say ‘Raines Boys School’. Only Raines is now up Bethnal Green init and now its the Sari Centre and use to be the old Quality Food Store before them buy the bigger place next door. Then down the left is the One Stop and the Eastern Fried Chicken. But we is going right. Past the Golden Lion social club where one time man could check fe a game a pool. Use to be a pub init. Golden Lion seen. Thats why it called that still. But I tell you man there barely any pub south a Commercial Road now cause the Muslim man no drink is it. There one little pub up Watney Market then another one close by Cable Street but even the Dolphin and Anchor there shut down and is flats now. Even the Britannia mate. Down opposite them rag and bone men shed back down Shadwell by the arch yeah. Even that close down and is now a fry chicken shop. Even many of them pub on Commercial Road shut down now. And believe me is a surprise if many of them pub there stay open as long as them did. Man if you ever went in one a them pub for like a game of pool would all be just old lady in them make up go down a lunchtime and sit there with one little drink all afternoon and eye up all the brothers and hope for one last fuck before them die. No wonder them landlord sell up is it. Then opposite the Golden Lion is a old close down Jewish shop use to be call Roggs. Left from time man. Since year ago man say this a Jewish area init only it aint no more fe real. Just that man kept open him deli fe sell all that Jewish food init but since none a them Jew live round here him no do no business and him close. Is all board up and them upstair windows open fe let in the weather and the pigeon so man know in a couple year time this all be demolish and turn into flat or whatever.
All a them shop a closing now init cause is late. Man sweeping up outside and stack up them empty mango box an chicken box and drum a cooking oil out by the bins and that. All them flip-flop and plastic goods and mops and shit outside the £1 shop is getting carry in side while the old Sikh man what run it him a wind up the awning fe the night. Only a few place still open now. Like two a them place what does catering. Man there always couple a van outside and loading up with big pan full a food or else bring back them pan empty. Seem like every day is a wedding somewhere. And the butcher still got him light on and all init and if you look in you see them a sweep up all a that sawdust on the floor and wiping down the counter them then out the back you can hear that circular saw going and smell them burning bones what they cutting. That butcher dragging one a them meat bins out the front of him shop and all. They rank them bins man believe me. Even the barber done close now and roll down the shutter fe the night. A couple a people waiting at the D3 bus stop and looking at there watch and they is roll there eye and tut to each another and take turn fe try an stare down to Cable Street fe figure out where that damn bus gone and one a them is a little boy what is kicking coke can and thing out into the road then watch them car run over them things. Opposite side a the road some rude boy is laugh there way down the pavement on the way fe check them spar or whatever but is quiet apart from that except the lights coming from the Cannon Video and the music what pump out the door from there speaker them. And except for the kids what is letting off fireworks down in the Bigland or where ever. So man just hear all them rocket and air bomb going off in the dark somewhere. And its quiet except for that and except outside the hostel where some rude boy is shout up at a open window, ‘What you doin in bed, bitch? You should be out here working fe me init!’ But man cant hear what she a say back is it.
But the E-Z Call still open. There be one or two people in there still. Look there Ruji-Babes sit in the window like usual and Foxy-T a mess with them computer them. Couple a people working at them computer and all and check fe them email or whatever. Or maybe some a them Russian type what live in the flats round here is checking fe some Russian porn site. Cause believe me normally when you log on them machine thats what you get init. Then there be just maybe one youth a sit upon that computer at the far end and he be writing something there. Tapping at him keyboard init and furrow him brow in concentrate upon what him writing. And occasionally him may turn around when him catch little bit a conversation between Ruji-Babes and Foxy-T or fe check Foxy-T fit arse in them tight jeans she is start wearing now. And believe me Foxy-T looking well fit these days init. She aint wear them trackie bottom and fleece type a thing now. She like a new woman with them tight tiger stripe T-shirt fe show off she tits and them jean cut off at the waist so man can practicly see her bush. She one fit bird I tell you man and if that Zafar could see this him may well think she make a effort fe try and impress him init. Only she aint expecting no visit from that boy tonight is it. She done change fe her own reasons. There something a go on inside her head what no man know and I aint about to guess what she thinking believe me.
But now them talking init. And Ruji-Babes come out from behind the counter and Foxy-T take her turn there while Ruji-Babes a walk cross the shop and disappear upstair for a bit. Only not for long cause she back down in a second or two with her coat on and say, ‘Sees you later T. Best go up the airport now,’ or whatever.
And Foxy-T say, ‘Yeah laters.
Take it easy Rooj.’
And a couple of them other people what was on the computer finish up there one hours for one fifty or whatever and log out and then stand up and stretch there legs and put there coats on before going, ‘See you, thanks,’ or whatever and stepping outside fe go back home or wherever. Till is only me there now still just a sit right here up the end of the row a PC and I’m like looking around and Foxy-T looking at me and smiling and pointing to her watch like she telling me its time fe stop. I check me counter though in the corner of the screen and its like five minutes left and I paid for it and I aint go nowhere till I use up me time is it so I put my hand up with all me finger outstretch and with me other hand I point at the screen as if to say, ‘Five more minutes,’ and she laugh and nod.
But me five minutes is up in no time seen. So I’m soon doing Save As business onto like my floppy disk and logging out. Then I check fe my bag and coat and put the disk away and sort my things and make fe leave.
As I walk like past the desk and give back my bar code thing so she can scan me out she goes, ‘How’s my best customer today then, eh? You is always work so hard init.’
And I’m like, ‘Seen, seen. No safe man really. Cool.’
And Foxy-T goes, ‘Good luck man,’ only I aint really listening or whatever and I think she is saying ‘Goodnight’ like usual. It’s only later I remember this.
So I’m just, ‘Yeah, good night man. See you tomorrow I spect. Easy now.’
Then when I’m turning to like leave or whatever the door open and I get like a blast of fresh air and CK-1 and its Ruji-Babes cousin a stand there. And him must just have reach from back home init. Him must have come back a day early and him have a back home type of hair cut init. And I can see him beemer outside only that driver no with him tonight is it just him on him own and him dress more casual than normal init. Pure expensive clothes fe true but no suit now.
