by Todd, Ian
Jist as he stood up and turned tae leave, he hesitated before hauf turning back tae face her. The security escort, who’d appeared oot ae nowhere, haudin the office door open fur the inmate tae exit, appeared momentarily confused, no sure if something wis aboot tae kick aff.
“The best feeling is nae feeling,” the YO said softly, looking straight intae her eyes, before turning and strolling past the escort officer oot intae the corridor.
“Hello, please take a seat. My name’s Fanny Flaw and I’m the resident social Worker for Dumfries YOI. I’m sorry we’ve not met sooner, but I believe you’ve been out of general circulation. Your name is Patrick McCabe. Is that correct?”
“Aye.”
“And both of your parents are alive, I see, and you have three sisters and two brothers. Will you be expecting family visits whilst serving your sentence in Dumfries?”
“Nae idea. Er, kin Ah ask ye a wee question, by the way?”
“Oh, is it to do with my name?”
“Naw, it’s aboot that ring oan yer finger, the emerald wan,” he replied, nodding.
“Oh? What about it?”
“It’s an auld heirloom, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it belonged to my grandmother.”
“Aye, Ah thought that…probably Victorian. It’s a stoater, so it is. Ah’d say ye’ve goat aboot four or five carats there, so ye hiv. Kin Ah hiv a wee gander? Ah mean, a wee look at it?”
“I’m sorry, I’m not sure that I’ll be able to get it off,” Fanny replied, pretending tae make a serious attempt tae pull it aff ae her finger.
“Oh, ye don’t need tae take it aff,” the YO scoffed, reaching across the desk and taking her haun in his.
It happened so quickly that Fanny jist froze. She desperately looked beyond the heid that wis bent forward, studying the ring, tae see if the security escort officer wis visible beyond the wee glass windae oan her office door. He wis naewhere tae be seen. She attempted tae press the silent alarm button hidden under her desk, jist above her left knee, bit couldnae find the damn thing, despite hearing and feeling the dull thuds ae her leg connecting against the wooden sides where it wis supposed tae be.
“Aye, five carats and it’s flawless, so it is. This is a rare wan. Ah’ve no come across as good a wan as this in ma travels in a wee while, so Ah hivnae,” McCabe said, releasing her haun.
“Er, how can you tell how many carats it has? I thought you would need an eyeglass or something,” Fanny said, relaxing, as she glanced at the windae oan the door. There wis still nae sign ae the escort officer.
“Naw, that’s fur diamonds. Emeralds ur graded using yer eye.”
“So, how can you tell that this is flawless then?” Fanny asked, furgetting her initial fear and lifting her haun up, as the baith ae them peered at the green stane imbedded in the gold.
“Well, whit ye look fur, tae start wae, is the colour. Ah won’t bore ye wae the science, bit that wee beauty is a lovely dark verdant green wae a clear hue…that’s transparency tae you, by the way…which is whit the wans wae the money go fur. Wan ae the other important things that bump up the price tag, is no hivving any visible minerals or whit they call inclusions oan the surface, which is jist another name fur cracks, wee grooves, that kind ae thing. This wan is perfect, so it is, which makes it really rare. Dae ye want tae know how much it’s worth?”
“Oh, er, I think I would prefer not to know. It would make me feel too self-conscious, if it was valuable,” she replied, clasping the ring up tae her chest and covering it wae her other haun.
“Oh well, if ye’re ever flogging it, gie’s a wee shout and Ah’ll tell ye whit ye should expect fae a dealer. Mind and use cedar oil if ye’re gaun tae clean it.”
“Hello, Tony. Please take a seat. My name is Fanny Flaw and I’m the resident social worker here in Dumfries YOI. I’m sorry we’ve not met sooner, but I believe you’ve been out of general circulation since just after your arrival,” Fanny said nervously.
“Aye, that’s right. Oh, in case Ah furget, sorry aboot yer clutch, by the way.”
“You remember?”
“Aye, it wisnae me that wis behind the wheel that night.”
“Tony, my job here is to look after the welfare of the inmates, particularly in times of need, assisting them to keep in contact with their family, that type of thing. Should you require anything whilst you’re here, I’m here to help.”
“Ur ye?”
“Yes.”
“Ah see ye’re still collecting files oan people then,” he said, nodding tae the thick wan in front ae her.
“Part of the job, I’m afraid.”
“Well, Ah hope the content ae that his improved since the last time Ah read it,” Tony said, referring back tae the night in Thistle Park Approved School in 1968, when him and his friends stole her car, which hid contained files oan him and the other absconders that hid escaped wae him.
Fanny looked across the desk at the YO in front ae her. She didnae detect malice in they dark eyes ae his. She found it difficult tae believe that he’d been responsible fur hauf the things that the polis intelligence file hid attributed tae him. Seemingly armed Post Office robberies hid drapped by o’er fifty five percent in the city since his arrest. He wis still strikingly good looking and sat there, exuding a confidence that she hidnae come across in any ae the other inmates since she’d started working in Dumfries.
“Kin Ah hiv a wee swatch then?” he asked her wae a smile, nodding at the blue folder in front ae her.
“I’m sorry, it’s against the rules, I’m afraid.”
“So, hiv they…you…still goat me doon as some sort ae a psycho then?”
“I’m sorry, Tony, but I’m not allowed to divulge the contents of a prisoner’s file to anyone, including the prisoner.”
“So, how dae ye expect a person tae change then, if he’s no allowed tae get access tae see whit it is he his tae change fae then?”
“Oh, there’s a whole range of methods that can be utilised to assist with an inmate’s rehabilitative process that can lead to positive change.”
“Fur instance?”
“We can assist a prisoner to reflect on his present situation by being encouraging and supportive. If an inmate wishes someone to talk to regularly, this could be arranged also.”
“Is that whit ye wur trying tae dae when ye worked in Thistle Park?”
“I suppose so, yes,” she replied warily.
“So, how wid somewan like you measure success then?”
“Pardon?”
“Success? Whit dis success look or taste like tae somewan like yersel?”
“Oh, well, er, I suppose someone not returning to prison after they’ve been released.”
“Sounds a bit iffy tae me. Ah mean, if Ah wis tae get released the morra and never come back, Ah wonder how many people like you, working in a zoo like this, wid genuinely be able tae claim that Ah wis wan ae their successes?” he snorted dismissively, looking aboot the room.
“The rehabilitative process involves taking a collective approach. More than one person could justifiably claim to have contributed to the successful rehabilitative outcome of an inmate.”
“Is that whit ye’d call collective responsibility then?”
“I suppose so, yes.”
“So, when somewan like Silent…Samuel Smith…gets assaulted by hauf a dozen screws, including the governor and chief officer, ten minutes efter arriving in a place like this, ye’d accept a share ae the responsibility fur that then?”
Silence.
“Wur ye aware ae whit happened tae the boys that wur accused ae helping us tae escape fae Thistle Park that night?”
“Er, I did hear rumours that some of the boys may have been assaulted,” she lied.
“Bit ye did nothing aboot it?”
“For your information, I left that night and never returned to Thistle Park,” she replied defensively.
“That’s no whit Ah asked ye.”
“What do you want me to say? Of course
there are rogue elements in any organisation, but not everyone is like that. Times have changed.”
“Hiv they?”
Silence.
“Dis yer secret files tell ye how we first goat in tow wae Silent Smith?” he asked suddenly, breaking the silence.
“No, not that I’m aware of,” she replied, biting.
“He wis ten-years-auld when he wis put intae Larchgrove Remand Centre in Glesga because his granny and granda hid kept him aff ae school when he wis getting bullied by some aulder boys. It wisnae that long efter his ma and da hid been killed in a car crash. He wis put in The Grove under a Care and Protection Order. He wis telt that his granny and granda didnae want him, which wis a bare-faced lie tae start wae. Anyway, he eventually found oot the truth when he read his file in the bag ye left in yer car, the night we borrowed it,” he said wae a thin smile. “Of course, by then, the real damage hid awready been done. While in The Grove, under they false pretences, he wis targeted by wan ae the teachers who wis notorious fur molesting weans that he wis supposed tae be care and protecting. At the time, nowan noticed or couldnae gie a shit aboot whit wis gaun oan, seeing as he wis jist a wee dispensable CP withoot any connections in the place. Ah’ve always wondered whit wid’ve become ae Silent if Johnboy Taylor, another ae yer ex-Thistle Park boys, who nae doubt ye’ll be meeting at some stage the day, hidnae intervened oan his behauf. He’s jist arrived doon fae Longriggend wae injuries similar tae the wans that the boys goat the night we pissed aff wae yer wee Mini, by the way. Against the wishes ae Johnboy’s pals at the time and him being only aboot ten-years-auld himsel, Johnboy stood his ground and took Silent under his wing tae protect him. That’s whit saved Silent fae getting that arse ae his shafted by a so-called care and protector. A week or so later, Silent escaped wae wan ae oor other pals, and he’s been wae us ever since. We looked efter him when the people who wur supposed tae take oan that responsibility failed miserably.”
“I’m sorry,” Fanny whispered.
“Did ye know that efter Silent wis caught and returned tae Thistle Park, during the time you were there, by the way, six big teachers ripped the clothes aff ae him and held him doon naked, spread-eagled oan a table and thrashed his bare arse wae a quarter inch thick leather belt. His arse bled fur days and he could hardly sit doon fur o’er a week. He’d only jist turned thirteen at the time. Before then, he’d talk ten tae a dozen oan a whole range ae subjects wae his pals…bit look at him noo,” Gucci said quietly.
Silence.
“I’m so sorry,” she eventually croaked, before clearing her throat.
“Don’t be. Bit, if ye’re gonnae accept collective responsibility fur aw the good things ye’re daeing in yer work, which is understandable, then ye may want tae accept some responsibility fur some ae the failures as well. Jist don’t go getting yersel aw upset if somewan like Silent disnae want tae talk or communicate wae somewan like you or join in wae yer so-called rehabilitation programmes,” Gucci spat at her. “Fae where Ah’m sitting, the damage his awready been done long ago, or maybe Ah’ve jist missed the point aboot aw this rehabilitation stuff. Whit dae ye think yersel?” he asked pleasantly, back tae being Mr Civil himsel.
“And you? What about you, Tony?” Fanny retorted, feeling angry and defensive in his company fur the first time.
“Me? Whit aboot me?”
“What about your responsibility?”
“Ah take ma responsibilities jist as seriously as somewan like you. Ye might think we’re different, bit we’re no as far apart as ye might think when it comes tae looking efter people who fur whitever reason, cannae look efter themsels. The difference between you and me is that Ah measure success by results and learn no tae make the same mistake twice. Ah know the difference between success and abject failure.”
“Is this one of them? Your successes, I mean?” she taunted, wae a wave ae her haun.
“This? Oh, this is jist wan ae the hazards ae the job,” he replied, a wide grin appearing across that face ae his.
“So, what’s your point, Tony?”
“Ma point is, Ms Flaw…don’t waste yer time and energy oan people who don’t believe in Santa Claus.”
“Like Silent?”
“Like Silent.”
“Hello, Johnboy. Please take a seat. My name is Fanny Flaw and I’m the resident social worker here in Dumfries YOI. I’m sorry we’ve not met sooner. Do you need a hand?” Fanny asked, staunin up, as the inmate struggled tae sit doon oan the chair.
“Naw, naw, Ah’m fine.”
“What happened?”
“Ah tripped o’er a bit ae straw and a hen kicked me.”
Like Gucci and Smith before him, his features hidnae really changed aw that much, other than being taller and hivving transformed fae being a skinny gangly teenager intae whit appeared tae be a fit young man behind the stiffness ae his injuries. His short red hair and the splash ae freckles across the bridge ae his nose wur as she remembered. Efter the face-tae-face wae his pal, Gucci, Fanny hid considered cancelling the meeting wae him, bit she’d left it too late. By the time she’d made up her mind, the security escort officer hid popped his heid roond the door tae tell her he hid Taylor in tow ootside in the corridor.
“Can I get you anything? A glass of water perhaps?”
“Ah’m fine.”
“I don’t know if you remember, but we met when I worked in Thistle Park.”
“Aye, Ah remember ye.”
“Johnboy, I’m here to try and help inmates in any way I can. That could be anything from contacting their family on their behalf to assisting with letter writing if they have a problem in reading or writing. I see from your file that your mother, Helen, unfortunately passed away a few years ago, but that your father is still alive. I also see that you have three sisters and a brother. Do you still keep in contact with them?”
“Naw.”
“Is there any particular reason for that?”
“No really.”
“You probably won’t know this, but my brother, who was a Church of Scotland minister in Springburn, along with my sister-in-law, Susan, helped out on your mother’s campaign to get her elected as a city councillor.”
Silence.
“The sudden death of your mother must have been a terrible shock to you and your family. I know the whole community was devastated. They say time heals, but I want you to know that I’m here, should you ever need anyone to talk to or confide in,” Fanny said, taken aback by the sudden look ae horror oan the inmate’s face. “I’m sorry, but have I said something wrong?”
“Ah don’t want tae be cheeky, bit ye’re probably the last person Ah’d want tae talk tae,” he replied, sounding genuinely surprised that somewan like her hid the audacity tae offer help tae somewan like him.
“Oh, er, I’m sorry you feel that way.”
“Don’t take it personally.”
“Is there any particular reason why you would not want to talk to, er, someone like me?”
“Is there any particular reason why Ah wid?”
“Well, as I’ve said, I’m genuinely interested in trying to help you, or any other inmate, as far as I’m permitted to, whilst they serve their time down here in Dumfries. You may not need anything just now, but please feel free to contact me should anything come up.”
“Fine,” he replied, struggling tae his feet.
Fanny sat staring at the door efter Taylor hobbled oot. She’d been dreading meeting Tony Gucci, Samuel Smith and Johnboy Taylor…the Thistle Park boys. The other two, Johnston and McCabe, hid been fine, even pleasant tae her. She knew it could’ve been worse. Smith…Silent…the quiet wan, hid left her shaken. His blond hair and saft baby-face wur misleading and seemed tae her tae be masking something dreadful, although she wisnae entirely sure whit that could be. When Fanny hid looked intae his grey, sad, wide eyes, they’d appeared totally vacant. They reminded her ae the shocked, bewildered look oan the faces ae the young children who’d been caught up in the shelling or bombing ae the Vietnamese
villages that filled the news reports maist nights. It hid been like peering intae some deep, strange, forbidding void that lead somewhere that nowan hid been before, at least no fur a long time. She shuddered. The eyes hidnae come across as being cruel or angry, in fact, jist the opposite. Whit she thought she saw, fur a fleeting moment, hid gied her a strange sense that a child wis still trapped somewhere, deep inside, struggling, bit failing tae find a way hame. And whit did he mean when he said that the best feeling wis nae feeling? She reached across and straightened the files oan her desk, placing her pencil, wae the sharp pointed lead end in a parallel position beside the other two awready sitting there. She recognised her need tae fuss. It wis her way ae trying tae collect her thoughts. She knew Tony Gucci hid let her aff lightly. He could’ve challenged her mair than he hid. She wondered why he hidnae pressed hame his advantage. She wisnae sure if he’d been playing wae her, bit he’d certainly demonstrated and displayed the cunningness that wis amply highlighted throughoot his whole case file. Gucci hidnae gone oot ae his way tae protect any ae the other three, bit hid made it plain that Samuel Smith wis oot ae bounds. Why? Wis he protecting Smith, the way a parent protects a child or wis there something mair sinister? Surely, even he could see that Samuel Smith wis a very disturbed young man. Gucci’s analogy, if that’s whit is wis…his use ae words, regarding backing aff fae people who didnae believe in Father Christmas, or Santa Claus, hid thrown her. It hid only been efter Johnboy Taylor hid vacated the seat in front ae her, that she’d hid a proper chance tae try tae come tae terms wae whit it wis that he wis actually saying. Gucci clearly believed that any attempt tae rehabilitate inmates, any inmate, wis aboot those in power, people like her, taking advantage ae a prisoner’s supposed naivety and vulnerability by duping them intae believing that if they conformed, they could change their lives fur the better. Fanny reached across and teased wan ae the pencil points ever so slightly forward wae the back ae her finger nail. She peered, satisfied, and rubbed her eyes wae the knuckles ae baith hauns. Why wur these particular interviews, these inmates, getting under her skin? She’d been at the receiving end ae much worse since coming tae Dumfries. In 1968, she’d been sitting oan the same side ae the desk as she’d been today. Gucci and his little band ae enthusiastic followers hid been well oan the road tae a life ae crime long before she’d met up wae them. Despite whit Gucci hid claimed, there hid been dedicated people aroond at the time, her included, making a serious attempt tae turn roond the lives ae the young people in their charge. Re-offending statistics amongst their age group in 1968, although high, still produced some successes, she remembered. Although she didnae want tae admit it, Gucci’s warped pontificating oan success and failure hid hit hame. Hid she learned fae her failures? Hid she failed these boys? Is that why she wis feeling the way she wis? It hid only been since Gucci, Smith and Taylor hid appeared in Dumfries that she’d started questioning her ability tae effect positive change in inmates’ lives. Gucci, Smith and Taylor wur no the only boys in Dumfries that hid been in Thistle Park at the same time that she’d been working there. The day efter she’d started working in Dumfries, an inmate hid telt her that he remembered her fae Thistle Park, though she couldnae place his face. She wis sure there wid’ve been others, so why wur these particular YOs any different? She didnae want tae admit it, bit the biggest disappointment ae the day hid been Johnboy Taylor. She remembered that it wis him that hid bridged the gap between her and Tony Gucci when she’d attempted tae work wae the boys back in Thistle Park. Back then, Taylor hid come across as chirpy and hid seemed totally oblivious tae the challenges that aw the boys in the school at the time hid faced. She remembered laughing, alang wae the staff in the common room in Thistle Park, when wan ae them commented that Taylor wis in fur a shock when he woke up and found oot that he wisnae oan his holidays. She also remembered that it wis his file, oot ae aw the boys fae the Toonheid and the Garngad areas ae Glesga, that hid suggested rehabilitation as a possibility. She glanced at the names oan the spines ae the neat stack ae files. Anthony Gucci. An IQ ae wan hunner and forty four. In percentile terms, he wis in the tap wan percent ae the population who’d qualify as a genius in any other profession if ye took him oot ae the wan he wis currently engaged in. Doctor Henderson, who’d written the maist recent psychiatrist’s report, interviewing Gucci straight efter he wis convicted, stated that while Gucci easily displayed emotion and charm and could be perceived by some as gifted, charming and charismatic, he wis in fact vicious, manipulative and resentful ae those who he deemed tae be in positions ae power o’er him. Doctor Henderson also wrote that if Gucci ever felt that he’d been slighted, he wid stoap at nothing tae seek revenge oan that person, irrespective ae who they wur. The assessment pointed oot that Gucci wis a compulsive risk-taker and wid resort tae violence as a means tae an end, withoot ever questioning his ain or the violent actions ae those aroond aboot him. Doctor Henderson wrote that Gucci wis a gifted liar and hid demonstrated this oan every subject, however superficial, he’d questioned him oan. He’d diagnosed Gucci as being extremely dangerous and displaying aw the hallmarks ae somewan wae Dangerous Severe Antisocial Personality Disorder, lacking any moral compass, a diagnosis and description Fanny hidnae come across before. Ominously, Doctor Henderson hid written that in the absence ae any compulsory detention orders under the Mental Health Act, prison staff, wherever Gucci wis incarcerated, should be warned and constantly reminded tae take aw necessary precautions wae regard tae no only their ain personal safety, bit tae those inmates in their charge as well.
