“What about big Tam Bryant John, eh?” said Davy as Sean sighed, having heard the story before. He took a sly bump of the preemo to prepare himself as his attention wandered across the room to the stripper.
“What a fuckin way tae announce masel that was by the way! I’d been in the joint what a few weeks at that point John eh?”
“Aboot that aye.”
“So anyway, am an Edinburgh boy, an ye can imagine the talk when Ah touch down eh? That’s that cunt fae Edinburgh that done the bank, swaggerin aboot thinkin he’s a big shot, wae a fuckin target oan ma heed bigger than the one oan ma erse. An believe me that place was scary enough for a Glesgae guy that wisnae connected but Edinburgh born an bred? So there’s this big bastard in there, name wis Tam Bryant. Tam was a very well known cunt in Glesgae in the Sixties an Seventies eh, used tae run wae the Tongs, well known street gang in Glesgae at that time, right violent bastards so they were. Tam wis daein a life sentence fer murder. Nae cunt al go near um eh, Ah’m tellin ye this cunt wis aboot six foot five and wide as a bus, wae a reputation fer pinnin folk doon by the throats an rapin thum in their cells, forcin thum tae watch is big gruesome face while he done it. Big ugly bastard, foul lookin. So, I’ve been in there a couple ay weeks, an this big cunt’s been makin serious eyes at me, every opportunity he gets.” Davy shrugged his shoulders before continuing.
“Ah mean who can blame um eh? Am a handsome man after all. So one efternoon there’s a few ay us playin pool, an big Tam Bryant’s sittin oan a bench wae these two wee arse bandits he wis always wae, an Ah comes swaggerin through. Now I’ve walked past um, stopped fer a couple ay seconds, looked right at Tam, an gave um a big smile eh. An jist tae hammer the point hame, Ah’ve blew a big kiss at um eh! Big bastard thinks is lucks right in! So, on Ah’ve go’s, walkin roond the corner, fuckin shiftin ma erse fae side tae side an that, lookin over ma shoulder as Ah dae it, an he’s in a trance followin me. Clocked John an his mob an their just starin on thinkin what the fucks gaun oan here? So in Ah go tae ma cell, leavin the door open behind me, an obviously he follows me right in. Next thing Ah’ve bent right over, an what dae Ah dae next?”
“Ye took it up the erse?” Said Dougie. Davy paused his story as he waited for the laughter to stop.
“Naw, wee bro. Thanks fer fuckin ma story when am in full flow by the way. Naw, Ah pulls oot a big screwdriver fae behind ma sock, turnt aroond an plugged um as hard as he could RIGHT IN THE FUCKIN SIDE! An believe me he’s let out the loudest fuckin scream. Next thing ye know am pluggin um tae fuck in the heid, in his fuckin BACK! In is FUCKIN LEGS! Ah mean he’s tryin tae escape this fuckin cell, an Am like a man possessed by now, full on black out. Big huge man wae a reputation ye wouldnae believe, reduced tae a bubblin bairn by a guy half is size! Aboot five screws come boltin along – dae ye think ah stops there? Dae ah FUCK! Am swingin at the screws man, full on tryin tae stab thum. Eventually they’ve got a hud ay me. An that’s when John an is boys have got ower excited an came steamin roond the corner, all of us against the screws, while big Tam Bryant crawls off intae a corner bleedin like FUCK! Fuckin madness so it wis. Now Ah wisnae daft wae that move. Every cunt hated that bastard. An Ah took um out the game.
“We welcomed Davy like one of our own after that.”
“Ah tell ye what, see this younger generation. Like ma son here. Wouldnae last five minutes in there let alone fourteen year! The 87 riots John eh? Fuck me. Too soft these young pups. Here’s tae the future though boys eh! Raise yer bloody glasses! Ah’m a changed man. Reformed, strictly oan the straight and narrow, nae mair fuckin aboot. Need tae get masel a decent joab, mibbe become a postie who knows.”
“You serious?” said Bob Callum.
“Aw aye, definitely.” Davy smiled as he knocked back his nip. “April first is still well over a month away you doss, fat cunt! Ha, ha, ha!” He slammed the empty shot glass down on the bar as he wiped his lips, still laughing. “Trust Big Bobby the Bampot tae take the bait eh? Knew one ay you reprobates would!”
“First thing we’ll need tae do is get ye a new wardrobe, faither, fuck. It’s no the Seventies any mair,” said Sean, pointing at Davy’s shining grey suit.
“This is Saville Row, smart arse. And the Seventies will dae me just fine. Speakin of which, what’s this shite?” Davy screwed up his face and pointed toward the speakers, as Michael Hutchence sang about two worlds colliding.
“No got any ay the Kinks, John? The Who? Even the Pistols are better than that shite.”
“Bet you’ve dealt wae a few sex pistols the last few year right enough. Ah’m no buyin yer patter,” said Dougie, grinning.
“Less ay it, little brother. Where are the women anyway, all jokin aside? Expected mair than that. Had nothin but bloody magazines tae keep me company aw these years, an no a hairy in sight fer fuck sake.”
“All in good time David, all in good time. Anywey they’re no aw hairies anymair Ah’ll have ye know. Some ay thum like a good auld shave down there nowadays, no like your time,” said John, smirking.
“Anywey, see this wee brother ay mine? Tubs Ah used tae call um. Used tae greet when Ah called ye that eh? Used tae greet yer fuckin eyes oot. Aw they years ago. Eh Tubs? Fuckin waste ay time playin hide an seek wae this cunt!”
Dougie glared at Davy. “Aye well, a lot’s changed since they days eh.”
“Aye you’re no jokin. Ah’ve been stuck in a cell stewin away fer the last fourteen year while you’ve coined it in eh?”
An uncomfortable silence descended. Time for another bump, Sean thought to himself, slipping it slyly from his backtail, feeling the unease in the air. “Aye well that’s no ma fuckin fault. Wasnae me that got caught.”
“Never said it wis your fault. All Ah’m sayin little brother...”
“It’s Dougie, call me Dougie, David eh? Ah know we’re brothers but ye dinnae need tae say it in that sarcastic fuckin tone like its some sortae secret joke that Ah’m no in on.”
“All Ah’m sayin, Dougie, is that maybe you’re due me a favour or two eh. Ah’ve done a lot ay time fer this family, dinnae go fergettin that.”
“Fuckin airin shite in front ay everyone. Have a bit dignity fer fuck sake. Has the joint robbed ye of it?”
“Come oan guys eh take it easy,” said Bob.
“Hey, fat cunt! Keep yer fat nose ootae this! It’s family business awright?”
“Cunt’s gonnae find it hard tae keep is nose oot when ye go airin it in front of a room full ay people,” said Dougie, pouring himself another nip.
“Awright, awright, keep yer hair oan. Jist noisin ye up anyway. This is a special occasion after all. Ma HOMECOMING!”
The conversation slowly resumed and Sean felt his nerves settling as the coke took a hold of him again. He tried to engage his Dad in some banter to take his mind off things, but it was a lost cause. He could see the muscles continually tightening and releasing in his face and knew he would hold onto this beef like a dog with a bone until Dougie had done right by him in his eyes.
Sean went into his back pocket for the umpteenth time that day, but as he did so a pint glass came flying off the bar, shattering across the dance floor. His Dad was now screaming his lungs out like a man possessed, trying to muscle his way through the cluster of bodies to Dougie.
“Ah’ve been earnin favours fer fourteen fuckin year you fuckin ungrateful BASTARD!! Who helped set ye up fae his jail cell!? ME! Half that business is mine an you FUCKIN KNOW IT.”
Dougie smiled and shook his head as he dropped a smoking cigarette butt on the floor. “What did Ah say? Where’s the fuckin dignity eh? Rantin an ravin like a fuckin loony tune. Ken what? Let um fuckin go boys. Ah’ll fuckin slap some fuckin dignity intae um! We’re no wee laddies anymair. Ah’m the one that hands oot the spankins now! If you’d been mair careful back in the day ye wouldnae huv ended up in that mess!”
Davy pointed a long finger back at Dougie through the crowd as he attempted to regain some composure. “Least Ah was there! Mannin the job while you sat at
hame countin yer fuckin money, ya greedy, power hungry bastard! We shouldae both gone down ya bastard!”
“It’s aw comin oot now eh? Been holdin ontae this aw they years? It’s me who's kept our firm strong the last ten fuckin year, through thick an thin! You would’ve run it intae the fuckin ground!”
John had seen enough. He stepped in between the warring family members, as Sean felt his heart beating at an unhealthy pace, and shouted with a booming tone, “ENOUGH! It ends here! Whatever family issues you two have ye can deal wae thum out in the car park if ye need tae. Ah’m no havin it in this place. If ye wantae scrap, take it tae the fuckin street!”
As Dougie made for the door, Sean attempted to stand in his way. “Uncle Dougie, come on, eh? Dad!”
Sean turned just as Davy bumped into a curly blonde haired dancer who was headed inside the club. She couldn’t have been older than twenty-three, stunning, with a tight ass that poked out beneath a black skirt that was almost as small as a belt, revealing a leopard print thong that had Sean gaping. God only knew what she looked like to his Dad after fourteen years inside. Within seconds Davy was speechless, all bluster and bravado gone as his eyes began wandering slowly downward toward the v neck collar of a white T-shirt that hid what looked like the most petite and perfect pair of breasts. Sean felt his jangling nerves calming again as his father just stood there, staring.
Meanwhile, Dougie had already wandered back toward the bar. “Away an blow off some steam, ya crazy old bastard ye.”
20
Billy could feel the grin planted on his face like concrete as he lay back in his bed and accepted the joint back from Lyndsay. He had managed to get a nice rare bit of quality grass through Joe. A refreshing change from solid, and night and day compared to the usual home grown shite that periodically did the rounds, full of sticks and seeds that snapped crackled and popped when you smoked them.
“Nice stuff.” She said in between giggles.
“How would you know? This no your first time? Wis surprised ye were so keen.” He said smirking.
“Och, Billy. I’m not a complete straight peg. I have had it before you know. On a number of occasions.”
“Ooooooh!” He said poking her in the side feeding off her giggles. The revelation that she was into a smoke had taken him by surprise after weeks of going steady. He hadn’t been aware posh birds took drugs even if it was just a smoke. What’s more he had been at such pains to conceal his criminal nature that it hadn’t exactly been at the forefront of conversation up till now.
“Wouldn’t touch anything else.”
“Aw naw. Me neither,” said Billy, bullshitting through his teeth as he took another long drag and passed it back. “Just a smoke an that’s it, eh.”
“Some of the girls at Mary Erskines are going on about trying ecstasy.”
Billy coughed and spluttered before scrambling to regain his composure.
“Must have gone doon the wrong hole, eh.” She continued.
“One of them can kill you, you know.”
“One wee pill?”
“Aye. Swells your brain, you pass out, go into a coma, then die. Not a nice way to go.”
“Fuck me! Can we change the subject please darlin? Talk about heavy,” Billy said before leaning over her and turning the volume up on the ghettoblaster that was blaring out Bob Marley, I wanna love you.
The music whisked him up to his feet, and before he knew it he was dancing around his bedroom to Bob Marley in a pair of Y fronts. Within seconds the gruesome prospect of dying after taking an eccie evaporated, as Lyndsay ended herself in tears of laughter whilst Billy swayed to the rhythm, occasionally thrusting his crotch in her direction, a maneuver that was sending her laughter into the realms of the uncontrollable.
Is this...
Was it love? Billy asked himself the question as he danced around the room idiotically for Lyndsay’s amusement. It was something he had never really experienced, not this kind anyway. Sure, he felt a level of brotherly love for his muckers that would occasionally bear its head when they were off their tits. He was pretty sure he loved his Mum to some degree, even if it was diminished considerably by the way in which she had turned a blind eye on so many occasions to Jack’s brutality growing up, but love for a lassy? Hadn’t felt anything close until now. For him to be making an absolute cunt of himself in this fashion for the sole purpose of bringing enjoyment to another person, certainly suggested strong feelings were at play. It all felt such a welcome break. It was tiresome having to keep up that hard front all the time, it was a strain just on the facial muscles having to bear that anger 24 7. Felt like such a release to just let it all drop. To act and feel normal, and content, even if there was still a certain level of deception involved.
Suddenly there was a banging on the flat door.
Fuck sake...
He snatched the joint from Lyndsay and stubbed it out in the ashtray, catching a look of alarm on her face as he did. He dragged a t shirt over his head and pulled on his trackie bottoms, as Lyndsay pulled on her jumper.
“Are you alright?”
“Am fine. Jist gonnae go an check who it is darlin, awright?” He said, trying to keep his cool, conscious of how much he was unsettling her.
“Who is it?” said Billy at the door, thinking once again that he needed to get that spyhole sorted.
“I have came to repossess your grass.” Billy shook his head before opening up the door to the sight of Joe doubled over in the stairway.
“Fuck sake Joe, ye ken no tae just come bangin on the door like that. Phone ahead first, how many times dae Ah huv tae say it?”
“Awright, awright ya cunt,” he said wiping the tears away from his red eyes.
“Look Ah’ve got company. What ye wantin?”
“Company aye? You got a wee birdie in there? Sly bastard! Kept that quiet likes!”
“Aye, aye. What ye wantin Joe?”
“Got some good news mate. Had tae come an tell ye in person.”
“What?”
“Boy fae ma college class Ah got the grass fae. Ah had a word wae um like ye asked, an guess what? He’s got a line on some pure bangin ecstasy mate! Loads of it comin up fae down south, best stuff goin...”
“Fuckin keep it doon ya cunt! Wee bit discreteness eh?”
“Awright, awright. Gonnae meet um after is college class the morn, ye free?”
“Aye. Aye al be there. Anythin else?” said Billy as Joe crossed his arms and offered his best hurt wee boy look, his mouth gaping open beneath that massive beak.
“Am Ah no gettin introduced, nut? Look, the main reason Ah came roond is am all oot mate. Any chance ay a toke? Yer flats stinkin.” Billy sighed.
“In ye git then. But 5 minutes that’s it.”
Joe snatched the last part of the joint from the ashtray and lit it before collapsing back into a chair as Lyndsay sat up on the edge of the bed.
“I was beginning to wonder if he had any friends,” joked Lyndsay.
“Ye ashamed ay us or somethin mate? Haha.”
“This is Joe. Joe, Lyndsay.”
“Hi Joe.”
“What attracted ye tae this nutball then?”
“His dashing looks and great sense of humour probably had something to do with it.” Billy felt his face tinge as she flung an arm around his neck. “Aww. He’s all embarrassed, look.”
“Billy, embarrassed? No chance, ha. Never known Billy “Curtains” Wright tae be embarrassed. Wait till ye get tae ken um hen.”
“That right? Go on, dish the dirt then.”
Billy’s face began to burn as his heart raced. Joe grinned, looking like he was tempted before one raised eyebrow and a searing glare from Billy clearly forced some second thoughts.
“Ma lips are sealed. Gees the stuff fer skinnin up then an I’ll make a stick.”
To Billy’s relief Joe departed as soon as the roach was stubbed out. The moment he closed the door, he turned to the sight of Lyndsay standing there in the hallway, her arms crossed, fix
ing a determined stare on him that made him sweat again.
“Why do I get the feeling there’s things you’re hiding from me?”
“Donno, why would you get that feeling?” He edged past her, ignoring her stare, and then fell back onto his bed.
“Wantae watch a video?”
“Come on Billy don’t change the subject. You got really uncomfortable when he made that comment about dishing the dirt, and before that I could hear some kind of shady dealings going on at the door. Every time I try to talk about you, what you do, your background, you clam up and start changing the subject. Why?”
“Yer imaginin things Lyndse. Honestly. Nowt tae hide here...”
“Okay. Well, you say you work in construction. What kind of construction I have no idea, you never go into details.”
“Why would Ah? It’s borin shit, why would Ah wantae talk about work? Dae you go intae details about what ye dae at Jenners? Naw, cause it’s pointless shit that neither of us wantae talk about.”
“Fair enough. But then why would you need this?” His heart sank as she lifted the giro slip in the air. Mortification turned to rage.
“What the fuck!? Snoopin round ma room now?”
“It was lying on the floor Billy...”
“Am no carin! Still lookin fer stuff! Fuckin investigatin me!”
“Okay, fine! I’ve found it. Care to explain why you’ve been lying to me?”
Pure Angst Page 10
