Fresh (6 page)

Frozen was as cold as sunrise in the prairie. The frost-white American flatlands going on for ever. On it stands a yellow farmhouse with a yard and a barn. They’re big buildings made out of wood. At this time of the morning there’s nothing much happening. The homesteader got up before dawn. He put his dungarees on and came stretching into the kitchen. He made himself a coffee and ate some sort of corn-based bread product. He put the dishes in the sink for his wife and went out to check the fields. The sky was just turning blue, waiting for the sun that would thaw the earth. Clouds of smoke left his mouth as he scanned his kingdom. He didn’t see any outlaws. Just the new telegraph line disappearing into the expanse. He adjusted his hat and crossed the yard. The cold bit into his ears and nose. His boots rattled on the hard ground. He entered the barn. Frost sparkled on the walls and floor. In the distance he could see blue images of men bent over cardboard boxes. He could hear forklifts beep beep beep before they appeared behind flashing amber lights. He blew hot steam into his hands and clapped and rubbed them together. He
called Sammy and one of the blurred forms stood up and walked towards him.

Alright wee man? How ye doin?

Sean banged his hands together.

It’s fuckin cold in here eh?

Sammy rubbed his red nose.

Aye pal. What are ye after?

Sean looked up and down Frozen.

Four packets of Golden Virginia.

Gie’s a score.

Him on the market will gie me five packets for that.

Sammy’s eyes narrowed.

Well go to him then.

Sean kicked at a bit of frozen chicken fat stuck to the floor.

Ah would but Ah thought as yer Archie’s pal and that Ah could do worse.

Sammy laughed.

Yer as bad as him. Gie me twenty quid and Ah’ll gie ye five packets.

Ah want some bevvy as well.

What are ye after?

Two bottles of Smirnoff.

Cost ye another tenner.

Ah’ll gie ye a fiver.

Sammy growled.

Yer bein fuckin cheeky now.

Alright. Ah’m only messin. Tenner it is.

Gies the money then and Ah’ll sort out yer stuff in the canteen at dinner time. Ye’ll be able to slip it straight into yer bag.

Sean pulled three ten-pound notes out his pocket and held them out. Sammy looked up and down the warehouse before he took them.

So, are ye lookin forward to the night? said Sammy.

What, to another night in front of the telly?

Are ye no havin a wee celebration drink with me and Archie?

What are ye on about?

He’s out the day.

Sean’s reply was drowned by the beeping of an approaching forklift. They had to squeeze against the side of the wall to let it past. The driver gave Sammy the fingers and winked at Sean. Sammy said what in a hot spray into Sean’s ear. Sean pulled his face away from the smell of Golden Virginia and bad teeth and saw the red skin eating into Sammy’s silver earring. Sean leaned on the wall.

The day?

Sammy laughed at the good news he was passing on.

Bet ye cannay wait to see him eh?

Aye it’s goin to be some night.

Sammy gave Sean a quizzical look.

Ah thought ye’d be pleased.

Sean tried to look pleased.

Aye Ah am.

Ye don’t look it wee man.

Sean nodded.

Ah am. Ah’m just shocked. That’s all. Ah thought he wasnay out till July.

Aye well he’s out the day.

How come?

The jammy cunt got six months knocked off coz he agreed to come out on a tag.

But he never telt me when Ah spoke to him at Christmas.

Must’ve been wantin to surprise ye.

He’s full of surprises.

Sammy nodded with a smile.

He is that.

So when are we expecting him?

Sammy looked at his watch.

His train’ll be leavin Edinburgh any time now.

That’s magic. So Ah’ll be seein him the night.

Ye’ll be seein him before that.

How come?

He telt me yeez have got a wee bit of business to catch up with before he does anythin.

Aye well he knows where Ah live.

He does that alright.

Sean pushed himself off the wall.

Right, Ah better get back to work.

Aye. Ah’ll see ye in the canteen.

Sammy.

Aye son.

Ah’ve no got a fag to my name. Could ye spare me a couple till later?

Sammy pulled out a packet of tailor-mades. Sean took two. He put one in his mouth and the other behind his ear and pushed through the plastic curtains into the corridor. He couldn’t face another walk through Portions. He decided to nip out the fire door so he could have a smoke and a think in the fresh air. The
alarm had been fucked for weeks so nobody would know.

He pushed the bars on the door and flinched as the sun hit him. It was like opening the curtains on a whisky hangover. He trudged through the snow to a sheltered bit beneath an overhanging roof. He leaned against the wall with his wrist over his eyes. He lit his fag and looked at bits of plastic bag caught in the barbed wire fence. Cigarette ends lay at his feet. Steam leaked from pipes and dripping condensation eroded holes in the snow. His shoulders fell deeper into the wall with every suck on his cigarette. Archie’s out today.

Ah’m fucked.

Archie’ll have a clear plastic bag with HMP wrote on it and a travel warrant in his back pocket. He’ll be standing on the platform at Waverley looking like some class of outlaw from the cowboy films. One of them guys that’s going to rape loads of women and kill loads of men before him and the good guy have a gun battle at the end. And then he goes down. He bucks with every bullet hit, drops his gun as he falls to the floor, and curses the world before he dies.

Archie waits for the next train to Glasgow. And here it comes, gliding into the station, stopping with a squeak beside him. He looks up at the castle and steps into a carriage. He swings his bag in front of him as he makes his way between the seats. He finds an empty one facing forward with a big table to put his stuff on. The train leaves with a shudder and Archie tells the guy across the corridor to look after his bag while he goes to the buffet for a beer. He comes back and sits down and
lights up a fag. As they fly westward he looks out the window and plans what he’s going to do with his money.

Fuck sake.

Archie’ll turn up with a thirst that would choke a horse. He’ll want to stay. He’ll want his money. They’ll be junkies phoning the house every five minutes looking for him. Lassies phoning up claiming they’re pregnant by him. The polis trying to do Sean for conspiracy so he’ll grass Archie up. Old pals from the jail turning up looking for a bed for the night. Maggie’ll be telling Sean to tell Archie to leave.

Jesus Christ.

A robin landed on a fence post and looked at him. Its tail twitched and it took its weight on and off its skinny little legs. It rubbed its beak on the post, had a last look at Sean, and flew off to the woods or somewhere.

When Archie came out of Glenochil he was full of ideas. He telt me life in Royston was shite and we didnay need to put up with it. We could fuckin do anythin. We just needed to want it enough. He telt me the guys in the jail had showed him how to do all sorts of useful stuff like sortin car alarms so ye could steal a better class of motor. And how to get DVLA documents so ye could sell the cunt instead of just drivin it about for a night or two. It sounded impressive to me.

Ah loved bein Archie’s brother then. Ah’d get wee
bits of hash for nothin. The odd coupla pound. Sometimes Ah’d go into school and older lads would gie me fags. But the best was when he came down to the youth club with Sammy and telt me and Gambo about his exploits. It sounded like the sort of life Ah wanted. He held his fist up when he telt us about this university lassie he’d gave a bit of rough to. We looked at each other and nodded. Archie said he done things her usual boyfriends wouldnay even think about. Then he pulled fifty quid from his pocket and telt us the students were loaded. They would appear from all over the country. From nice families where the da’s a lawyer and the ma’s a teacher. They would want to experience a bit of the big city. Maybe even get a wee bit of draw. Thing is they were too feart to nip down to Possil to get it themselves. So that’s where Ah come in.

We looked at each other and nodded. Then he gave us a pound and telt us we’d seen nothin. Ah said Aye and Gambo looked at them with his mouth open. Archie said he was off and Sammy followed him out of the door. Yer brother’s mental said Gambo when they’d left. Ah winked at him and said yer fuckin right he is. Ah was proud as fuck.

Most nights Archie would get his dinner and disappear. Ah’d have to leave the window open for him and Ah’d only know he’d came home coz he was in the bed in the mornin. Sometimes there would be videos or stereos in the room. Once he came in and Ah was lookin at a video Ah’d found under the bed. Ah didnay notice him comin in and he gave me a hard punch on the top of the head. It was fuckin agony. Then he telt
me it was for my own good coz if the polis were to find my dabs on the video Ah’d go to the jail. And he didnay think Ah could handle the jail. And what if Albert had came in? he said, and gave me another dig.

My uncle said he should get his head out his arse and get a job. Archie telt him workin was for mugs. Albert soon got sick of comin home from work with Archie still in his bed.

Ah came back from school one afternoon and bumped into Sammy on his way to get Archie. We went into the house and my uncle was sittin at the kitchen table with a can of beer in his hand. Ye could tell he’d had a hard day in the factory coz he had that get out my sight look in his eyes. Sammy said hiya and Albert grunted. Sammy looked at me with a frown but Ah just looked away.

Then Archie came into the kitchen. His hair was all over the place and he was rubbin his eyes. He asked my auntie Jessie to make him a cup of tea. A cup of fuckin tea shouted my uncle. Sammy backed towards the kitchen door. So did Ah. Last thing Ah wanted was a right-hander off my uncle when he had a drink in him. But Archie wasnay feart. He walked over to my uncle and stood in front of him starin right into his eyes. Albert went to hit him but Archie had learned a trick or two in the jail. It was fuckin horrible. They ended up rollin around on the kitchen floor knockin lumps out of each other. The table and chairs got scattered everywhere. Albert started to get the better of him and was puttin the boot in till my auntie screamed for him to stop and dragged him back. Archie stood up and limped to the kitchen door. Then he turned
round and pointed. Ah’ll beat ye the next time ya old bastard. He nodded at Sammy and the two of them left the house. Albert rubbed his bloody nose and telt me and my auntie Jessie never to let that ungrateful wee cunt back in the house.

Sean took a last puff on his fag and dropped it at his feet. He stood on it and walked round the walls and into the factory at the loading bay.

He nipped into Rab’s shed. Rab was still sitting reading a magazine. He looked up and laughed.

Back again. D’ye want a look at my scud book?

No Ah want to use the phone.

Rab pointed to the phone on his desk.

Go ahead.

Sean hesitated.

But it’s a private call.

Rab picked his fags off the desk. He nodded at the phone.

Right, Ah’m goin for a smoke. Knock yerself out.

Sean picked up the phone and dialled the number.

Clydesdale Bank. Anna speaking.

Hello. Can Ah speak to the manager?

Have you got an account here?

Aye.

Could I have your details?

Sean gave them to her. She told him to hold. Sean waited.

I’m afraid he’s busy at the moment. Could I take a message?

Ah need to see him. It’s urgent.

Hang on.

Sean waited again. She came back on.

The manager is very busy Mr O’Grady. You could come into the branch to see his assistant Mr Mulvey.

When?

Ten past ten?

Nice one doll. Ah’ll see ye then.

Sean left the shed and called to Rab.

Cheers son.

No bother Sean. Ah’ll see ye at break.

Sean hurried through Fresh. A quick nod to George and he was up the stairs and into the Junction. The white cap had a bit of a sweat on but he was coping alright. Sean tapped his shoulder.

Cheers son.

The boy left and Sean attacked the chickens that were falling on his conveyor belt. He had timed it just right. They were reaching their mid-morning crescendo. Sean got into them two-handed. As his right hung a chicken on a hook, his left grabbed another.

The machine clicked and hissed faster and faster. Sean focused on the piles of chickens clogging up his station. He felt like someone had placed the weight of all the chickens in all the world on his back. He felt like an old man. He could see what was in store for him.

An eternity of this fuckin shite.

Chickens piled on his station like debts. They reached the edge of the belt and even started falling on the floor.
He sucked the stink through his nose and attacked the pile. He pulled them out with such force he could feel the hips dislocating.

Come here ya bastards.

He sweated and puffed as he faced the landslide of chickens. He would be buried and it would take the pit rescue blokes three weeks to pull his dead body from the rotten pile. Neighbours and relatives would gather by the factory doors leaving wreath after wreath to the memory of a crushed hero. There would be cameras from the BBC and a wee honey that used to work on the weather telling the country about the size of the catastrophe. Mr O’Grady lived in Royston. He leaves a distraught wife and a daughter. He’ll be missed.

Did ye get the baccy?

Ah’m pickin it up in the canteen at break.

Albert leaned on a post next to Sean’s station.

So what was Sammy sayin to it?

Ye know what he’s like.

Aye, full of shite.

He keeps ye gassin for ever.

About fuck-all Ah bet ye.

Sean looked up.

He telt me Archie was out the day.

Albert didn’t say anything.

Did ye hear me?

Aye. How come we don’t know about it?

Exactly.

Ye think the boy would tell his family first so we could get ready for him.

Aye Ah know.

Albert smiled.

But maybe he wanted to surprise us.

Sean never said anything.

Are ye alright? said Albert.

Sean nodded and looked at the floor.

There’s somethin up. Ah can tell.

Sean pulled himself upright and had a deep breath.

It’s eh –

What?

Sean breathed out.

Ah, nothin.

What’s the matter with ye?

Sean stared at the floor

Never mind.

Ah’m no such an old cunt Ah wouldnay help my favourite nephew.

Ah know. It’s just –

Albert put his hand on Sean’s shoulder.

What’s up?

Don’t worry about it.

Come on son. A problem shared is a problem halved.

Sean pulled away from Albert.

Aye right.

Albert gave Sean his fuck ye look.

Don’t say Ah didnay try.

Ah’d never say that. Yer tryin alright.

Ha fuckin ha.

Sean rubbed his hands together.

Ah don’t know what’s happened to the break.

Albert gazed into the distance.

Aye. It’ll soon be time for a fried breakfast and a cup of tea.

Sean rubbed his belly.

Cannay wait.

We should get ready to go. Get down there at the top of the queue.

Ah’ll be gettin mine a bit after.

Why’s that?

Ah’ve got a wee bit of business to sort out before Ah can have my dinner.

George came in and told them they could go. Sean told Albert he’d see him in the canteen and ran for the stairs. He ran straight into the swarm at the door shouting make way for the Emperor. He pushed and jinked and excuse me’d until he was at the head of the crowd pouring into the canteen. He clocked Sammy in the corner booth with his arm up on the side, foot on the table, and a white cap retreating with a clinking plastic bag. As Sean got close to the table, Sammy took a draw on his roll-up and put his arm on the back of the chair where his punters sat. He nodded at Sean.

Alright? said Sean.

No bad.

Have ye got my stuff?

Sammy pulled a bag from under the table. Sean grabbed it and stood up.

Cheers Sammy Ah’ll see ye later.

Sean went through Fresh and into Packing. He found Rab in his shed with his head stuck in the same magazine.

Ya dirty wee bastard. Ye’ll go blind.

Rab jumped.

Fuck sake, Ah thought ye were George.

Sean held up his bag.

Will ye look after this for us?

Aye no bother.

Sean put it under Rab’s desk.

Cheers son. Help yerself to a wee drink of the voddy.

Ah’ll maybe just do that.

No too much but. Yer da’ll kill me if he catches ye.

Right.

Ah’ll get it off ye on the bus.

Sean left Packing and headed for the exit. He nodded to the security guard on the way out of the main gates. It was nice to get out of the stink and into the fresh country air. His appointment with the man at the Clydesdale was ten past ten. Five past now. Plenty of time. Sean liked this part of the town. The old houses with their thatched roofs. The black beams that crisscrossed the facias. The leaded windows. He could just imagine a horse and cart with a pile of rosy red apples in the back and a tasty country bit on the front seat. One of them fat lassies with red cheeks and a smile on her face. Maybe a front tooth missing so you know you’re in the old days. The clip clop echoing down the narrow street. Maybe a guy walking past with a scythe over his shoulder and a bit of straw hanging out of his mouth.

Sean spat onto the mucky snow at the side of the road. It was cold out. He bent forward into the wind and pulled the peak of his cap down over his forehead. Just as well he had his freezer jacket on. A pensioner struggled up the pavement with a bag full of shopping. Tears ran out of her eyes. Her shoes had a split in the side and she walked with a grimace.

He climbed the wide steps into the bank. Big white pillars framed the doorway. You could tell it used to be
a rich cunt’s house. Some guy that made a fortune in the tobacco game. Or maybe from weaving clothes for the army or the prison service. The autobank machine cut into the side of the wall gave the game away. They didn’t have them back then. Sean wondered if they made the hole special or they fitted it into a doorway. Or a window.

He went into the perfumed heat of the bank. There was a queue at the tellers but for once he didn’t have to wait in it. He went straight to the receptionist’s desk. An attractive lassie glanced up and looked down at him.

Can I help you?

Ah’ve come to see Mr Mulvey.

The receptionist had a good look at his fat-splattered overalls.

Take a seat and I’ll find out if he’s available.

He better be coz Ah’ve got an appointment.

Sean sat down and watched the receptionist get buzzed into the interior of the bank.

Huffy cow.

Sean took off his cap and picked bits of chicken from it. He rolled them up like snotters and flicked them on the carpet. Then he folded his cap up and squeezed it into his pocket. He picked at some bobbles on the chair. They came loose with a scratch.

A guy in a grey suit came out of the office.

Mr O’Grady?

Sean stood up and shook the outstretched hand.

Come through.

He followed Mulvey into his office.

What can I do for you?

Ah need a lend of some money.

Mulvey looked at Sean’s overalls.

Yes? And how much would you like to borrow?

Sean felt like a wee boy up in front of the head.

Seven hunner pound.

That’s a lot of money.

Well it’s what Ah need.

Indeed. And may I ask why you require the loan?

Why?

Yes Mr O’Grady. Why?

Sean looked at the carpet.

Ah want to buy a motor.

Mulvey frowned.

Loans for leisure purposes can be difficult to obtain. Sean fidgeted in his chair.

It’s no just leisure. Ah’ll use it to get to work and back.

Mulvey tapped his teeth with his pen.

I’ll just consult the branch manager.

Mulvey got up and left the office. Sean watched the clock click. It was warm in the office and he still had his freezer jacket on. He stretched his legs out. He sighed. He crossed his arms over his chest.

C’mon to fuck.

The clock clicked. He looked out the window. There was a walled garden with shrubs round the edge of a lawn. Someone had built a bird table in the middle of the lawn. It had a sack of nuts hanging from it. Sean watched the starlings grab bits of bread and fly off to little private dens for a quiet chew. A fat pigeon pecked the crumbs the starlings dropped on the lawn. Sean wondered if a cat
ever came in and caught one of the birds. Jumped up and batted it to the floor then sunk its teeth right into the back of the neck. A pile of feathers and bits of down and the carcass left lonely in the winter sun.

The night Archie crippled that skinhead was the same night Ah met Maggie. Gambo had asked if Ah wanted to go to the youth club disco with him. He said there would be lassies from all over and Ah had a chance of grabbin one of them. He came round mine that night and we were combin our hair in the livin room mirror when Archie said Ah couldnay pull in a barrel of fannies. My uncle Albert laughed. My auntie Jessie said they were bein disgustin and telt me to never mind them. Just go and enjoy yerself son. Aye go and enjoy yerself said Archie and nudged my uncle. They both laughed. Ah couldnay wait to get out the house.

We were walkin down Cadge Road and Gambo said c’mon Sean hurry up. Ah looked ahead and there was two lassies comin out a house. Gambo shouted Lizzie and they waited for us to catch up. Gambo fancied Lizzie and she fancied him so they walked on ahead and left me and Maggie to it. It was pretty handy coz Maggie was a wee honey, so she was.

When we got to the disco Maggie and her sister disappeared into the toilets. Gambo reckoned he was right in there. He asked me if Ah thought Ah had a chance with Maggie. Ah said Ah didnay know. He said he heard her
laugh when Ah was talkin to her and that was a good sign. We went to the bar and bought a can of Coke each and drunk some of it. Then Ah pulled a half bottle of voddy out my jacket and poured some into the cans. We leaned against the wall and watched what was goin on.

There was a gang of older guys from the school hangin about so Ah was a bit shy when Ah went to the toilet in case they followed me in and took my drink off me. One of them was a skinhead. He was bigger than the others and had the same dot on his face as Archie. Ah didnay want to look at him. Best thing Ah could do was stay out his way.

After a few swigs on the voddy but, Ah got a bit brave. Then next time Ah walked past the gang of them Ah looked the skin right in the eye. He drew his finger across his neck. Ah kept starin at him and made my eyes go cocked. He sprung towards me but his pals grabbed him and pulled him back.

When Ah got back to where Gambo was he called me a prick. Asked me what the fuck Ah thought Ah was doin. Said Ah was goin to get the pair of them a kickin. Ah telt him no to be a big woman then Ah went up to Maggie and asked her for a dance. She said aye and we had a wee jig. Then we went to the bar and Ah bought her a Coke. Ah offered her a bit of voddy. She had a wee bit but said she’d have to watch in case her dad smelt it coz he’d kill her.

Walk on the Wild Side came on and Ah asked her if she fancied it. We danced and Ah pushed my face against her head and smelled her hair. Ah pulled her close and she pushed her belly against me. We had a kiss and Ah
started to get a root so Ah pulled myself away from her and led her to the side of the hall. Ah looked at Gambo and winked.

Then Archie and Sammy turned up. They’d been on the glue and the youth club leader didnay want to let them in but he never had much choice. They started pogoin through the slow dances and pushin couples apart. Ah saw Sammy spittin on some lassie and pushin her boyfriend to the ground when he objected. There was an odd shoe lyin on the floor. Ah saw the guy behind the bar on the phone and Ah knew it was time to go, but with the skin and his pals about the place it was best for me to stay near Archie.

One of the skinhead’s pals pushed his way through the dancin and started fightin with Sammy. Next thing the skin and his other pal went for Archie. Ma brother was doin alright but. He put the skin’s pal down with a head-butt followed by a kick in the balls. But then the skin stroked him right on the jaw with a bottle. Archie bent over, holdin his bloody face. The skin kicked him one in the guts and Ah thought it was all over. So Ah ran in there but Ah got knocked over by a bang on the side of the head and ended up at the edge of the dance floor bein comforted by Maggie. She held my head in her lap like Ah was some sort of wounded cowboy.

My wee attack gave Archie enough time to pick up a chair and smash it right into the skinhead’s face. It knocked the cunt to the floor. Archie didnay stop at that but. He crashed the chair into the skin’s head and back until it fell to bits. By the time the polis turned up he was layin still. They grabbed Archie, and Sammy
ran into them, arms flailin everywhere. It didnay take them long to settle him down.

Sammy did alright but, coz the judge only gave him a year for affray. Our Archie got three years for serious assault. The judge said he was a menace to society. Archie was well chuffed. He turned round from the dock and winked at me. He wasnay so chuffed though when he was shipped to a prison up in the Highlands.

The first time we visited him he said he was proud of me for what Ah’d done. It was great sittin there with my uncle and my big brother and both of them sayin Ah was some guy. Ah walked out of that jail with a swagger and a half, and an idea that one day me and Archie would do a bit of time the gether. That we’d be tobacco barons and live in a cell filled with nude books and records and grovelling prisoners.

But on the way home Albert had a word with me. He said it’s alright bein a big hard man and that, but fightin needs to be kept in its place. Some of the time it might be needed, but it should only be used when all else fails. It wasnay to be abused and enjoyed. When that happened, the fists ruled with the man and no the other way about. And we know where that leads.

The fuckin jail. And plenty of it.

But anyway, he could see Ah wasnay like Archie. Best thing Ah could do from now on was stick in at the school and make sure Ah stayed out of trouble with the polis.

The door opened and Mulvey stepped back into the office. He walked across the floor and didn’t look at Sean until the desk was between them.

Mr O’Grady. We’ve looked at the figures and I’m sorry but I don’t think there’s anything we can do for you.

Sean tried to smile. He rubbed his sweaty hands up and down his thighs.

OK.

Mulvey shuffled some more papers.

If you keep your account in credit and come back and see me in six months I’m sure we’ll look upon your application more positively.

OK.

Mulvey stood up. He extended his hand.

See you in six months then.

Sean shook Mulvey’s hand and left the office. He kept his eye on the pattern of the carpet and almost walked into an old lady.

Eh sorry.

You should watch where you’re going young man.

Sean looked at her.

Fuck off.

He heard a gasp from a woman stood next to the old one so he gave her a look that dared her to say anything. The woman looked away and Sean barged out of the bank and back into the cold. He crunched through the snow on the way back to work. The sound of his wellies reverberated round the street and inside his head. What the fuck was he going to do now? He stopped in a doorway to roll a fag. A nice big fat one. He lit it,
cupped it in his hand, and re-entered the wind. A couple of puffs and the wind lifted a bit of ash and it flew right into his eye.