The door clicked open.
Gavin.
The position Pat was sitting he couldnt see him properly. But he could see Nicola glance at him and in the glance were a mixture of smile and question and the question was clearly a challenge.
The kitchenette was a narrow wee space; both Nicola and Patrick had to lean over the edge of table to allow him past to the sink, where he emptied the dregs from the teapot down the drain. He rinsed the pot out under the cold tap. I’m making a fresh lot, he said, anybody interested?
Aye! Patrick smiled.
Gavin said: I never heard the front door go so I figured ye still had to be here!
Ye figured right brother.
But, I thought ye had maybe crept into the weans’ room for a kip.
Thanks mucker!
Well, I seem to mind ye performing such a trick in the past.
That Hogmanay! replied Nicola. We thought he had wandered off, then somebody saw a pair of feet sticking out under all the coats!
A downright lie! Imagine saying that about your poor auld brother-in-law who canni even fight back, because he’s a bad bloody fighter! Pat grinned. Heh Gavin, did ye ever tell this wife of yours about that experience ye had as a boy? when ye smoked your first joint?
Eh …
What one’s that? asked Nicola.
Ach it wasni really anything, just the usual kind of experiment ye do.
Come on, said Pat, what about the big bloody fire! That was like something out of I dont know what. Plus these stupit bloody questions ye started asking the cops! Crazy.
Gavin smiled to Nicola. It was the time we had just moved away from the Vernon Street house we used to live in.
The Vernon Street house. That was your favourite.
Gavin nodded. Aye, he said; and he said to Pat: Did you like the Vernon Street house?
Well I did, but it was different for me I think, being that bit younger. I dont think my memories of the place are as pleasant as yours obviously are.
It was the neighbours you liked though … said Nicola to Gavin.
Eh well aye although mainly it was just I think the general atmosphere. He grinned suddenly and said to Pat: Mind auld Tony Ferguson? Gavin laughed. Him and the auld man went mental on the drink sometimes but we usually wound up getting good parties cause of it. Mind Pat?
Aye, said Pat. But what about Charlie Murray! That ‘disgusting wee man’!
Charlie Murray!
He was a disgusting wee man, replied Nicola: Your mother’s quite right.
Ach! Gavin grinned.
Aye it’s okay for yous but I wouldni have left the kids in the same room as him.
Ach come on Nicola!
I’m serious Gavin.
Gavin looked at her. Then he smiled. The time I mind best was the one they all broke into the betting shop. Crazy. I mean christ they must’ve been expecting to find all the takings lying in the till! Eh? as if the bookie was gonni just leave his dough lying! Gavin laughed and shook his head. But they were all pished. I mind it well, me and a couple of mates were standing there at the corner of Bilsland Drive and we saw this wee team heading out from the boozer. It was the way they were walking, we thought there was gonni be a battle. The Caber Feidh it was, that was where they drank. Auld Tony was leading the way. He used to go to town in a fight. Some reputation he had. So that just made us the more sure it was a battle. So we followed, and then they all skipped down a close so we crossed the road and skipped down the next yin along and then we crossed the backcourt after them. It was dark, after ten o’clock … Gavin chuckled. They were all banging into each other and then telling each other to shut up. Sshhh they were going! Ssshhhhh! It was comical! What age was I I must’ve been about fifteen or something.
Pat laughed. What night was it?
I dont know. Friday I think but maybe no, maybe it was through the week — if they were all skint I mean.
Where was I at the time I wonder … Pat smiled. If it was a Friday I must’ve been at the bloody BB! You wereni there because you’d got flung out! Did he ever tell ye that Nicola, your man there, how he got flung out the bloody BB!
Nicola nodded. Often.
Often, said Pat, grinning.
No that often, replied Gavin.
On with the yarn, said Pat, and he rubbed his hands together with a smack.
Naw, said Gavin, but ye could hear them a mile away … Gavin chuckled. Them all telling each other to be quiet. And they would’ve heard them down at Gairbraid Polis Office if they had been paying attention! Ssshh they were going, sshhhh!! Wee Charlie Murray was bloody moroculous — blitzed! I think they were bloody having to carry him. And he was singing away! Mind that voice he had! A bloody coalman! Anyhow but I mean ye know the crack, they had it planned to go in through the floor of the first storey flat, it was lying empty at the time. They actually got as far as lifting the floorboards at one corner but christ, they were so amateurish. That is what I remember feeling most of all. I couldni bloody believe it! They didni even bother keeping a lookout down at the foot of the close! They just bloody battered on regardless.
The drink talking, said Pat.
The drink talking, said Gavin. But it did look like it was the first time they had ever tried to screw anywhere in their life.
Probably was, said Pat.
Probably was, aye. But it was embarrassing. In front of Jackie and Dunky. It was embarrassing. I mean their das wereni there, just mine, and all his daft mates! Gavin shook his head and laughed briefly.
But it shouldnt be embarrassing, said Nicola.
Well it was.
It would be, said Pat, I can understand that.
Up to a point, replied Nicola, alright.
Gavin shrugged. Then he said, You’re talking about your da remember, no knowing how to go about screwing a bookie shop; what I mean, no even knowing there’s gonni be nothing there!
Uch the bevy was talking, said Pat.
Aye. Ah it was funny but! Gavin smiled. Hilarious! They still talk about it down at the Drive.
Pat said, I find stories like that really sad. No depressing — sad.
Aye, said Gavin.
Nicola said, How come?
Uch I dont know … just maybe to do with a world that’s past, over and done with, gone and never to return. I’m no saying there was anything good about it especially, I just think it’s a bit sad, to think of it all.
Jackie MacDonald was with me that night. He got killed. Mind? Fell off a pylon.
Aye, that’s right. Who else was there?
Just wee Dunky — Ian Duncan.
Christ that’s a name from the past. What’s he doing these days?
Dont know. No seen him for years.
How did the boy fall off the pylon Gavin? said Nicola.
He just climbed up it; I’ve told ye before. He had got through the barbed-wire bit at the bottom. Then what it was I think he just felt the tingling, or heard it maybe — that was what happened on pylons, that kind of tingling noise. He had got quite high up at the time and it was like he might’ve thought he was gonni get electrocuted … Gavin had put his left hand up to his mouth, and he continued: It was bloody terrible so it was it was really bloody terrible. I had to go up and tell his mammy god man fifteen we were Dunky was in a fucking hell of a state and then for months after it we were bloody blaming ourselves, blaming ourselves, bloody stupid. We thought we should’ve been able to rush over and maybe grab him or something, or even as if we could’ve managed to catch him. Jesus christ it was terrible. That fucking barbed wire as well man christ.