David Peace - Red or Dead

that was all. No more work to be done. Here.

Bob Paisley walked down the corridor. The Anfield corridor. Bob Paisley walked up the stairs. The Anfield stairs. Bob Paisley stood before the door to the office. The door to the office of Bill Shankly. And Bob Paisley listened. Listened for the sound of hammering, listened for the sound of talking. Bill Shankly talking on the telephone, Bill Shankly hammering on the typewriter. But Bob Paisley heard no hammering, Bob Paisley heard no talking. Bob Paisley knocked on the door. The door to the office of Bill Shankly. And Bob Paisley waited. Bob Paisley knocked on the door again. The door to the office of Bill Shankly. And Bob Paisley waited again. Bob Paisley put his hand on the handle. The handle of the door to the office of Bill Shankly. Bob Paisley turned the handle. Bob Paisley opened the door. And Bob Paisley stepped into the office. Bob Paisley looked around the office. The clock on the wall. Ticking, ticking. The pictures on the wall. The history, the memories. The shelves of books. The books of names, the books of notes. The filing cabinets and the bags of mail on the floor. The bags and bags of mail. The bags and bags of mail for Bill. The desk and the chair. Bill’s chair. The typewriter and its keys. Bill’s typewriter, Bill’s keys. Silent and waiting. Bob Paisley stepped towards the desk. Towards the chair. Bill’s chair, Bill’s desk. And now Bob Paisley heard footsteps in the corridor. Footsteps Bob Paisley would recognise anywhere. Bill’s footsteps. Bob Paisley turned around. And Bob Paisley saw Bill Shankly. In the doorway to his office. In his suit and in his tie. His red tie. His Liverpool Football Club tie. Bob Paisley smiled, Bob Paisley laughed. And Bob Paisley said, Morning, Bill. Morning. I was just wondering where you’d got to, Bill. I was just about to call the police. About to ask them to send out a search party for you, Bill …

No, said Bill Shankly. No, Bob. You can’t be doing that now. You can’t be worrying about me now. You’ve enough to worry about now, Bob. You’ve Liverpool Football Club to worry about now …

Bob Paisley shook his head. And Bob Paisley said, I didn’t want the job, Bill. I wanted you to stay. For things to stay the way they were, Bill. That’s all I wanted. You know that, Bill. But when they asked me, when they offered me the job, it was the proudest moment of my life, Bill. I would have accepted any job, any position they offered me. Anything they wanted me to do. But I took this job because I want to stabilise things for everyone. For Joe and Reuben, for Geoff and Tom. And for Ronnie. We have all had a big shock, Bill. We were all very worried. About who was going to come in, about what would happen to us. But I thought if I accept the position, if I take the job, then your departure won’t upset things too much. Because you know I believe in the same principles as you do, Bill. And you know I’ll try and run the club on the same lines as you have done.

I know, said Bill Shankly. I know that, Bob. And that is exactly why I wanted you to be my successor. And why I was so relieved when the board and everyone agreed with me. That you should be my successor. And so I could not be more pleased for you, Bob.

Bob Paisley said nothing. Bob Paisley just smiled.

And you know I’m always here to help you, said Bill Shankly. Anything I can do to help you, Bob. To help you get run in …

Bob Paisley nodded now. And Bob Paisley said, Thank you, Bill. Thank you. I mean, I feel like an apprentice riding the favourite in the Derby. Or being given the Queen Elizabeth to steer in a force-ten gale. Because I’m finding there is a lot I don’t know, Bill. A lot …

Yes, said Bill Shankly. There’ll be a great deal, Bob. It’s a big job managing Liverpool Football Club. A very big job, Bob.

Bob Paisley nodded again. And Bob Paisley said, Well, to be honest with you, Bill, I’m just trying to keep things the way they were. The way they are. For now. Just trying to take each day as it comes.

Yes, said Bill Shankly again. That’s good, that’s best …

And Bill Shankly put his hand into his jacket pocket. Bill Shankly took out his diary. His diary of dates, his diary of fixtures –

Yes, said Bill Shankly. But the days come thick and fast when you’re the manager, Bob. I’ll tell you that. There’s no stopping, Bob. No respite. I mean, we’ve got the trip to Germany …

Bob Paisley said, Well, I know that’s something you won’t miss, Bill. All the travelling. All the trips abroad. At least that’s one thing you won’t be sorry to miss, eh?

And then there’s the Charity Shield, said Bill Shankly. Bill Shankly still turning the pages of his diary. The pages of dates, the pages of fixtures. And it’s at Wembley, too …

Bob Paisley said, But you’ll be coming to that, won’t you?

Oh yes, said Bill Shankly. Yes, of course, Bob. Thank you very much. That’s very kind of you, Bob. I’d like that. I’d like that a lot, Bob. It would be a great honour. Thank you, Bob. Because there will be a great crowd there. With it being at Wembley, Bob. All the Kop will be there, I’m sure. All the boys from the Kop, Bob. Be a great chance for me to show my appreciation. Pay my thanks to them, Bob.

Bob Paisley nodded. And Bob Paisley said, Of course, Bill. Of course. I mean, from what Mr Smith said, from what the board told me, you don’t officially retire until Monday 12 August. Is that right, Bill? Is that what you agreed with Mr Smith? And with the board?

Well, yes, said Bill Shankly. But then of course there’s the testimonial that night. For Billy McNeill, up in Glasgow. I should be there, Bob. I want to be there. If that’s OK with you, Bob?

Bob Paisley nodded again. And Bob Paisley said, Yes, of course you should be there. You don’t have to ask me, Bill.

No, said Bill Shankly. No, Bob. I should ask. I must ask. Because the last thing I want is to be accused of sticking my nose in where it’s not wanted. Where it’s not needed, Bob …

Bob Paisley smiled. And Bob Paisley said, You could never do that, Bill. That’ll never happen. I can promise you that now, Bill.

Well, said Bill Shankly. I don’t want to be getting under your feet now, Bob. But I thought I’d just pop in and pick up some of these letters. If you don’t mind, Bob? I’ll just take a few home with me.

Bob Paisley laughed now. And Bob Paisley said, Of course I don’t mind, Bill. I don’t know how you deal with them all …

It does take time, said Bill Shankly. I won’t lie to you, Bob. Reading all these letters, then answering them all. It’s a big job, Bob. And a big part of the job. But it has to be done, Bob. When people have taken the time and trouble to write to you personally, then the very least you can do is take the time and the trouble to reply to them.

Bob Paisley looked at the bags and bags of mail on the floor. Bob Paisley looked at the typewriter on the desk. Bob Paisley shook his head. And Bob Paisley said, Well, I can’t even type, Bill. I’d have no idea how to work that thing. Not a clue, Bill. Not a clue …

So you don’t mind if I take it back home with me then, asked Bill Shankly. You wouldn’t object, Bob? If I took the typewriter home? So I can answer all these letters at home, Bob? So I’m not in your way. I’m not under your feet …

Bob Paisley laughed. And Bob Paisley said, Be my guest, Bill.

Bill Shankly walked around the mountain of bags and bags of mail. And Bill Shankly picked up the typewriter from the desk. Bill Shankly put it under his arm. And then Bill Shankly picked up a bag of mail from the mountain of bags and bags of mail –

Well, I best get going, Bob. Get out of your hair. And get cracking on all these letters. I mean, they won’t answer themselves …