David Peace - Red or Dead

…

Down the corridor, the Anfield corridor. Bill tapped on the office door. The office door of the club secretary. Bill opened the door. Bill saw the bags of mail standing on the floor. The bags and bags of mail. Bill glanced at the corner of the office. The corner where a camp bed had once stood. No camp bed in the corner now. Only more bags of mail. More bags and bags of mail. Bill looked at the desk. Bill saw the stacks of letters on the desk. The stacks and stacks of letters. And Bill saw the new club secretary sat behind the desk. Among the letters. The stacks and stacks of letters. Bill smiled at Peter Robinson. And Bill said, It’s getting late, Peter. You should get off home. Home to your family. And leave all that for tomorrow …

Peter Robinson looked up from his typewriter. From the stacks and stacks of letters. And Peter Robinson smiled –

I will, said Peter Robinson. I will soon, Bill. I’ll just finish off these last few letters and then I’ll be off.

Bill said, That’s good, Peter. Are there any letters for me?

Only two, said Peter Robinson. Only two.

Then let me have them, Peter. And I’ll get them done now.

Peter Robinson pointed at two bags of mail. Two big bags of mail in the corner. In the corner where a camp bed had once stood. And Peter Robinson laughed –

Only two bags, said Peter Robinson. Those two bags over there.

Bill laughed. Bill went over to the corner. The corner where a camp bed had once stood. And Bill picked up the two bags. The two big bags of mail. Bill carried the bags over to the door. Bill turned back to Peter Robinson. Bill smiled. And Bill said, Jesus Christ. These are heavy bags. I best be making a start on them now. But you make sure you get off home soon, Peter. You promise me you won’t stay all night now. Promise me you’ll go home soon, Peter …

I will, said Peter Robinson. I promise.

Bill smiled. And Bill said, Well, I’ll be checking. So you make sure you do, Peter. Make sure you do …

I will, Bill, I will. Goodnight, Bill. Goodnight.

And goodnight to you, Peter. Goodnight …

In his office, his Anfield office. Bill closed the door behind him. Bill put down the two bags of mail beside his desk. Bill sat down in his chair behind his desk. Bill reached down to the first bag of mail. Bill opened the bag. Bill put his hand inside the bag. Bill took out a letter. Bill opened the letter. Bill read the letter. And Bill smiled. Bill put down the letter on his desk. Bill opened the top drawer of his desk. Bill took out a piece of paper. Across the top of the piece of paper were three big words. In bold, in red. LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB.Below these three words were five more words. In italics, in red: and Athletic Grounds Co. Ltd . Bill closed the top drawer of his desk. Bill threaded the piece of paper into his typewriter. Bill turned the platen knob. And then Bill began to type:

Dear People, Received your letter, thanks very much indeed. Also thanks for the invitation to your son Robert’s birthday party on the 26th of next month, which is the night before we play Leeds United. In actual fact the players, the trainers and myself will be in special preparation for this vital game. I am sure you will understand how important it is, especially Robert, who is a member of the greatest place on earth ‘THE KOP’. We all wish Robert the best of luck on his Birthday. Yours sincerely,

Bill stopped typing. Bill took the letter out of his typewriter. Bill put down the letter on his desk. Bill put his hand inside his jacket pocket. Bill took out his pen. His red pen. Bill unscrewed the top of his pen. Above the word Manager, Bill signed the letter B. Shankly . Bill put down his pen on the desk. Bill opened the top drawer of his desk. Bill took out an envelope. Bill closed the drawer of his desk. Bill picked up his pen. His red pen. Bill addressed the envelope. Bill put down his pen. Bill picked up the letter. Bill folded it. Bill put the folded letter into the envelope. Bill brought the letter up to his mouth. Bill stuck out his tongue. Bill licked the two gummed strips on the underside of the back flap of the envelope. Bill put down the envelope on his desk. Bill pressed down the palm of his hand on the envelope. Bill picked up the envelope. Bill put it to one side of his desk. Bill reached down to the first bag of mail again. Bill put his hand inside the bag again. Bill took out another letter. Bill opened the letter. Bill read the letter. And Bill smiled. Bill put down the letter on his desk. Bill opened the top drawer of his desk. Bill took out another piece of paper. Bill closed the drawer of his desk. Bill threaded the piece of paper into his typewriter. Bill turned the platen knob. And Bill began to type. Again. Bill began to type. To type and to type and to type. To type and to type and to type. To type and to type and to type. Letter after letter after letter. Letter after letter after letter. Letter after letter after letter –

To type and to type and to type. To type and to type and to type. Letter after letter after letter. Letter after letter after letter –

To type and to type and to type. Letter after letter after letter.

…

In the house, in their front room. The lights on the Christmas tree blinked on and off in the corner. On and off, on and off. In the quiet house, their warm room. Bill had just lost again at Scrabble. Ness was putting away the tiles, the racks and the board. Bill looked at his watch. Bill smiled. And Bill said, I think I’ll just give Don a quick ring, love. Just to wish him and his family a merry Christmas.

It’s a bit late, said Ness. Don’t you think he’ll be in bed, love?

Bill shook his head. And Bill said, Not Don, love. No. I know Don, I know Don. He’ll be fretting and worrying about the game tomorrow. He’ll be a glad of a chat. He’ll be glad of a call, will Don.

Well, I’m going up, love. So try to keep your voice down.

I will, love. I will. Goodnight, love. Goodnight.

Bill picked up his address book from the arm of the chair. Bill went out into the hallway. Bill switched on the hall light. Bill found Don Revie’s number in his address book. Bill picked up the receiver. Bill dialled Don’s number. Bill listened to the phone ring. And ring. And ring. And then Bill heard Don say, Hello? Hello? Who is it?

And Bill said, It’s me, Don. Only me. It’s Bill. Only Bill. I just thought I’d give you a quick ring before the game, before the match tomorrow. Oh, it’ll be a great game, Don. A great game. A big crowd, too, Don. A very big crowd. They’ll be wanting to see a repeat of the Cup Final. Well, our lot will be. Not your lot, I suppose. But I hope you are as ready as we are, Don. Because we are ready for you. I can tell you that, Don. Tell you that for nothing. And I tell you another thing, Don. I’ll tell you this. I think we are a better side now than we were last season. To be very honest with you, Don. And not to be arrogant, Don. Just to be honest with you. I think we are going to walk the League. And the Cup. And the Cup Winners’ Cup. That’s my feeling, Don. That’s my feeling. Because I tell you, Don. I think this is the finest side in England since the war. The very finest. I don’t know what you think, Don? But I can’t see a weakness in us. Not one. From the back to the front. I think we have it all. And we are improving. Improving all the time. Every game. That’s the incredible thing to me, Don. The wonder of this team to me. I think I’ve seen the best of them. But no, Don. Oh no! The next game, the next match. They are even better. Better than the last game, the last match. Much, much better. I know Tommy Lawrence has his critics. But for me, Don. For me, he is the finest keeper in the League. I’m sure you agree, Don. I’m sure you agree with me. And the younger boys we have. Lawler and Smith. I tell you, Don. I tell you. Those two would walk into any side there has ever been. Any side. And make that side a better side. A much, much better side. And then when you combine that youth and that enthusiasm with the age and with the wisdom of the likes of Gerry Byrne and Gordon Milne, Ronnie Yeats and Willie Stevenson. Well, it’s not fair, is it, Don? Let’s be honest, Don. It’s just not fair on the other teams. On other sides. And as for the front four. Well, what can I say, Don? What more can I say? Really, truly, what words are there left to say about those four? Callaghan, Hunt, St John and Thompson. Yes, there might well be individuals who are as talented. Individually. There might be, yes. Perhaps. Your Jimmy Greaves, your Denis Law. But come on, Don. Come on, man. As a team . Well, there is not a better balance, not a better combination. Not a better team than this Liverpool team. And we both know that’s what it’s about, Don. What this game is all about. Teams . The balance and the combination. Not the individual, not the superstar. Because this is a team game, a team sport, is it not, Don? Is it not? It’s about how you play as a team. Not as an individual. With a good game here and a good game there. It’s about the team. Week in, week out. Game after game, match after match. How the team plays. And so I tell you, Don. I tell you this. I have simply not seen a better team than this one. This Liverpool team. Not with my eyes. Not in my lifetime. Well, Don. I won’t keep you. I won’t keep you up. I’ll see you tomorrow, Don. I’ll see you at Anfield. So you sleep well, Don. Sleep well. Goodnight, Don. Goodnight …