James Kelman - Not Not While the Giro

The banging noise. Tony crouched nearer the machine, and turned his back to it with the clamps poised slightly above. He muttered, Watch this bit.

McGraty also crouched a little.

There was a gap the size of a mouse-hole about a foot above the metal plated floor. Suddenly a wire thrust its way out and was caught by Tony who had immediately begun trotting to the rhythm of its movement in the direction of a sort of kerb twelve yards off. The wire still issued from the rollers. Upon reaching the kerb he thrust the wire straight into a narrow tunnel through it, and jumped over the kerb with the momentum of his trot. The tunnel was angled so that the wire was coming out directly across to where another man was standing at a smaller machine some thirty yards away.

Tony had returned. He was smoking a cigarette. Barely glancing at McGraty he asked if he had ever done any work on a roller before. McGraty shook his head: I was in the building game.

Tony frowned.

I never said I had on the form. McGraty shrugged, They told me there was six weeks probation so it can be learned.

Aye. . He put the cigarette in his mouth and collected the heavy-duty clamps. I’ll let you have a go before tea-break. Where’s your gloves by the way?

Gloves?

Jesus Christ.

They never said anything about it.

You cant expect to work the clamps without the fucking things. Tony shook his head and strode round the machine, out of sight; he came back with the man who worked the copper bar from the other side and motioned McGraty over. He said: Tell him what you’ve just told me. About the gloves and that.

McGraty shrugged.

And the helmet, tell him about the safety helmet.

They never said fuck all about it either. And the boots, nothing about them.

Aye you’ll have to buy them, said the other man, cause they dont supply them. Get them out the First Aid room. They cost a few quid right enough, but it gets deducted every week, it’s no too bad. And the boots’re okay, eh Tony?

Aye, no bad.

Wear them to the fucking dancing if you like, grinned the man.

McGraty also smiled, and he took a half smoked cigarette from behind his ear and struck a match for it.

Okay, said Tony, time for another yin.

McGraty had frowned and taken the cigarette out of his mouth, he studied it: Tastes like sugar or something.

Tony had not heard, and the other man was already out of sight behind the machine. An overhead crane was arriving with another copper bar which was white hot, straight out of the furnace at the bottom end of the factory floor. McGraty took another drag on the cigarette then stubbed it out.

After tea-break Tony came with a pair of old gloves he had found; the stitching was out in places. He shrugged. All I could find. Sort it out with the gaffer when you see him next.

McGraty pulled them on without replying. He lifted the heavy-duty clamps and stood exactly where Tony had earlier. The banging. The copper bar showed. He got the clamps round its end and dragged it out to its other end. He stood for a moment, then Tony kicked the metal trolley towards him. He nodded, manoeuvring the trolley into position with his right foot and the copper bar dropped to it, the clamps fell out of his hands and the copper bar clattered onto the trolley, turning it over and bouncing once. McGraty and Tony had jumped clear. Tony looked at him. What did you let it drop for?

My fingers were fucking burning. Fucking gloves. McGraty shook his head.

Tony was walking out from the area, he cupped his hand round his mouth and shouted: Heh Shug, Shug. A lift. Heh.

Seconds later the overhead crane began moving, it made a rattling noise across the ceiling and the driver let the big hook down when it arrived. Using the clamps Tony got one end of the copper bar off the floor and kicked the hook round it. The crane raised it to sufficient height for the trolley to be pushed beneath, then the hook was withdrawn and the crane rattled back down to the furnace. Tony nodded to McGraty who stepped forwards and took the clamps, fixing them round the tip of the copper bar but as he was pushing it closer to the machine the toe of his right shoe nudged it and burst into flames. He screamed as he jumped back. He stubbed and scraped the shoe on the floor until the flames went out. Tony doused the smouldering part with water from a milk bottle. I told you about boots, he muttered.

The man from behind the machine was standing watching, he smiled and walked forwards saying, Fun and games eh!

Tony made no answer but passed him and called on the cranedriver to return. When the copper bar was back on the trolley the other man said, No use, too fucking cold.

Aw christ. Tony shook his head and lit a fresh cigarette.

Dont worry, said the man, we’ve got a learner remember. Just dock it off the timesheet.

Aye. Tony instructed the cranedriver and soon the copper bar was being returned to the furnace.

McGraty was leaning against the wall at the rear of the machine. The other man grinned: Hot in here eh? Come on, we’ll have a fucking bevy. . He waved him to follow. Round on his own side he brought a thick brown bottle out of a small metal cupboard and after swigging a mouthful handed it to Tony who also swigged from it before handing it to McGraty. Tony said: Just take a sip, it’s concentrated stuff, replaces the sweat or some fucking thing.

Good with vodka, said the other. Bring in a bottle the morrow and we’ll give it a buzz.

McGraty half smiled; he smelled it. Lime. He nodded and sipped some, passed it back to the other man and pointed to his cigarette: This tastes like sugar.

Aye. Tony nodded, Well, ready for another crack at it?

McGraty looked at him.

The overhead crane was withdrawing a new copper bar from the furnace. The other man said, You’ll be alright as long as you dont panic, that’s the chief thing about this game.

I didnt fucking panic.

Fair enough. You’re still best to dive right in but. Otherwise it can start building up in you.

Tony nodded. And the other man continued, I’ve seen a new guy do what you do and then no try it till later. By that time he was fucked, the nerve gone and that; you’re best to give it a go the now instead of hanging about just thinking.

Aye, said Tony.

McGraty exhaled smoke, he shook his head. Naw, no me, no till I get the right gear.

The other two men exchanged glances. Tony muttered, Well you better go and tell the gaffer.

Just now?

Aye. Tony shrugged. No point standing watching me all day if you’re no even going to attempt the thing.

If I had the right gear I would.

You better tell the gaffer.

Fine, suits me.

A woman was in the office; she had a bundle of papers under one arm and she was waiting for the gaffer to sign a form. McGraty stayed outside until she left. He chapped the door. He chapped again and entered immediately. The gaffer gazed up at him from his chair behind a desk. My shoes, said McGraty, they’re hopeless. Look what happened to this yin. . and he displayed the burnt toe. I need steel toe-caps.

The gaffer nodded.

Same with the gloves. Look at this. . McGraty showed the burst seams: No good, these bars are red hot. I dont know how that guy, Tony — I dont know how he manages just with his hands. I mean christ sake, even with these. . And the bloody heat, it’s murder polis so it is.

The gaffer nodded. The First Aid. You get all the gloves and that down there. The boots too.

I’ve got boots in the house.

Have you?

Aye.

Well. Fine. Okay then. . The gaffer glanced at a printed piece of paper before him.

Will I go to the First Aid or what?

For the gloves?

Aye. And the safety helmet, the guy told me I needed one.

Oh christ aye, aye. You’ve got to keep it on too. At all times. Mind and tell the rest of them to stick to that. Hell of a important. The fucking Safety Officer does his nut if he catches anybody without it. Naw, you’ll have to mind and wear it, at all times.