James Kelman - A Chancer

On the other side of the river he sheltered in the entrance until the rain lessened, then headed along the cobbled dock road. The area to the left was waste ground, where tenement buildings had been recently demolished; here and there foundation work for new buildings seemed to be in progress. To the right of the pavement he was on was a high wall which continued for about a mile. When he reached its other end he took his newspaper back out, glancing at it as he went.

He only had one cigarette left. He lighted it and crushed the packet and dropped it to the ground, but kicked at it just before it landed. Then he brought the box of matches out his jerkin pocket again. It was nearly full. Striking one he thrust it in beside the rest and watched as it all burst into flames, and he bent and placed it on the pavement. Several paces on he turned to look back; the small fire was still burning.

A man was staring at him from a bus stop on the other side of the road.

Half an hour later he was at Linthouse, entering the pedestrian tunnel there; a further forty or so minutes and he had arrived at Rab’s place in Scotstoun. His younger brother Alec opened the door, dressed in pyjamas and rubbing his eyes. Tammas, he said.

Is Rab up?

He’s no in.

No in?

Naw, he never came back last night. Alec yawned: I thought he was with you and Donnie and them.

Tammas nodded.

How, was he no?

Eh I’m no sure, I never went out last night.

Did you no?

Naw.

Alec yawned again. He’ll probably be back soon anyway. Come on in and wait if you want. Maw and da are still in bed. I’ll be making a bit of toast.

Eh. . ach naw Alec I’ll no bother — just tell him I came.

Aye. Anything else?

Naw.

•••

Margaret was standing in the doorway, all set to leave for work; she was frowning.

What’s up? he said, resting on his elbows.

What’s up! I thought you were away long ago!

He nodded and lay back down, pulling the blankets to his chin. I slept in, he muttered.

You slept in! Tammas, for heaven sake, you cant afford to be taking days off your work.

He shut his eyelids.

She continued to stand there. The door creaked on its hinges then after a few more moments it closed behind her; she could be heard walking quickly down the lobby and out, banging the front door shut. Eventually he dozed. Later in the morning he was carrying a bulky plastic bag to the pawnbroker’s. A young woman came out of the back entrance pushing a small pram; he stood aside to let her pass to the front close. In the shop he entered one of the cubicles and brought the suit out the bag and onto the counter. A girl attended him; without examining the suit she asked: How much?

Seven.

The girl hesitated.

Tammas nodded. Ask him and see. . He watched through the grille as she crossed the floor and handed the suit to the middle aged man at the table. He glanced at the suit and muttered something to her. When she returned she laid the suit on the counter before speaking. He says three fifty for it.

Three fifty?

Yes.

Mm. He opened the bag and brought out a pair of black shoes, slid them beneath the grille.

The girl shook her head.

But they’ve only been worn once.

He wont even look at them.

What — I mean, hh. . He shrugged and indicated the soles: Hardly even scuffed.

They have to be brand new but, no worn at all.

No worn at all?

Yes, they’ve no to be worn at all.

Just ask him.

No, there’s no point, he’ll no. . She closed her lips and shook her head.

Och that’s terrible I mean they’ve no even been worn, just the once.

She nodded.

He sighed, then he smiled briefly. After a few moments she pushed the shoes back under the grille to him and she asked: Do you still want to leave the suit?

Aye. He looked at her.

•••

It was beginning to rain heavily. Ralphie and Tammas were collecting rubbish from the long grass near the canal bank and disposing of it in the skip container. The older man stopped working first. That’s that, he said. The boiler room! He started trotting in that direction at once, holding his bunnet down on his head with one hand.

Tammas shouted after him: I’ll see you later.

Ralphie paused: Where you going?

Ah — just for a walk.

Aye well you better hide son, keep out the fucking road — know what I mean?

Aye dont worry. He turned and walked to one of the doors into the factory, keeping close in to the wall to avoid the rain. Inside was another door, lying ajar. There was a steady hum from the generator room. He pushed open the door more widely, and entered. It was a small room and there was a youth sitting on a pipe with a magazine open on his lap, leaning on his shoulder was one of the engineers. They glanced at him. The youth grimaced: Dont fucking do that to people!

Sorry.

Jesus sake, said the man, placing his hand on his chest. I nearly had a fucking heart attack!

Tammas nodded. After a moment he said, I was looking for eh auld Benny, you seen him?

They shook their heads. The man added, He’ll be in the boiler room.

Aw aye. . Course. . He nodded, then he made to leave.

The youth said: You playing football at dinner time?

Aye, you?

If the rain stops.

Aye. Tammas turned but he glanced back: Hey you got a smoke at all?

Naw.

I’ve got one, said the man. He took a packet of tipped from the top pocket of his boilersuit and flipped it across.

Great, ta — I’ve been gasping all morning! He withdrew a cigarette, flipped the packet back.

While the man was taking one for himself he gestured at the magazine and chuckled, Horny porny.

Aw. Hh! Tammas struck his match down the wall; he inhaled and exhaled.

Take a look, said the youth.

Tammas smiled. It’ll put me off my work!

Ach come on man it’s amazing stuff; manky as fuck, take a swatch!

After a moment Tammas stepped forwards, placing one hand against the wall to balance himself while bending slightly. The youth held it to the side a little for him to see. It was a colour photograph covering the two pages and showed three men sexually involved with one woman. Tammas blushed, he continued to stare at it.

The man laughed: Look at his face!

Tammas breathed out; he inhaled on the cigarette, shaking his head; he moved away. That’ll do me, he said.

He’s had enough! grinned the man.

No fucking wonder! Tammas shook his head.

The youth was grinning and turning a page. Come here and see this yin!

Naw no me man. . Tammas shook his head again. I’ll see you later.

The youth laughed.

Outside the room he nipped the cigarette and wedged it behind his ear. He returned back out into the rear yard and stood close in to the wall with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders hunched. A man in a white coat appeared suddenly at a door farther down, and Tammas was walking along and back into the factory; a brush was lying on the floor just inside the doorway and glancing quickly sideways he collected it and continued walking in the direction of the hoist.

The top floor of the part of the factory where Tammas normally worked was a small storeroom, nowadays used only for the cutting-section. One guy was in charge. Ralphie and Tammas were up helping him shift old packing crates to make space for new stock. He had left them to enter up his written work for the afternoon, but eventually he opened the window of his office and called to Tammas: Make the tea!

Tammas looked at him then at Ralphie who shrugged, and nodded in the direction of the sink. Thanks, he said. I’m a teaboy now.

Ralphie shrugged again and looked away.

During the break the three of them sat in the office in silence. Ralphie rose and he walked to a stack of parcels, began to read their labels. Eights by twelve, he said, I didnt know we still used them?