The Mattress: The Glasgow Chronicles 4 (34 page)

  Tony could feel his heart starting tae pump like a piston.

  “Please, God,” Tony muttered tae himsel, as he lifted up Harper’s ashtray and went across and emptied it in tae the plastic kitchen bin before returning wae it and sitting doon.

  “He’s goat a wee hidey hole up in Lambhill, so he dis.  Nowan seems tae know aboot it… as far as Ah kin tell,” Harper whispered, looking across at Pat’s kitchen door.  “He meets her up there every Friday morning fur aboot an hour...sometimes two...so he dis.”

  “How dae ye know that, Harper?” Pat asked him, failing miserably tae hide his excitement.

  “The cow is always hassling ma sister, so she is.  Ma sister tries tae be oot ae the hoose wae the weans first thing oan a Friday morning.  If she’s gonnae get a visit, it’s always then.  Wan day, efter she’d threatened tae take the weans again, Ah decided tae follow her tae see if Ah could get a chance ae tanning her car tae steal her bag ae files.  Ah thought that if Ah could get them, it wid destroy ma sister’s records and everywan else’s, plus maybe get her the sack or something.  Ah wis oan a wee moped, so Ah wis.  Insteid ae heiding back tae the social work office or heiding tae another hoose, she heided up Balmore Road and turned left intae Hillend Road, jist past Iriboll Street...aboot a couple ae hunner yards up fae Possil High School oan the other side ae the road.  She went intae the first close ae the red sandstone building, up oan the right.  Ah thought ma luck wis in.  It’s a quiet wee street.  Ah heided up the hill and did a U-turn.  By the time Ah came back doon, Ah jist aboot shat masel when Ah clocked Tam Simpson getting oot ae that fancy silver car ae his and slipping intae the same closemooth, so Ah did.”

  “Whit number wis the close, Harper?” Pat asked him.

  “Ah’m no sure…wait…thirty six.”

  ”How dae ye know he wis wae her?”

  “Because fur the next three or four weeks, the same thing happened.  She’d be up hassling ma sister, and then she’d arrive up in Hillend Road, followed a minute later by Tam.”

  “So, she always arrives first then? 

  “Usually.  She hings aboot the entrance waiting fur him.  Ah’ve clocked them in a clinch a few times.  She kin hardly wait tae get her hauns oan him.”

  “How dae ye know it’s his place?”

  “Because she’s always the first tae leave, the slutty cow.  Aboot hauf an hour efter she’s gone, Tam appears oot ae the closemooth and disappears looking as if he’s jist hid his hole.”

  “Always oan his ain?”

  “Aye.”

  “Dae ye know whit hoose he goes intae?”

  “It’s oan the first flair.  It’s the wan oan the right, jist above the closemooth entrance as ye look at it fae the street.  It must be the bedroom, because Ah always clocked Tam shutting o’er the curtains a couple ae minutes efter he arrived.”

  “If Ah wis wanting tae get intae the hoose before Tam, Harper, how wid Ah go aboot it?”  Tony asked casually.

  Harper hid jist been taking a sip ae his tea when he let oot a spray as Pat jumped oot ae the way.

  “Eh?  Christ, Tony, dae ye know whit ye’re asking?  Th…that’s Tam Simpson’s pad.  Ye’d end up chopped intae wee pieces if ye wur caught anywhere near that place.  Ah should know...look whit they done tae poor Hawkeye.  They basturts left ma niece and nephew withoot a da, so they did,” Harper spluttered, fear returning tae that voice ae his by the bucket-load.

  “Harper, if Ah wis wanting a wee peek intae that hoose, wid it be possible, withoot Tam knowing somewan hid been in hivving a wee gander?” Tony continued, keeping the sound ae his voice deadpan.

  “The only way tae dae that wid be if ye hid a key or knew somewan who knew how tae pick a lock.”

  “And dae ye know somewan...somewan that could pick a lock?”

  Silence.

  “Er… aye.”

  “Ye dae?  Who?” Tony asked, surprised and hardly able tae contain his excitement.

  “Me.”

Chapter Forty Three

“I hope I’m not disturbing you, Taylor...er, Johnboy,” The Reverend Marion said apologetically, efter the prison officer hid disappeared.

  “Ah’m no likely tae be gaun anywhere soon.”

  “May I take a seat?”

  “Please yersel.”

  The Reverend looked aboot the cell and chose a spot opposite Taylor, who wis awready sitting wae his back tae the wall in the middle ae the concrete bed plinth.  Taylor still hid the advantage ae height, bit only by a few inches.

  “Oh, this is for you,” The Reverend said, slipping his haun in tae his jaicket, withdrawing a wee book and haudin it oot tae him.

  “Whit is it?”

  “I believe it’s a rulebook.  The SO asked me to pass it on to you.  I believe Lady Polmont and the visiting committee asked for you to be furnished with one.”    

  He placed the rulebook oan the flair between them when Taylor made nae move tae take it fae his ootstretched haun.

  “How’s Silent?” asked Taylor.

  “Silent?”

  “Ma pal fae next door.”

  “Oh, Smith?  He’s on the road to recovery, I believe.  I went to visit him last night, but he was sleeping, so I didn’t want to disturb him.  The doctor said he should be ready to be discharged soon...as long as he takes it easy.”

  The Reverend thought back tae the night before.  He knew Smith hidnae really been sleeping.  When he’d first gone intae the ward, he’d seen Smith at the far end, reading a magazine.  He knew that it hid been Smith as he’d been the only patient oan the ward whose ankle wis hauncuffed tae the bedframe and who hid a senior prison officer, Mr McVey, sitting oan a chair at the bottom ae his bed.  It hid been quite embarrassing.  By the time he’d reached the end ae the bed, Smith wis lying wae his eyes shut.  Mr McVey hid jist gied him a shrug, before staunin up and taking him aside.

  “Don’t take it personally, Reverend, he did the same wae Father
Martin when he visited him earlier.  Ah’ve been sitting here oan and aff fur days noo and he hisnae even acknowledged ma presence either,” he’d whispered wae a wee shrug ae his shoulders.

  “Did they find oot who plunged him?” Taylor asked, breaking intae his thoughts.

  “I believe the investigation is still continuing.”

  “So, is that a naw then?”

  “I don’t know.  They don’t tell me everything,” he replied defensively.

  The Reverend wanted tae kick himsel.  Why hid he jist said what he hid?  Taylor wis only asking after his injured friend.  Wis it because he wis still smarting efter being treated so disrespectfully by Smith...Silent...whitever his name wis...in front ae Mr McVey?

  “I’m sorry, I feel I owe you an apology,” he said, taking a deep breath.

  “Dae ye?”

  “Yes, it was only after I left you on Christmas Day that I realised that you had obviously been unaware that your friend, er, Silent, had been injured.”

  “Ye mean chibbed?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why feel sorry aboot that?  Ah wis glad that ye telt me.  Naebody tells ye anything in here,” Taylor replied dismissively, wae a wave ae his haun.

  “It was the circumstances in which you found out that bothered me.”

  “Why?  I wis glad tae know.  Nothing ye said upset me.  And anyway, Ah know who done it, so there’s nae herm done, so there’s no.”

  “You do?  Have you reported it?”

  Silence.

  “Oh, right, sorry.  Of course you haven’t.”

  “Reverend, kin Ah ask ye something?”

  “Yes, of course, my son.”

  “Whit ur ye daeing here?”

  “Me?  Er, as I’ve just said, I wanted to come back and apologise for my thoughtlessness.  I had assumed that you would know about what happened to your friend, so it was the least I could do.”

  “Naw, whit Ah mean is, whit ur ye daeing here...in a place like Polmont?” Taylor asked wae a frown oan his face.

  “Well, er, I believe I’m needed here...to offer support and succour to those who need it.”

  “And dae ye?”

  “What?”

  “Offer support and succour...whitever that’s supposed tae mean.”

  “I believe so,” he replied curtly, feeling himsel getting irritated by Taylor’s insolence.

  “Look, it wis you that came tae me...wae yer wee book ae rules,” he retorted, nodding towards the rulebook sitting oan the flair between them. “Ah never invited ye in.”

  “What?  Oh, I’m sorry, I never meant...”

  “Aye, ye did.  If ye don’t like whit ye hear, then ye’re free tae leave anytime soon.”

   The Reverend looked at Taylor.  Wance again, he didnae detect anger in those blue eyes when reminded who’d come tae who...uninvited.  In fact, Taylor looked slightly amused.  The Reverend wanted tae staun up and walk away, bit realised that that wid be churlish ae him.  Taylor wis right.  Who hid invited him tae be sitting there anyway?

  “As for me being here, in Polmont?  It’s like any other job, I suppose.  A vacancy comes up and you apply for it.  If successful, you’re given a parish and you get on with it.  It’s as simple as that.”

  “So, ye actually wanted tae work in a jail then?”

  “No, not really.  Why?  Is that such a bad thing?”

  “Ah’ve always believed that anywan wanting tae come and stare at people who ur locked up must hiv something psychologically wrang wae them.”

  “You do?”

  “Aye, that’s why Ah’ve never been intae visiting the zoo.  In fact, Ah don’t know anywan who’s ever done time who his ever volunteered tae go tae the zoo efter they get liberated.  The park wae their weans, fitba, a day trip oan the Glesga underground, shoplifting…bit never a visit tae a zoo.  When the boys in here ur watching the telly and a programme comes oan that his a zoo in it, they aw shout fur somewan tae change the channel o’er.  They’re probably no aware that they’re daeing it, bit it’s jist something Ah’ve noticed o’er the years, whether it wis when Ah wis a snapper in remand homes or approved schools.  Seeing animals in a zoo oan the telly reminds us ae oor ain situation in here.  And as fur voluntarily visiting wan?  Well, Ah jist don’t think so.”

  “I’ve never thought of it like that, but I can see the parallel.”

  “So, ye wur saying that it’s jist another job then?”

  The Reverend blinked and looked at Taylor.  He still couldnae detect malice or anger in his eyes or voice.  Wis Taylor playing wae him...the way a cat dis wae a moose?  The Reverend wisnae sure whether he wis being baited fur a reaction or no.  Taylor wis either very frank and wore his heart oan his sleeve, or wisnae very bright and wisnae truly aware ae the effect his questioning wis hivving oan The Reverend’s emotions.  And when wis the last time he’d heard a prisoner use the term “psychologically?”

  “Being a knight for God is not like any other job.  One has to show devotion and commitment, be humble in his practice and thought, and above all, challenge on behalf of those too weak to defend themselves.  That, Mr Taylor, I can assure you, is not just another job.  It is a calling, a vocation in life, and at the end of it, one will be duly rewarded in the kingdom of Heaven.”

  “And ye genuinely believe that, dae ye?”

  “Not only do I believe it, but I’ve dedicated my whole life to those beliefs.  Without them, I would be but a lost soul.”

  “So, dis that mean that anywan who disnae believe in whit ye believe in, ur aw doomed?”

  “Some in the church would subscribe to that.”

  “That ma ae mine believes that the church, aw churches, wur set up as a tool ae those in authority tae suppress the poor people…tae keep everywan in their place.  Is that kingdom ye mention the same as the kingdom here oan earth?”

  “I think I was referring to a heavenly kingdom.”

  “So, the minister who telt me and ma pals wan time that man wis made in God’s ain image, wis only talking aboot looks, stuff that wis skin deep then?”

  “I think you’ve misconstrued what was being said.  God reaches into our very souls.  He touches every living thing.”

  “So, why dis he need somewan like yersel and that Father Martin
in a place like this then?  Wae aw they divine powers, Ah wid’ve thought he wid’ve been able tae dae a better job than whit the two ae you hiv been able tae achieve, in a fraction ae the time.”

  “You obviously don’t believe in God, I take it.”

  “Ah never said that.”

  “Father Martin and I have been appointed to ensure the pastoral needs of the inmates…the young offenders…in Polmont are met.”

  “By divine intervention?”

  “By the state.  It’s the law.  Whether you’re a prisoner or not, everyone in this life is entitled to receive the word of our lord and saviour, Jesus Christ.”

  “Whether they want it or no?”

  “You sound as if you object to my missionary work here.  Why?”

  “Ah’m no against yer missionary work.  Ah dae hiv a problem wae the way ye go aboot it though.”

  “Oh?  Such as?”

  “Like creeping aboot the place, disturbing people when they’re relaxing in their cells...offering pastoral advice tae people who’ve enough oan their plates, who wurnae asked whether they wanted tae hear it or no.”

  Ah, now we’re getting tae the heart ae it, The Reverend thought tae himsel.

  “Are you saying you wish me to leave you alone?”

  “Naw.”

  “Then, what are you saying?”

  “Whit Ah’m saying is that ye shouldnae be creeping aboot people’s cells withoot being invited in, the way ye dae oan the wings.  If a boy decides he disnae want tae be wae anywan else and stays in his peter…that’s a cell tae you, by the way…insteid ae gaun tae recreation, dis that no tell ye that he wants tae be oan his lonesome?”

  “I confess, I have never thought of that.  Is that why everyone calls me Creeping Jesus?”

  “So, ye know aboot that then?”

  “Yes.”

  “Ach, well, Ah widnae take it personally.  Ye should hear whit that Catholic crowd in here call Father Martin,” Taylor said, smiling fur the first time.

  “Any other advice you would like to share with me?”

  “Ur ye asking?”

   The Reverend wisnae sure whit he wis asking.  In fact, he wisnae comfortable wae the way the conversation wis gaun.  He looked at Taylor, who wis sitting wae his back tae the wall, hauns resting oan his knees.  It wis hard tae read whit wis gaun oan in that heid ae his.  Wis he playing wae him?  How wid it look if he made an excuse and left?

  “How have you been coping being cooped up in here on your own, Taylor?”

  “Ma name’s Johnboy.”

  “Sorry, er...Johnboy.”

  “It’s jist another day in the jail as far as Ah’m concerned,” he replied, looking aboot the cell, before returning his gaze back tae The Reverend.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because whether Ah’m lying here or across in the wings, it’s aw the same tae me.  Ah’m still in the jail, at the end ae the day.”

  “But what about recreation, mixing with your friends, having a game of cards or playing snooker?”

  “Did Ah no read somewhere that God said that aw men should leave material possessions behind as they widnae be able tae take them wae them when they go?”

  “Yes...or words to that effect.”

  “Then, why should Ah be bothered by no getting tae play a game ae snooker?”

  “So, you prefer to do your time, er, locked up like this?” The Reverend challenged, looking aboot and shuddering.

  “Is there any other way?  Ur ye trying tae tell me the boys being let oot ae their cells fur a couple ae measly hours tae play, under threat ae the privilege being withdrawn, is gonnae make their time any easier than me daeing my time in here?”

  “I honestly can’t say.”

  “Aye, well, there ye go, Reverend.”

  “I’m sorry...Johnboy.  I can’t see what the point is that you’re making,” he confessed, hunching they shoulders ae his up and spreading his hauns oot, palm upwards.

  “Ah wid’ve thought that somewan like you, who deals oan a daily basis wae people’s souls, wid know exactly whit Ah’m saying,” Taylor replied, matter ae factly.

  The Reverend’s heid wis reeling.  He still wisnae sure whit Taylor wis saying.  He’d obviously missed the point, but he wis reluctant tae ask fur clarification in case it wis so obvious...except tae him.

  “Stone walls dae no a prison make, nor iron bars a cage, minds innocent and quiet take, that fur a hermitage,” Taylor murmured.

  The Reverend jist aboot fell o’er, before bursting oot laughing in wonder.  It hid been said quietly, bit firmly.

  “Lovelace!  Richard Lovelace.  Now, where in God’s name did that come from, Taylor...er, Johnboy?  I’m absolutely astonished to hear that quoted in a place like this,” he said, shaking his heid in wonder.

  “Why?  It’s aboot daeing time, isn’t it?  Ah wid’ve thought that this is exactly the right place tae quote lines like that.”

  “I’m sorry…forgive me.  I’ve heard a lot of things since I’ve been preaching here, but ‘To Althea, From Prison’ is certainly not one of them.”