“Aw, fuck you and yer job, ya unhelpful wanker, ye…arrrggghhhh!” Helen hid screamed, slamming doon the receiver.
Issie hid said that she'd been telt that she hid tae go doon tae the mortuary at mid-day. Helen hid nipped back across tae her ain hoose, tae take a box ae porridge across tae Issie’s, tae make sure that they hid something tae eat fur breakfast. She’d also cleared her cupboard ae totties, tumshie, carrots and some dried barley tae make a big pot ae soup wae. She’d jist arrived back at Issie’s when the lassies hid turned up.
“Ma God! Whit’s the world coming tae, Helen, eh?” Sandra McClellan hid cursed, rushing through tae the living room, efter hinging up her coat.
Efter that, Cathy Galloway, Ann Jackson, Mary Malone, Sharon Campbell, Soiled Sally and Betty Smith hid aw arrived, wan efter the other. They’d aw heided intae the living room and hid sat comforting Issie and Wee Mary. Helen hid been glad tae see them. They’d aw lived within a stone’s throw ae where she’d lived in Montrose Street, doon in the Toonheid before they’d aw been shifted up tae Springburn. They hid a reputation fur being tough as hell, bit wur big safties underneath aw their bluster. They wur also aw well-known fur demonstrating ootside closemooths when some poor crater’s furniture and possessions wur being flogged fur peanuts tae pay aff their arrears tae The Corporation or tae the tic companies like The Clydeside Provident. Everywan ae them hid been charged wae breach ae the peace or wae assaulting Sheriff officers and the polis at wan time or another.
It hid been clear tae everywan that Issie wis in nae fit state tae make any decisions, although it wis also clear there wur things that needed tae be done. Some ae the lassies hid come through tae the kitchen tae ask Helen whit they wur gonnae dae aboot taking Issie doon tae the mortuary, seeing as Issie’s Tam wis oot ae circulation. Sandra, Cathy and Sharon hid volunteered, although it hid been obvious efter making the offer, that they wur dreading any take-up.
“Look, Ah know Issie is in another place jist noo, bit Ah don’t think we should be daeing anything that she disnae want. We’ll need tae get her permission first before we start daeing anything aboot here,” Helen hid telt them.
When she’d gone through tae the living room, she’d hardly been able tae see anywan fur the fag smoke that wis hinging aboot in the air. Issie hid been sitting in the middle ae the couch wae Cathy Galloway oan wan side and Mary Malone oan the other. The heat coming aff the fire in the grate meant that the place wis like an oven. Some ae the neighbours up the close hid drapped aff buckets ae coal. Issie hid looked as though she wis being squashed between two big fat tomatoes. Sharon hid been sitting oan the ermchair beside the fire wae Wee Mary sitting oan the ermrest, wae her erms roond Sharon’s neck, while Betty wis sitting oan the flair wae her back tae Issie’s knees. Soiled Sally hid been sitting oan the flair, cross-legged, beside the fireplace, disgusting everywan within a five street radius wae the sight ae that exposed bare arse ae hers, breaking up whit wis left ae the fag-ends fae the ashtrays, creating a wee mountain ae tobacco. Helen hid noticed that Wee Mary’s good bible that she’d been gied at the wan and only time she’d gone tae Father John’s Young Vestal Angels bible class when she wis five, wis sitting beside her in tatters, as Soiled Sally lined up the rolled fags she’d made in anticipation ae everywan’s fags running oot. Helen hid wondered whit verses she’d end up puffing her way through. Nowan hid been speaking. Everywan hid seemed tae be lost in their ain thoughts. The other ermchair hid been left, sitting empty, waiting fur Helen tae come through fae the kitchen.
“Mary-doll, gonnae open that windae a wee bit before Ah collapse wae the heat and the smoke in here?” Helen hid asked, looking aboot the room as she settled back in the chair.
“Whit’s yer thoughts then, Helen?” Soiled Sally hid asked, looking up fae her task and putting her oan the spot, as aw eyes looked across at Helen.
She’d recounted her wan-sided conversation oan the phone wae the polis.
“Useless basturts,” Sharon hid mumbled. “Ah bet it wis that big lump, Happy Harry.”
“Anyway, whether we want tae or no, Issie, we’ll hiv tae start planning tae make a move. We cannae jist sit here and ignore the situation,” Helen hid said, relieved when Issie nodded her heid in agreement.
“And we’re aw here wae ye, Issie. Whitever ye want, we’ll be there wae ye,” Cathy hid assured her, gieing her a wee reassuring squeeze.
“Whitever ye think needs done, Helen, jist go aheid and dae it,” Issie hid whimpered.
“Right, Ah’ve been gieing it a bit ae thought. There’s a couple ae things we need tae decide oan straight away. The first thing is that Issie needs tae go doon tae the...er...mortuary...tae identify that poor boy ae hers. Ah’ll go wae her, if Tam is still locked up in the Bar-L,” Helen hid said quickly, looking across at Issie tae see if she wis okay efter the mention ae the mortuary.
“Ah’ll go wae ye if ye need an extra pair ae hauns, Helen,” Betty hid volunteered.
“We need tae put thegither twenty quid tae get Tam oot ae the clink. Ah say we aw chip in and see whit we come up wae?”
Efter five minutes ae working oot who hid whit and Wee Mary finding three ha’penny bits doon the side ae wan ae the chairs, they’d managed jist under six quid between them.
“We’ll also need the bus fare up tae the jail, as well as the fares doon tae the Saltmarket,” Betty hid chipped in.
“And that’s returns,” Wee Mary hid reminded them.
“Right, any ideas?”
Silence.
“C’mone, surely wan ae youse must hiv an idea?” Helen hid challenged them.
Silence.
“Whit aboot the Provi-cheque man?”
“Naw, it wid be next week before we goat the money, if we put in fur a loan the night.”
“The pawn? How aboot the pawnshoap?” Cathy hid volunteered.
“Brilliant, Cathy. Right, girls, who’s goat whit?” Helen hid asked them.
“Ma Bill’s shoes ur sitting there, wae naewhere tae go,” Sharon hid volunteered.
“So’s ma man’s.”
“And mine.”
“How aboot rings?” Helen hid asked, removing her wedding band that hidnae been aff her finger since she’d goat married.
“Ah’ve goat a lovely electric blanket, still in its wrapper.”
“Ah’ve goat a lovely Braun men’s shaver that Charlie says is shite,” Cathy hid volunteered.
“We’ve goat wan ae them as well,” Betty hid said.
“Aye, us as well.”
“How aboot cameras?”
“Oors is fae nineteen canteen.”
“We’ve goat a nice Kodak that Ah goat oot ae the catalogue that’s still in its box,” Helen remembered.
“Ah’ll chip in a Bush radio,” Sharon hid chipped in.
“Right, fag coupons?” Helen hid asked them, taking a deep breath.
Silence.
It hid been the first time that any ae them hid looked uncomfortable. Everywan who smoked saved them up. Wance they'd collected a ton ae them and jist aboot ended up wae cancer, they wur able tae send aff tae the catalogue fur crap that they didnae need...like cameras, electric blankets, radios, clocks and electric shavers. That hidnae been whit wis bothering them though. Everywan in Springburn saved them up because, when they wur skint, they could trade them in at Sherbet's, who gied them two bob fur a hundred or three bob’s worth ae goods. Alang wae the pawnshoaps, fag coupons wur lifesavers oan a rainy day fur hauf the wummin in the city.
“Naw, Helen, don’t dae that. That’s no fair, so it’s no,” Issie hid protested, involving hersel fur the first time.
“Fur Christ’s sake, who’s goat coupons?” Helen hid demanded, scowling at them.
“Ah’ve goat aboot seventy Kensitas, so Ah hiv,” Sharon hid volunteered.
“Ah’ve goat aboot sixty,” Betty hid chipped in.
“Ah’ve goat nearly two hunner Embassys,” Cathy hid declared as everywan looked at her in shock.
“Whit? Ah’ve been putting them away fur ages, so Ah hiv, wae Christmas coming up an aw that.”
“Ah’ve goat fifty five Embassys masel. So, who else?” Helen hid asked.
“Ah’ve goat aboot sixty, Helen,” Mary hid said.
“Right, that’s settled. Go and bring aw yer stuff back here. Masel and Sally will heid o’er tae the pawnshoap oan Saracen Street, across in Possil. Sharon, ye’re in charge ae the coupons. Mary, yersel and Cathy will anchor here, tae look efter Issie and Wee Mary, while everywan goes and gets their stuff.”
Chapter Two
The bus hid jist passed under the newly built flyover in Castle Street before entering Springburn Road beside Charles Street. Issie hid fallen asleep, wae her heid oan Helen’s shoulder at the Duke Street traffic lights. Helen wis shocked at whit they’d done tae the Toonheid, as she looked oot ae the windae. It hid been decimated and she could see new multi-storey blocks ae flats in the distance, where her and Jimmy hid brought up the weans. Maist ae Parly Road and McAslin Street wur well gone and ye could’ve driven straight across Castle Street fae Royston Road intae Baird Street, across a new bridge, where the auld canal bridge hid been at the tap ae Glebe Street. She didnae recognise the place. She hidnae been oot ae Springburn much since her and Jimmy hid been cleared oot ae the Toonheid. When she did hiv tae travel intae the toon, usually tae go and complain tae The Corporation, she usually went in oan the number thirty two bus fae Keppochhill Road, which went in via the Coocaddens. Castle Street wis like a modern bomb site noo and they’d drained and filled in the canal, or The Nolly as people used tae call it. She still caught a strong eggy whiff in that nose ae hers fae where Jack’s Mountain and the Stinky Ocean hid been, across in the Cuddy Park.
She thought back tae earlier in the day and felt her anger rising against the polis as she lit up another fag. Her and Soiled Sally hid goat loaded up wae aw the stuff fur the pawn. They’d looked like a couple ae pack horses as they took a short cut across the cinder pitches oan Cowlairs Park intae Possil. They’d cut doon Stoneyhurst Street and come oot at the pawn shoap oan Saracen Cross and hid been first in the long queue when the doors opened at nine o’clock. Wae everything that wis pawned, including cashing in four hunner fag coupons, they’d been sitting wae jist o’er twenty two quid. None ae the lassies hid been sure aboot whit the cost ae the bus fares wid be.
“Right, go back hame and bring back any ginger bottles ye’ve goat lying aboot the hoose. Wee Mary here kin take them doon tae Sherbet's and get the money fur them. Ah think we’re gonnae hiv tae make every penny coont,” Helen hid declared, tossing whit wis left ae her bible-fag intae the fire.
When Helen and Soiled Sally hid been at the pawn, two detectives hid turned up at the hoose tae interview Issie. They hidnae let any ae the lassies stay wae Issie, despite the obvious mess she wis in.
“Unless ye’re related, ye cannae be here as we don’t want any interference fae any ae youse lot. We’ve goat enough oan oor plate the day, withoot youse adding tae it,” an Inspector Mack hid informed Sharon and Cathy, efter clearing the wummin oot ae the living room.
“So, where in the rule book dis it say that then?” Sharon hid demanded.
“See, that’s whit we mean. Ye’ve started awready, so ye hiv,” the big skinny wan that wis wae the inspector hid scowled at them.
“She’s only asking a simple question, expecting a simple answer, ya big dreep, ye. Don’t come in here and think ye kin jist start bossing us aboot because we’re poor helpless, defenceless wummin,” Cathy hid retorted.
“Why don’t ye go and put the teapot oan, doll?” Beanpole hid asked.
“Hoi, Ah’m no yer slave,” Sharon hid growled.
“It’s awright, hen, Ah’ll manage wae Wee Mary here by ma side,” Issie hid reassured them, as Beanpole shut the living room door, leaving the lassies twiddling their thumbs in the lobby.
By the time Helen and Sally hid returned, the bizzies hid disappeared. Fae whit she could gather, they’d asked Issie a couple ae questions, like did Joe hiv any known enemies or did she know ae anywan that wid want tae hurt him. Issie hidnae telt them aboot Joe being assaulted o’er the previous months. She’d said her brain hid shut doon wance they’d started tae interrogate her. If Helen or wan ae the other lassies hid been allowed tae be in the room at the time ae the interrogation, they wid’ve probably managed tae get Issie tae bring up the times that Joe hid come hame wae cuts and bruises oan him. It wis probably too late tae disclose that noo. The lassies hid said that everywan in the street wis talking aboot the incident ootside The Princes Bingo Hall and wur volunteering tae help if they wur needed. Helen hidnae hung aboot efter arriving back wae the money fae the pawnshoap as there wis too much tae be getting oan wae. Issie hid goat a quick wash before Helen and Betty hid helped her doon the stairs. They’d heided alang tae Springburn Road, via Keppochhill Road, in the middle ae a full blown snowstorm, aw huddled up thegither, tae get the number thirty seven bus doon tae castle Street…avoiding the bingo hall. When they’d goat aff at Castle Street, they’d caught another bus oan Alexandra Parade, which hid taken them up towards Riddrie and the Bar-L. Efter knocking oan the big studded double doors, a wee door built intae the wan oan the left hid opened and a wee fat prison officer hid asked them whit they wur efter.
“She’s up tae pay aff her man’s fine,” Betty hid declared.
They’d sat in a wee graffiti-covered room, in-between the studded doors tae the ootside and the big barred gates oan the inside ae the gatehoose. Vans and cars hid passed through the gates every five minutes. Efter an hour, another wee fat wan, wae a bit ae silver braid oan that hat ae his hid appeared oan the scene.
“Mrs McManus?”
“That’s her,” Betty hid volunteered, pointing tae Issie.
“Ah’m sorry, bit yer man’s no here.”
“Whit dae ye mean, her man’s no here?” Helen hid demanded, astonished.
“We’re full up. We shipped him across tae Low Moss first thing this morning.”
“So, if we gie ye the money tae pay aff his fine, will ye phone Low Moss and tell them tae let him oot then?”
“Ah’m sorry, we cannae dae that. Ye’ll need tae heid oot tae Bishopbriggs, up by Springburn, and pay it across there. We cannae take responsibility fur him wance we ship him oot ae here.”
“Fur Christ’s sake, so when wur we gonnae know aboot this then?” Betty hid shrieked.
“A social worker wid probably hiv phoned first thing oan Monday morning. We only deal wae whit goes oan in here.”
Helen hid been jist aboot tae gie him a moothful, bit decided that they needed tae get back oot ae the place and decide oan their next move. They’d caught a bus back doon tae Castle street. Issie and her hid waited at the bus stoap fur a number thirty seven tae take them doon tae the mortuary. When the screw up at the Bar-L hid telt them that Low Moss wis up in Bishopbriggs somewhere, jist beyond Springburn…where they’d jist came fae, the three ae them hid aw burst intae tears wae frustration. Betty hid decided that the best option wis tae grab a number forty five tae Colston. She’d said she wid find oot how tae get oot tae the jail wance she arrived up at the terminus. They’d asked an aff-duty bus clippie at the corner ae Alexandra Parade how tae get there and she’d said that she thought Betty wid need tae get a Bluebird bus, seeing as Bishopbriggs wis ootside the city limits.
“Don’t worry aboot me, Ah’ll find it and get that man ae yers oot, Issie,” Betty hid declared tae Issie confidently.
As they parted fae each other, Betty hid called Helen back.
“Helen, whit am Ah supposed tae say tae Tam if he disnae awready know aboot poor Joe?”
“Christ, Betty, Ah never thought aboot that,” Helen hid admitted.
“Will Ah wait until you and Issie come back up the road and Issie kin tell him hersel?”
“Naw, the whole ae Springburn will be talking aboot it and Wee Mary won’t be able tae keep it tae hersel.”
“Helen…please…don’t ask me tae dae this.”
“Betty, ye’ll hiv tae, fur Christ’s sake. There’s nowan else, unless ye want tae heid doon tae the mortuary wae Issie and Ah’ll heid up tae Low Moss?”
“Naw, Issie needs ye tae be there wae her.”
“Betty, she wants her man tae be wae her, bit that isnae gonnae happen noo, is it? We hiv tae dae whit we hiv tae dae, wae whit we’ve goat…and in this case, that’s you, Ah’m afraid.”
“Bit whit will Ah say?”
“Jist tell him that there’s been an accident…a bit ae bad news concerning young Joe.”
“Aye, and?”
“And that there wis a fight and he goat caught up in it and it looks like he wis accidently stabbed and that he passed away.”
“Passed away?”
“Fur God’s sake, Betty, Issie is staunin there bloody freezing, so she is. Ye’ll think ae something.”
“Ah…Ah, don’t know if Ah’ll be able tae manage tae dae this, Helen,” Betty hid mumbled, tears appearing in her eyes.
“Betty, listen tae me, hen. Ye kin dae this, so ye kin. Think ae whit it’d be like if the shoe wis oan the other fit. You and me ur aw Issie his goat at the moment. We’ve nae time tae mess aboot. Somewan his tae dae this and it’s goat tae be you. Ye’ll be fine…honest. Don’t put yersel doon. Ye’ll know whit tae say when the time comes. Issie and Tam hiv been friends ae oors fur a long time noo. We hiv tae stick thegither, no only the day, bit o’er the coming days. There will be a funeral tae sort oot. We hiv tae be strong fur them. There’s Wee Mary tae think ae.”
“Aye, ye’re right, so ye ur. Ah’ll be awright this end. Make sure ye’re awright at yours. So, Ah take it next Friday will need tae be cancelled then?”
“Friday? Whit aboot next Friday?”
“Mary Porter’s warrant sale, roond in Endricks Street?”
“Shit, Ah hivnae gied that much ae a thought, Betty. We’ll jist hiv tae play it by ear. Joe’s funeral might be oan then...Ah jist don’t know.”
“Aye, okay. Look, Ah’ll see ye later,” Betty hid said, wiping away a tear wae her coat sleeve as she set aff.
Helen hid stood momentarily, watching Betty dodging the traffic tae get tae the other side ae Castle Street tae the bus stoap, jist before a number forty five, which hid turned left oot ae Stirling Road, arrived at the stoap.