Young Kevin Quigley was nervous in the passenger seat of the wee van on his first real day of work. He knew the man sitting beside him would learn Kevin his trade. Everybody said that yer man really knew his stuff. He had been told to keep his nose clean do what he was told and he'd be fine.
Liam McHugh sat in the driver's seat with a newspaper resting on the steering wheel. He read the Daily Mirror from the back to the front losing interest about halfway though. Scanning the tabloid for any news that Ryan Giggs injury had cleared up did not do anything to lighten his mood. He was convinced, unlike some of the lads in the pub, that Cantona could not carry the whole campaign on his shoulders. Giggs gave us an outlet on the left he thought. Kanchelskis was a total chancer. He stirred from matters Old Trafford and was annoyed at his apprectince. Ok everybody has to learn he reminded himself.
"Its always good to get an early start on a job like this. In an hour this yard will be heavin. This way is better. We get what we need and we're off. Go you check them tools again.". It wasn't a polite request and Kevin's opinion wasn't being asked for. A flash of resistance started to kindle in the lad's eyes and then he remembered himself.
"Aye no bother Liam." Stepping out of the van, creaking in his brand new overalls he opened the doors and started to check the tidy rows of plumber's tools. He knew everyone and what everyone did. Big Liam had saw to that. Even before he picked up a kangol hammer and switched it on he knew what it was for and how to use it. Very thorough was big Liam in fairness. He was getting a good teaching from him. Not many would be this way with a new lad. That was being fair about it, but how many times did tools need to be checked over? He was just making sure the tools they would need for this job were where they should be when a light green Mercedes swung into the parking space beside the plumbers van.
"Morning gentlemen! You're the early birds today!", said Ian Baxter.
"Mornin." Said Liam getting out of the drivers seat and standing up. He spoke across the roof of the van towards man.
"We're here to do a wee job in town here and we just need some Yorkshire fittings off ye."
"Aye I have all them in stock. Nobody beats me for price in this town."
"You're well recommended right enough" said Liam with a hint of a smile.
"What the job you gentlemen are doing?"
"A central heating overhaul in a house and a new ensuite. We just need the Yorkshire fittings and we're pushed for time." Ian Baxter caught himself.
"No bother, just let me open up here." He said as he fumbled with a gaoler's bunch of keys. He opened the door and punched in a four-digit combination in a wall-mounted keypad inside the shop that stopped an electronic whining. He flicked on the strip lights that illuminated the rows and rows of products. If Aladdin had been a plumber this is what his place would have looked like. The two men stepped inside adjusting their eyes from the dull early morning to the florescent daytime inside.
"Some amount of stuff!" said Kevin. Ian Baxter beamed a smile at the boy's impressed face, but Liam shot him a glance to mind his place. Kevin's face registered the rebuke and put his head down. Silence and obedience was all that was required of Kevin and he had better remember it.
"Now you said Yorkshire fittings?” said Ian Baxter getting back to business.
“Aye, that’s the job.” Ian walked down the aisle with the men following he turned and said.
“Did you gentlemen say that you were doing a new ensuite as well?”
“Aye” affirmed Liam.
“Well I’ve just got some lovely new shower cabinets in from England. The very best quality. I’m the sole supplier around here. You’d have to go to Belfast to get these, but I have them here. Top quality they are.” Ian enthused.
“Look mister we just need the…………. aye ok we’ll have a wee look at them.”
“Just wait to you see these cabinets” Ian was delighted he would sell to this man he knew he would. He’d show Hannah she hadn’t married a failure. He approached the standing rows of cabinets. Ian had opened some of them for display the night before. Now he was glad he had put in those late hours last night. He reached the first cabinet and drew open the sliding door with a flourish. Before he could turn around to greet impressed faces most of his lower brain spewed out of the gaping hole where his face had been. The second round from the three fifty seven magnum into his slumped body was totally superfluous. Young Kevin stood looking down, disbelieving at what the Ruger pistol in his right hand had just done to the part-time soldier. Liam took the weapon out of his limp hand and roughly shook his slim upper arm.
“Ok, Job done. Go you and wipe down the counter with your sleeve. You put your palm on it when you came in.” Kevin looked at Liam for some answer, some understanding.
“MOVE!” Liam made almost as much sound as the Ruger through Kevin’s ringing ears.
Hannah Baxter was on the school run. She was distracted by wee Elizabeth singing the Barney song for all she was worth in the child seat behind her. The playgroup was her ‘school’ and she was a big girl now she told everyone. When Hannah saw the little Volkswagen Van pull out of Ian’s yard she allowed herself a smile. A customer this early would put Ian in a good mood. Once her majesty was dropped off she would go to Knox’s dairy and get something nice for a cup of tea. Stop by on Ian and surprise him! ‘Why had I been like that to him this morning?’ she thought. ‘Maybe it was because my period is late? Two weeks! He is a good man one of the best, doing his best.’ The thought of making up with him in the back shop over a cuppa made the day seem better than it had been an hour ago.
Phil Mac Giolla Bhain
