Chapter 3

 

          It was about a quarter to five when Donny arrived. He parked down the road a bit around the corner in a side street in a bay with faded lines. Nodded a friendly one to the man with the long grey hair and neck scarf, thin wrinkled face and looking like a faded rocker who was cutting his hedge with some real blunt shears and cursing.

The ruffled look with shortish blond hair and dark glasses gave Donny a sort of celebrity look as he kind of swaggered a bit, hamming it up to the pub and Bobby sitting outside on that uncomfortable looking seat talking to a blond girl. The grey short style jacket was slung on the back of the bench as he said, “too hot for that. Been sweating all day in that. Dumped the tie at two but the jacket, it was necessary.”

“Heyyy... Donny,” Bobby said, getting up and giving him one of those casual light slap on the back type of hugs that sort of said great to see you in a kind of affectionate but not so affectionate way. “What’s the problem with the jacket then? It’s hot enough to fry rice.”

“Been working, you know how it is, selling houses. A foreign lady. Bit of a Diva. You know the sort, long black hair and red lipstick with those scratch your eyes out nails. Dripping in gold and diamonds and those eyes that sort of pierce and smoulder at the same time. She has one of those undressing you kind of stares. Anyway I gave her the Donny patter and the deal was done. So who’s your friend?”  

“Gloria meet Donny he’s harmless when you get to know him and Donny meet Gloria. She’s just taken over the Gloria look from Gloria Swanson. What d’you think?”

“I think you’re way too stuck up with all that old movie stuff, that’s what I think but you’re right, the new look Gloria is way better than old Swanson,” Donny said, smiling at Gloria and seeing this tall slim girl with tight jeans and white top with frilly cuffs with the top two buttons undone and displaying a bit. Tapping her red painted nails on the bench back.

“Oh stop it you two will you. You sure know how to embarrass a girl Bobby,” said Gloria, “I accept the compliment and let's just leave it at that. So Donny, Bobby’s all wrapped up in his prehistoric film fetish what’s it you do that stands you out from the crowd?”

Bobby quickly jumped in, “He’s learning the old gitbox. Got himself one of those semi-acoustic jobs. He’s going to be like Eric Clapton in a few years and famous. Eh Donny?”

Gloria said, “the guitar eh and Clapton. Long way to go to get that good. Where you up to with your skill level?”

Donny said with a kind of laughing smile, “I’m getting on great. Got this book about how to learn guitar in one hundred and one easy steps. It’s a breeze. I’m up to step seven already. So I’ve learnt all the natural notes plus a few sharps and flats I’ve kind of stumbled upon with all my duff fingering. See, I’ve even grown the fingernails on my right hand for the picking and plucking stuff and chewed down my left ones for the fretting. All I’ve to do now is string the notes together in a kind of up and down, higher and lower sort of rhythmical way and I’m all sorted and on stage. Then onto fame and riches.”

Gloria said, “interesting and sounding a bit simple. Maybe a bit too simple. Perhaps you shouldn’t give up the day job just yet. Want a pint? Bobby’s buying aren't you Bobby and mine’s a small white spritz. I’ll bring them out so don’t get up. It’s quiet at the moment anyway, just waiting for the builder mob to get here. Any moment now I expect. You seen those builders when they’re thirsty? I can’t pull the pints fast enough.”

As she disappeared to the bar Donny said, “any luck on the job front then Bobby?”

“No, that interview I had today was a no go. This young guy in a shiny light blue suit with a stuck-on grin said they wanted someone in the office to answer the phone and do over the phone stuff. He must've been trained in speed talking. You know the sort, they have smoke coming out their ears. Don’t see how that would work though, the phone stuff, do you? Most likely it was a selling job. You know the ones, they push those insurance products no one wants and nobody needs. I would’ve taken it though just to get some bobs in the bank if nothing else but he said I was too well qualified.”

“Sounds like you might have dodged one there matey. I wouldn’t fancy working for a fella with a dodgy grin and a shiny blue suit. Anything else appearing?”

“Not really, I've had this missed call from a client. You know, that super rich lady I went to see just before the business went bust, in that huge mansion in the middle of nowhere. She left a message and wants me to call back but I just left it. The firm’s gone so I don’t see the point.”

“Why not phone, you’ve nothing to lose, have you? You might be able to take her on as a private client. You’ve got the qualifications after all.”

“I have but I think I need a licence to operate on my own. I was registered as a representative of William Stockard so worked under their umbrella. I might need to do something to get sorted on my own so I doubt that would work.”

“Give her a call anyway, you never know what might happen. What’ve you got to lose?”

“I dunno but suppose you could be right.”

“So call her. Now while I’m here to chivvy you. Just get it done will you.”

Picking his phone out of his pocket he punched the top one on the call list and waited.

The phone answered and he said using his best on the phone business voice, “is that Mrs Beauchamp?”

She replied, “speaking,” so he told her who he was and she thanked him for calling back and asked if he could call round.

Just after he started talking Gloria came back with the drinks, “who’s he talking to?”

Donny said, “just some old sugar-momma he’s hoping to seduce.”

“That right. He’s a granny buster then. Explains the Gloria Swanson thing.”

“I think I might have said that a bit wrong. He’s actually a financial wizard and she’s a rich client that needs somewhere to stash her millions.”

“Well that sounds much more boring than being a gigolo. Still glad to see I’ve not got competition.”

“You like him then?”

“Sure, he’s interesting and the things he says and the way he says them make me smile and I like to smile. I didn’t tell him but I loved this Swanson thing he told me. Best chat up line ever. Look out here come the builders,” pointing to the half dozen or so dusty lumps that were crossing the road. “Don’t they look smart in their hard hats and high viz kit?”

“They sure do. They always come here?”

“On their way home. Seven of them, one drives and six drink. They work seven days a week in the summer so I’d say they’ve got their after work drinking well sorted wouldn’t you?”

A heavy mass of steel toe capped boots and baggy trousers and soiled T-shirts covered in grime and mortar stains. Scruffy hair and swarthy looks and wide smiling faces followed by a dusty haze as they slap down their clothing. “Hi Gloria,” the biggest one said with a deep growling sort of voice, “you going to get 'em in?” rubbing his hands on the sides of his overalls then scratching the back of his neck. His dark brown hair sticking up and dusty.

“Sid’s inside,” she says, “he’ll sort you out. I’ll be in in a minute or so,”

Bobby got off the phone, “they sure make a row, don’t they. I could hardly hear a word she said. Anyway, I’m meeting her Monday at ten so you happy now?”

 

After Gloria had gone back inside to save Sid from the builders Bobby said, “You know sitting here in the sun makes me think about the weather, how good it’s been lately and thinking it could be set to get better.”

“How’s that then?” said Donny, “it’s already hot enough to fry an egg. I’m burning up.”

“Yeah but think about it. If Scotland gets independence that would be great for the weather, don’t you think?”

“Don’t follow, why should that be?”

“You think it’s hot now but just wait. When they get independence the weather will be stonking because all the stats are based on UK wide info. As it is always cold and raining in Scotland and Scotland would no longer be in the UK stats because they are independent the weather is guaranteed to improve with less cold and less rain and more sun. What d’you think of that? A great reason for independence eh.”

“An interesting concept all right but not too sure how it’ll work out. Independence first eh, then sort out the weather. So what you going to do about money? You almost out?”

“Yup and it’s a worry. Really appreciate your offer to move in. That goes a long way to helping out. Don’t know what I’ll do. Retrain maybe but I like what I do. If I can get some cash together I could start my own operation but small chance of that, I’d have to rob a bank or something. What d’you think about me robbing a bank?”

“I think that’s daft. What d’you know about thieving?”

“But all those robbers, the ones who do the small jobs, the post offices or shops. They make it seem so easy and they seem to mostly get away with it.”

“Those fellas are professionals, that's why it looks so simple.”

“That‘s right but no one would expect a dumb financial advisor to rob a store, would they? I’d just walk in. They wouldn't be suspicious and I’d just say give me the money poking a gun in the cute girl's face. Easy”

“And what gun is that? You know where to get a gun?”

“No but I’d find someone who does.”

“And that’s one loose end and before you know it you've got a bag full.”

“So.”

“So, use your head dummy. Just think about it. The professionals are successful because they have no loose ends. That’s the point. The cops have nowhere to look. You wouldn’t stand a chance with all your loose ends. Not with all those real smart cops about these days. They’re not dumb and they have these big sergeants that hang back just hovering and staring. Do something wrong and there’s a ton of bricks waiting there. No, forget it. What you need is to try something where there’s no outside action required. Something simple to organise. Like kidnapping.” Donny flippantly added.

“Anyway,” said Bobby, “just an idea. What’re we going to do now then?”

“No sense moving on, it’s nice sitting here. How about we have a few more here then get a carryout and head back to mine. You can stay over and we can pick up the motors in the morning.” Donny said at the same time thinking all that the talk of kidnapping was giving him a useful idea.