Our Night pt4

Tom and Jamie were already there when we walked into the “Travellers”, or, to give it its proper name, “Three Travellers”, which made us the five travellers. It was a long, narrow bar in two parts. The first was at the entrance near the doors and windows looking out onto the street. The second was further down towards the back. This part was darker and quieter, with most people preferring the lighter, wider space in the front. Billy walked straight over to Tom and Jamie. Mick and I followed. They were standing next to a table in the middle. We rarely, if ever, sat down.

Jamie was training to be a quantity surveyor. He hadn’t known what to do after leaving school, messed around for a while taking whatever job he could get. Worked in a baker’s, then a butcher’s (he made some lovely apple pies and steak pies), and had several jobs in bars before settling for that job. Nobody knew how or why. One day, he’d said he fancied doing it, so he’d gone along to one of the firms in the next town, who’d offered to train him. It was all rather strange. He hadn’t qualified yet, but he seemed to enjoy it. Not that he’d talked about it often. He was quiet and looked and acted as though he had the whole world on his shoulders. You would have described him as average in every way; height, weight, looks. He didn’t stand out, was just part of the group. His main interests were the local football team (along with Mick) and music; music of any kind, but mainly rock and blues from the seventies.

 Then there was Tom. He’d have liked to be a professional escort – not the ones who show people around places – although he had more chance of doing that then the other type. Tom was working at the main garage in town. He’d gone there straight from school, finished his training and stayed. He was good at it too, and always looked after his mates. He’d helped Jamie get a car and do it up so it ran really well. I think he thought of himself being in that scene from Grease where they customised the car and raced it. It was probably the thought of being wrapped in cling-film that appealed the most. He was tall and slim, not quite an athlete’s physique, mainly because he didn’t like exercise other than the five-a-side football he played once a week. Along with Billy, he was one of those annoying types who could eat and drink anything, anytime and never gain weight or look overweight. It is true that he was the best looking of us and had the most charm. He also wore the best clothes, nearly always something new and the best designer labels available in the town; shirt and trousers, rarely jeans, and if he did wear jeans, they were the best available brands.

That left me. First class layabout, my dad would have said; never had a proper job. I suppose in a way he was right. I’d gone into sixth form not really knowing what to do. I’d passed some A levels and then got fed up with education, so I’d found a few jobs here and there. Worked with Mick for a while doing some labouring. It wasn’t too bad in the summer; rubbish in the winter, though. I’d helped in the garage with Tom for a while, same as Jamie. After a few months odd jobbing and listening to my dad moaning at me, I’d decided it was time to go to university, where I was now, about to start the final year of a Law degree. I was doing okay and should get through it all right. I already had some feelers out for joining practices when I finished. Some months it got tricky for money, but I had managed to save something from the jobs I’d done, and Mam and Dad had been supportive and patient. My dad kept saying he couldn’t wait for all the money these solicitors earned to start coming into the house!

As I said before, Billy and me were about the same height and smaller than the others. I did think of myself as the most athletic. I had played some football and cricket in the local leagues for the pub team before I’d started to get injured too easily, then tried running. I’d taken part in the town’s six-mile road race. Never expected to get near the faster runners, but got a decent time. Other than that, nothing special. Plain and ordinary. Nothing to make me appeal to the opposite sex.

So that was the five of us. We’d seen things and been places, mostly together. Of course, we’d had our fallings out, but we’d always been there for each other. We all worked hard through the week and looked forward to our Friday nights in town, drinking, laughing, having fun and forgetting the cares, troubles, stresses and strains of yet another week earning money for somebody else. All good fun until morning, when you tried to wake up and had a bad head, memory loss and regrets! Well, here goes … …

As we walked towards Tom and Jamie, Billy said, “Nah then, you two. Look what we’ve got here.” They both looked round. I wasn’t sure what they expected to see, but I didn’t think it was me.

“What? All I can see is Mattie,” Tom said.

“Hey up Mattie. Good to see you again,” Jamie added.

“Hey up lads, thought I’d give it a try. See if the route’s changed, or the jokes have improved,” I said.

“No to both,” Jamie replied.

Suddenly Tom took a deep breath and started coughing, loudly, “What the bloody hell is that smell? It’s like a Turkish brothel. Is it you, Mattie?”

“That’s no way to greet your mates,” Mick defended me, again.

“I don’t care. It’s horrible.”

“I haven’t been in town for a few weeks, and this is how you welcome me! If you’re talking about this expensive aftershave I’ve got on, then it must be. Anyway, how many Turkish brothels have you been in?” I asked Tom.

“Expensive?! You’d have been better off shaving in the dog’s bath water,” Tom said.

“And explain this,” Billy said. “Why put on an old shirt if you’re going to wear expensive after shave?”

“Hang on. Are you all trying to make up for the weeks I’ve not been here?” I asked.

“Don’t worry, we’ll leave you alone now. That is, for now. We’ll carry on later,” Tom said.

“It’s good to see you all as well. I suppose I’m going to have to get some drinks,” I said.

“You were last in. Last in gets the drinks,” Billy said.

It had started already! I’d thought they might have left me alone for a while, but then again, no. I wouldn’t have expected nor wanted it any other way. At least they weren’t avoiding trying to wind me up, which would have been unusual. I made my way to the bar to get the drinks for Billy, Mick and me; Jamie and Tom still had drinks. Billy followed me. At this time of night, it was quiet and easy to get served. First drinks didn’t count in our round, which started in the next pub.

While I ordered the drinks, Billy was talking to one of the girls behind the bar. Suddenly, he shouted over to me, “Mattie, don’t bother getting me a drink; I’m sorted,” a wide smile across his face. He never changed. I got a drink for me and Mick, then headed off back to the others, leaving Billy at the bar.