Foxy_T

by Tony White

  Only you aint go make a million running a call shop and internet is it. Unless you got a chain a them place. And them two didnt want a chain a E-Z Call. Them no build no empire is it. Them two just want there E-Z Call and each other init probaly. Cause otherwise if they had like another one up Stepney Green or wherever they need to get like other people work for them and all and thats not the way them girl like it which is with just the two a them at home and in there shop because otherwise like basically Ruji-Babes would have fe go up there other shop all the time and like do them books and pay them bills and all and Foxy-T would have fe look after all them other computer them. And even if you get other staff fe do some a them thing you know that none of them new staff is gonna be so into it as you are is it. And one a them might even be rip you off or whatever and them two Ruji-Babes and Foxy-T no want them kind of scene and not even know if them can trust there staff or whatever. Its nuff stress that type of thing believe me.

  And you know maybe Ruji-Babes cousin might come in one day when him pass cause he have some new idea fe make them more dollar cause fe true him learn nuff thing off him dad init and understand them bigger type a picture of how money work and the way it move around and what it make people do and what type a thing you have fe do when you got it. So him say, ‘Eh Rooj me think you should start fe do them Money Gram init what you say man? Me a talk with them man up Tele-International on Mile End and them make nuff money out a that. Man say just have them sign up outside good for business init and them all part a the deal there.’ And Ruji-Babes well cautious about them business and how much them can invest in them new idea so she go like, ‘Let me look at them detail man I aint go make up me mind just like that is it. Them type a franchise a big commitment man.’ And fe true is cause she careful they is make money in the first place init and her cousin knowed this and respect her way but still when she act like that him look over where Foxy-T and roll him eye so Ruji-Babes no see him do it while she fuss over something and him go, ‘What you think about them Money Gram T?’ But Foxy-T aint stupid is it and go, ‘Listen man is Rooj you a fe deal with on them type a thing. I dont know is it.’ Then she go back to what she was do before. Other time him driver park up outside and Ruji-Babes cousin a come in and go, ‘Look Rooj, I got this little property up Vallance Road you know the Sari Centre opposite the Snack Palace and I know fe true we a go make more dollar if it was a E-Z Call init what you say man?’

  And Ruji B would like look around and it would be all them customer chatting away and looking up there emails on the internet and stuff and she probaly go, ‘Look man we got enough to do here already init. Plus is all them man down there go up Whitechapel for them thing already.’ Then she maybe check him new clothes and go, ‘Anyway nice suit man.’

  And Ruji-Babes no joke when she say them have nuff fe do already init cause specially in like the summer time they might be work there till like nine at night. And even then right they wouldnt get no time for there selves till they shut up shop and gone upstairs which might be like ten ten thirty. And it wasnt like they didnt have nothing else to do is it because they both of them know it aint just work make life worth living seen. Both a them girl know its all them other thing like maybe sit and chat or eat some nice take out in front of the telly is what life all about and thats why them two enjoy work init as well as because them like there jobs or whatever its also because of the time when you aint working but yet you know you is got food in the fridge and a nice place and you aint vex and all stress about them basics so you can relax and know you in control a things.

  Or like maybe Foxy-T would enjoy just be sit there upstairs in the evening and fiddle around with some other kind of computer stuff what she got a idea about like how it might work or how she can make it work better and them kind a time she just be fiddling around with like her laptop or whatever and sing under her breath to herself for like hours init and Ruji-Babes might bring her a cup of tea or whatever because she know that when Foxy-T got some kind a idea from nowhere she aint gonna get no decent conversation out of her till she done it or at least had a go and most a the time she was trying to get all them stupid PC downstairs working init so it aint like she got a load of time to just get on with her own stuff she used to call it. And if they had like a chain a E-Z Call then this kind a time just fe spend on there own thing would just be take up with running all them other place init and them two rather have the time than all that extra stress.

  One big problem though round here for Ruji-Babes and Foxy-T was that they didn’t have that good security and it can be well quiet round them streets at night. None of them sweet centre and fry chicken shop was open all night so after about like eleven or something its like a ghost town down Cannon Street Road and even down Commercial Road what is like one of them big main road into London. Aint like west London where every main road just pure shop and bar and restaurant seen. Even now they open that drive in MacDonald on Commercial Road in the old Jet garage opposite Watney Market there aint nothing else just a load a fashion business what is busy in the day but close up about five. So its well dark and quiet like I say and as you might expect theres nuff robberies and shit. And now there plenty a them yellow sign appear init all chain up to the lamp post them what say ‘Police Notice: thief operate in this area. Please lock your car and keep your valuables and your mobile out of sight’ what no one take no notice of let alone them thief. Couple a notice aint put them off is it. And also in like the last couple of year them robbers get well cheeky init. And this aint just at night neither. Them two could be both sitting there in the E-Z Call and someone would go, ‘Right look this phone aint working man’ or something or go, ‘Can you help me with this computer I think it just crash init,’ and whichever one a them is working might turn around for a second and someone else will just come in and nick a handful of one particular phone card or something. Like they’ll take all the Speak and Save £10 cards one day. Or try and get some Vodafone top ups or whatever right from under there noses. And by the time they got back to the front or whatever them thief will be gone and just some empty display box them on the floor and no one in sight or just some car already turning round the corner into Commercial Road and like well out of it.

  They got well vex them two and try all kind a stuff fe stop them robbers. First of all Ruji-Babes was like looking through the books and working out what money was over that month after they paid all them rates and rent and bills or whatever and things was look OK money wise so she maybe say, ‘Listen T, we need one a them lock-up cabinet init. Them glass ones so all them phone card can be put away till we need them.’ And buying this counter mean that Ruji-Babes aint got the money fe get like a drink machine like what she had plan fe do but she probaly figure no point have a drink machine if you stock is always get nick is it. And they went up the shop fitters init on the corner of New Road fe check them different type a counter they got up there and they got this like secondhand one what them shop fitter just take out a some place they was doing a refit or whatever. So cause it like second hand maybe them knock a bit off the price init so you see that Ruji-Babes aint stupid when it come to business. And once that was deliver and put up there in the E-Z Call by the window they put all them phone card and them top ups in there. But it aint that simple is it because you aint gonna keep that thing lock up all day is you man. If someone a come in and say, ‘Give me one a them ten pound Talk is Cheap’, or like aks for maybe a twenty pound Call Me or a five pound Talking Drums or whatever and you get that out and then straight away there be some other customer going like, ‘Do you do them Why You Never Phone? I’d like a twenty pound one please.’ What you a go do then man? You aint gonna lock up that cabinet and then open it again in between each one of them customer is you because if you do that them customers are gonna just walk down the road and get there cards or there top ups or whatever down at the One Stop in it. Least they would probaly get there top ups down the One Stop because them do Vodafone and T-Mobile down there. And you no want them customer wha
t come to you fe buy them phone card to change them habit is it. So most of the time them still have fe keep that cabinet unlock and that mean they was still getting rob init. And what if someone come in like some schoolboy gangster what has got a knife or whatever and a bit of a attitude and he still gonna get them cards off you whether you keep that cabinet lock or not. And thats just in the day init when there plenty people about and everything. Cause theres nuff passer by on Cannon Street Road in the day time init. But at night is worse cause even though them got like one a them roller shutter on the front or whatever its just some mash up old shutter whats been there for years since before it was even the Cannon Street Car and Ruji-Babes uncle never got it fix when he buy the place in the first place and he never got it fix when he decide fe open up the E-Z Call. So that shutter would roll down but man could see it never shut properly. Them hole on the bottom for the padlock them they wasnt line up or nothing so it never lock properly and is all plant and leaf is grow in the bottom of them runner. That shutter just there for appearances init but you aint go look too close. Like they try fe make it look like they got a proper shutter and them things cost man believe me. Like five thousand dollar plus for just some steel shutter on your front window. And that aint even the best ones thats just the basic ones. And whatever happen Ruji-Babes know they aint making enough dollar for one a them new shutter is it. So it seem like them robber just another fact of life. Even though there was like a baseball bat down behind the counter there and some big machete behind the upstairs door what they got off the butchers opposite. Neither of them was right up for using none of them weapon. Though sometime Foxy-T would be a stand behind the upstairs door with that machete heavy in her hand and listen to them robbers whisper while them nicking whatever and just hoping them thief no wreck her system or nick that server and pull no plug out the wall or whatever and she just be hope that them thief aint gonna try fe come upstairs and see if theres anything worth jacking from there. But usually they never did them thief. Cause mainly them thief was like after stuff from the E-Z Call what is small and easy fe sell and what they come in and scope some other time like when they come in fe buy some kind of little five pound Vodafone top up or fe aks Ruji-Babes if they done stamps or whatever and she go, ‘No but they do them book of six stamp down Ekota Stationer there though init,’ or whatever and them customer go, ‘Right. Oh seen, cheers man,’ or whatever but them thief aint really after buy stamps or shit they was just lookin at the PC them or the stock in that lock up cabinet. So eventually them two start fe put them card and top up and that in the safe at nights but you aint gonna put computers or whatever in the safe is it. And also they was always careful not to put all them card in the safe cause if they done that then some robber or whatever is gonna do more damage init if him have fe broke up the cabinet fe even get one little box a top ups. So them always start fe leave some out. Like they’ll leave out all the Speak and Save ones some night or them Dirty Talks and one of them boxes has got to have like a couple hundred dollar worth a cards init so man can understand why them rude boy want fe nick them init.

  So like I say Foxy-T and Ruji-Babes is the best of friend since school. And them two is always use fe run together in them day not with no other posse or gang or whatever just the two a them. And even though Ruji-Babes was always a little weakling Foxy-T was well tough even though she had like big tits or whatever. She big for her age seen and plenty boy know she could have them easy if she want so most a them just know fe leave them two alone. And when they wasnt working or whatever or if they was bunking off a class them two would go and sit on the steps of one of the flats and smoke and chat and write there names. Or they probaly go and sit on the climbing frame over Bigland. And you could probaly hear them a climb up that like squeaky bridge on that climbing frame at lunch times or before school init and like laughing and talking from in the flats if you had like your window open or you was out on the balcony. Or man would like find some cigarette end in your stair well in the morning where they was hang out before school and find they done there tags on the wall there by your rubbish chute. None of them girl done like big dub plate and that is it just one a them would probaly of nick some blue marker at school or whatever so there be just maybe a empty B&H packet and just ‘Foxy-T’ and ‘Ruji-Babes’ writ up there in blue pen and all neat type a girl writing.

  And like I say they was best of friends and looking back we is all think they was gay since time init though maybe them no realise and we didnt really know are selves even though they probaly wasnt really gay not like that they just didnt have boy friend and that though there plenty man who want to see Foxy-T tits or give her them cock fe suck or whatever believe me. Nuff man dream about that init. Cause like the name say she well foxy man. So they wasnt really gay most probaly just kind of a bit gay but man never see them two a kiss or whatever. And Ruji-Babes was a bit of a weakling like I say but she would always give Foxy-T the time of day and even though Foxy-T was a bit of a day dreamer she always have a minute for that Ruji-Babes mainly even if she never had no time fe none a them other girl in them two class.

  But even though they been best friend from time sometimes on them long nights when there just the two of them in the E-Z Call on there own or whatever and it seem like no customer a go come in and it aint even like six o clock yet or whatever and things was a bit tight money wise then they might argue init or get a bit feisty with one another. And this wasnt help by the fact that sometime Foxy-T would feel like she was the one what done all the work just fe keep them computer and phone run smooth and all Ruji-Babes done was sit at the front and be chatting with them regular customer or whatever and not really be doing nothing or thats what it seem like to Foxy-T on them kind of long winter nights when everything seem to be breaking down all the time. And Foxy-T like all that kind of work really but it seem like it would never stop sometimes and she maybe get a bit angry at nothing man or have some type of expression on her face as if to say like, ‘Ruji-Babes you better not aks me no damn fool question right now.’ And Ruji-Babes would want fe chat with Foxy-T and aks her if she alright or whatever and she be feel really tired and them dark rings round her eyes would make her look right worry and vex and she wouldnt be able to stop herself from aksing Foxy-T if there was anything the matter and when she done that you know that Foxy-T would just shout at her or whatever init.

  And on them kind of nights they felt like they was fight some kind a losing battle and it was just tax them man. And it felt like they was the only ones was try fe make some kind a honest living cause nothing else would be open except right up Whitechapel and there probaly wasnt even enough money fe one a them a go up Tayyabs and pick up some like kebab and naan and some dal or whatever which was there favourite meal from up there. It seemed like they was the only things they had only each other in the whole world. And sometimes they might think that was a good thing like at least they got each other but on them dark nights it might seem like well whats the point and why is we bother.

  And even if them kind a time when it all seem like a waste a energy no come too often them robbers was enough fe drive them up the wall believe me. There was some times when they didnt really have any reason fe think it but just it feel like something gonna happen. And them feel it in the air. And on them days it be hot yeah and the mood would be well tense out in the street and there be lot of bad tempered people like shouting or whatever and bad traffic all back up down Cannon Street Road like if there some road work them go on up Vallance Road or like some van a try fe park outside the butcher them like the traffic be back up all the way down to Cable Street init and all them driver like honk there horn and get well stress. And them big plastic meat bins of all like bones and skin or whatever would be on the pavement outside the butchers there and them blue bins is well rank believe me. And there be some a them junky out the hostel on the pavement and standing around the old payphone up the road and on them days Ruji-Babes would be sit at the front with one hand on that baseball bat all day and even
Foxy-T might have that machete tuck away inside a Metro next to whatever computer she happen to be a fix that day. And they was just like that all day cause on them kind of long day you never know when some rude boy is gonna come fe rob you. And believe me them robber can be quick init and just blend in with the background like they is any other person going about there business and going down the shop or something fe get there fags. And on days like them Ruji-Babes might be just shake with the nerves of it all and Foxy-T would be about ready fe cut someone up just fe look in the window funny when they walk past. And usually on them kind of day nothing would happen at all even though them two could feel that some one was definitely out fe try and rob them. Just for some reason they never. Like them rude boy change there mind or whatever at the last minute yeah. But believe me them no let up is it. Man cant relax when them run a shop cause you never know when them thief a go come seen.

  One a them type a afternoon was when Ruji-Babes had gone up the bank with her cousin fe do some business cause him a drive pass after collect him tax off them other business there and then they was plan fe go up the cash and carry and buy them few box a top ups or whatever and it was just Foxy-T in the E-Z Call by herself. And she sitting at the front of the shop with that machete hid under some paper or whatever and the sunlight was come in low over the roof of the Nagina Sweet Centre init and it be that type of thick gold light what just seem to hang in the air like man can reach out and touch init and she was just sort a day dream and not even really keep much of a eye on thing because perhaps she be like think about some problem with them computer or whatever. And Foxy-T always a bit like that init not really pay too much attention to anything. Like she was a million miles away and I dont know what she was think about but she was probaly listen a bit of chatter outside in the street or whatever. And there be music a come out the door a the Cannon Video like normal and them play some film music init and she be think about that film cause she knowed it and knowed them scene what go with that music where some man and woman them play hide and seek around some garden and maybe she also be like half listening to someone talking in one a them booth in the shop but not even able fe really hear what them a say just there tone a voice or whatever. And perhaps Foxy-T also just be listen to the sound a that guy in the empty factory opposite a play basketball like he done most afternoon and just listen to the sound a that ball bouncing on the concrete floor there. And the air be thick with all them sound and that type a gold light what catch all the dust in the air and she was look at them long shadow cast on the woodchip paper by that low golden sun or the shadows of them phone card poster in the window as they fell on the top of that lockup cabinet where she was a sit only just think about them man and woman in that film init.