by Tony White
And part of Foxy-T is think no way she can possibly put this machete down but she slowly reach and put it on the table next to the telly then she pick up that baseball bat and think for a second before she put it down on the table and all then sit down where Ruji-Babes was sit before and just sit there quiet for a second.
Neither of them two is say nothing now and Ruji-Babes is gone through the kitchen. And then Foxy-T thinks actually she cant bear fe sit in the same room as this thief cause thats how she thinks of him and now funny she cant remember what that thief look like before cause theres just this new young man who is filling up all them same bits of her like that other robber done before and like none a them other man done and she just feel like she have fe get out a that room before she bust init so she thinks maybe she’ll make that coffee so she a stand up and say, ‘I’ll make that coffee,’ then thinks for a second and say, ‘You must be hungry init.’
And hes like, ‘For real man! I’m starving!’ And then he shake him head and start to laugh at what happen since him a bit freaked out as well init not just them two got a surprise tonight.
Then him say, ‘Shit man! I wasnt expect this when I come out is it! I wasnt expecting this at all man.’
But he didnt seem sad about his grandad is it only kind a curious about the flat and about Ruji-Babes and Foxy-T.
Then him look around at there living room and goes, ‘It looks a bit better in here and all init! My grandad never have much furniture and stuff is it. You know what old people are like from back home yeah. They happy with not much stuff init.’ But them two girl have got there living room looking well nice init. Aint much furniture fe true but a couple a nice arm chair and a sofa and a telly then they got nuff big poster on the wall. When him check them film poster and that he say, ‘This look much better now fe true. Where you get them poster man.’
‘Cannon Video man. Next door neighbours init.’
Foxy-T was in the kitchen next door and sort out some food and coffee only there wasnt much in so she was just make beans on toast. But even in there she could still hear him voice in the other room. But it was more like when someone like some customer make a call downstairs and you can hear them voice but not really hear what them a say. And even though she was like open them beans and tipping them in the pan and putting some bread in the toaster and sorting out plates and cutlery and stuff and try fe concentrate on doing them things she felt that she was just as out of it as she was when that thief stood on the other side of the lock up cabinet downstairs and he seen what she was thinking inside. Stirring the beans and putting Flora on the toast this was all she was think about except that she felt slightly ashamed only fe give this young man something like beans on toast. ‘He’s probaly been eating beans on toast up Feltham for the past four years init,’ she think to herself.
When the kettle boil she done there coffees and then she put him beans on toast and a coffee on to a tray. Her denim jacket was like drape over the back of the kitchen chair and she pick that up now and put it on init. Cause she felt a bit self conscious about this young man seeing her now for some reason. As she come back in the sitting room with him tray and that him sat up in the chair and look around fe watch her coming in. Believe me man she felt more faint now than she did when them think he was a robber or something.
That boy a watch her now as she bent down fe hand him the tray. She was just wearing her usual Fila trackie bottom and Reebok Classics and Adidas polo shirt but it felt to Foxy-T like she was wear some sexy gear or like she was pure undress the way him a look at her. Anyone would probaly say that him fancy her way him a look her up and down like that.
The room was a bit dingy init because there was just this lamp on next to the telly and him face was catch the light. It was almost like this Zafar was the only person in the room who was lit up. Ruji-Babes was sit on the sofa in the shadows and now she give him that tray Foxy-T went back out into the kitchen and get there beans on toast.
Ruji-Babes says, ‘Hang on T. I think I’ll have my tea on the table.’ Then she stop for a second and look at that boy and say, ‘You can come and sit at the table and all if you want.’
But that boy was already tucking into them beans on toast on him tray and he look up at where Ruji-Babes a sit in the shadows with him mouth full of beans on toast and says, ‘Cool. No listen I’m fine here man.’
And Ruji-Babes says, ‘Sorry is only beans on toast.’ But she can see that him well enjoying it as much as if it been a big spread up Tayyabs and she knowed that even if him a sit down in front of a table that was groaning under the wait of loads of chicken tikka and lamb chop and seek kebab and dal and bhindi and a couple of naan and one of there big brass mug of mango lassi that he wouldnt enjoy that meal half so much as him enjoy just sit there and tucking in to them beans on toast in there sitting room. And Ruji-Babes felt like she was enjoying having someone round because they never did have anyone round for tea or nothing and fe true them two was hungry for company init. To Ruji-Babes having Zafar there feel easy init and like having her little brother round or something having this young man appear out a the blue and stopping for beans on toast. And even though she was as scared as she could of been when they heard him footsteps out the yard and they heard him put the key in the lock and when they heard him come up stairs and open the door – she was shitting herself then believe me but now she was just relax and enjoy having someone round for tea.
‘What happen to that coffee, T?’ she said.
And Foxy-T whose been sitting there quietly eating her beans on toast like a mouse say, ‘There here init.’
When they all finish there beans on toast Foxy-T gather up them plate and put them in the sink. Then she go in the front room and she could see that the young bloke finished all him toast but still have some beans on his plate so she says, ‘Would you like a slice of bread and butter fe mop up?’
And he says, ‘Wicked man! Please!’
So she took another couple of slice of bread out the packet and got the Flora out of the fridge and make him a couple of slices bread and butter what she took in and give to him. He just start fe push loads of beans on to that bread and eat it like that with him fingers and just mop up all of the tomato sauce with them two slice of bread.
Foxy-T then fetch her coffee from the kitchen and went and sat down on the sofa again right over there in the shade. And she felt half dress even though she was wear her usual trackie bottoms and polo shirt and even though she got like her denim jacket on init. And she still felt half dress sitting there and so she sit back a bit and cross her legs but whatever she done that boy was just sit there wiping him plate with the last bit of bread and looking at her legs. And if the telly had been on she would have watched it and even though it was switch off she was sitting there looking at it but his reflection was all that she could see in that dark screen so that she didnt know where to look now. So she just sat there looking at the cup of coffee in her hand and drinking that.
The boy had finish up him tea now and him a sit there with that empty plate on him lap and that empty cup cause he drunk all his coffee now fe wash down the beans on toast and him just looking at her in the shadows on the other side of the room and it seem like he cant see her very clearly is it. So whatever chit chat Ruji-Babes was try fe make and whatever chat him give back him still mainly just try fe get a better look at that other one.
Still Ruji-Babes and all her fuss and question no give up. And soon that boy has tell them how him come from out Dagenham till he was like twelve or something and then him come and live with him grandad in this flat. Only he never really got on with him grandad because that man a bit strict and old fashioned in the way that lots of them old people are especially ones who spent most of there life back home. So he spent a lot a time running with some of them posse from down Shadwell and got into nicking and robbing cars and then doing burn ups down the walkways in the Bigland estate and doing skids and crashing them car in that playground down there or whatever. And whenever one
of them car got wreck all the local kids would like get down off the climbing frame or whatever and rip off all the windscreen wiper and number plates. And this one little kid seen it was like him special job fe rip off the number plates them. And once he rip them off he go and put them down through the drain in Chapman Street then everyone smash them cars up man and someone might come down later on and torch it or whatever.
And Ruji-Babes was going, ‘Yeah, yeah. Seen. I remember that those was bad times round here man. And what so you get caught or something?’
And him say, ‘Yeah. I was caught cause this one time some couple of Feds was walk through the estate and saw this going on and a couple of us got caught init.’
So this was when he went up Feltham Young Offenders. But he was out now and all that type of runnings was behind him fe true.
And Ruji-Babes is just like nod and go ‘Seen’ or whatever but she knowed man no get four year just through steal car is it. Only she no push it there just through be polite and through sympathy for him grandad dying.
Tell the truth though he was more interested in them girls than just talk about himself init. This Zafar was keen to know what they was doing here in him grandad flat and with there little business in E-Z Call. And they could tell he was a ghetto youth because of all him question them and the way he was slightly take the piss out of them but also keen fe check what kind of angle they was working. And when Ruji-Babes and Foxy-T start talking about them computer keep crash and that he was laughing and all because they was being quite funny about it all and slagging off Ruji-Babes uncle for buying shit PC to start with and telling all story about some of them customer and that and doing impression of some a them.
‘Listen, though,’ says Foxy-T. ‘Cause we aint just interested in work all the time is it Rooj.’
‘Is it?’ aksed the youth laughing but still looking hard at Foxy-T over there in the shadows. ‘But if them computer crash for good your fucked init. If you aint got a chain a these E-Z Call then you aint never gonna afford fe buy new machine is it? What you gonna do then?’ he aksed.
‘Dont know,’ says Ruji-Babes. ‘I think we gonna manage alright init.’ But she got a bit of a funny look on her face when she say it like she might be worried that they wasnt gonna stay in business. At least thats what this boy think when him see her look like that only him dont know Ruji-Babes is it so him dont know what kind a business brain she got and how she probaly move there profit around and plan fe them type a thing.
‘Listen man,’ he says. ‘You need a man around the place thats what you need.’
And when he say this Ruji-Babes bust out laughing dont she. And say, ‘Listen. You little youth dont know what you a talk about is it. Fuck do you know? We is getting on just fine thank you. And what you know about business eh? Just got out a Feltham? Shit man. Init T?’
And Foxy-T look up pure startle like she never expect no one fe aks her nothing but go, ‘Eh?’
And Ruji-Babes no pause for breath is it just go, ‘Too right init and listen man you can have plenty people work here but still not run out a thing to do. But it just some little type a business seen. Like E-Z Call dont make enough money fe pay more than just us two is it. So we just happy to put in the hours and then take a little time off and enjoy ourselves sometime and all.’
‘See thats what me say!’ says the youth. ‘You aint willing to put in the hours fe expand and make some more money out a this business is it.’
‘You aint know shit man. We put in plenty hour and we dont need no lecture from some boy like you is it. But you got one thing right we aint into all that expanding talk,’ says Ruji-Babes. ‘We aint into all that shit fe true. But you aint know shit is it cause this a good business. Aks T man.’
But when him look at Foxy-T she no say nothing is it.
‘All work and no play,’ says Ruji-Babes, ‘make jack a dull boy init.’
‘Seen,’ him say as him laugh at this. That youth was pissing himself now. The way them girl put him in his place have him crack up init. But then he stop laughing and goes, ‘So why you start out in business then if you aint gonna make all them sacrifice and make a real go of it like. Tell me that!’
‘Listen to this boy!’ says Ruji-Babes. ‘We make plenty sacrifice whatever that got to do with you man. And we making a go of it otherwise we wouldnt be here is it. But listen tell the truth we thought it might all be a bit easier than this. When we start out it seem like everyone making heap a money out a phone call and computers and we want some of that money for ourselves in it. But we know better now. Is only like your British Telecom and T-Mobiles is make any serious dollars out of phones. Dont talk to me about them global village and third generation mobile phones and shit.’
‘Seem like you dont like that telephone industry there,’ say the youth. ‘You dont seem fe rate it.’
‘Yeah we rate it alright,’ say Ruji-Babes laughing. ‘We just rate it low thats all.’
That youth laugh but Ruji-Babes carry on and no give him a chance fe talk now.
‘Telephones, internet, top ups, phone cards,’ says Ruji-Babes. ‘Tell the truth I sometime think its all shit man. I tell you if there was money to be made in little shop like ours is bloody BT would be running them all init.’
‘Seen,’ says the youth. Then he start laugh again. And them girls start laughing too. Even Foxy-T was sit there and covering her mouth up with her hand like she no want that youth fe see her teeth.
‘Still,’ says Ruji-Babes. ‘We dont fret. Do we T. We never vex. Easy come easy go, thats us.’
Sitting there in his chair this youth was well chuffed. That meal had sort him out. Ruji-Babes started aksing him a bit more about himself now and whenever she aksed him a question he was all polite and just answer quietly. He act like he didnt have nothing and no reason fe hide from them two it felt like. And him sitting in him grandad place after all init so in a way it was like them two girl was him guest and not the other way around.
Foxy-T aint say much is it. She no really a part a this conversation and she just sat and listen and maybe sip that coffee and look over at him occasionally from where she sat on the sofa there. And as he sat there chatting with Ruji-Babes by the light of that lamp by the telly she finally start fe chill init. And it was weird but she feel like that robber was round in there flat and like she didnt have fe go down Shadwell and look for him Golf no more. So she just sat there listening to him chatting away to Ruji-Babes only she didnt want to join in at all it was just like she want to sit there quietly in the corner and she can only do this when Zafar was a chat with Ruji-Babes and not glancing over at her where she sitting in the shade there on the sofa. There was something else and all which was that somehow this Zafar smelt a bit like that robber done. Perhaps it was him hair gel or something mixed up with how a young bloke what has had a long journey and walked a fair way in the fresh air might smell and it reminded her of that thief for some reason. This was a new kind of smell in this flat because them two Ruji-Babes and Foxy-T just smelt of shampoo and conditioner and maybe a bit of perfume what Ruji-Babes sometimes wore since Foxy-T got her some for her birthday. But Foxy-T like them new smell and just sat there quietly.
The chat fizzled out after a while and that Zafar sat up a bit and looked over at Foxy-T all cosy on the sofa.
‘I better go down Shadwell and check them place man. See if I can get in any of them empty flats down there for the night init.’
‘You cant go down there,’ says Ruji-Babes. ‘Its just all junky and crackhead what doss in them flats. Most of them is brick up now any way.’
‘Is it?’ he aks.
And Ruji-Babes goes, ‘Yeah.’
‘Well me go sort something out,’ says Zafar. ‘Must be somewhere I can sleep for a bit.’
Ruji-Babes was thinking it aint a very good idea this Zafar going out and sleeping rough on him first night out of Feltham like this wasnt a very good start and he just probaly fall in with them crackhead and tramps wherever he went. Especially round
here, she thought. Every little nook and cranny what could shelter some person from the rain and the cold night air would have been discover long ago init. You aint just gonna come out of Feltham and walk into some cushy little number what doesnt already have some mad rank old tramp or crackhead in it. The empty streets of the city at night is there neighbourhood them kind of people they know the runnings init and they gonna notice some new kid on the block just like we would in the day time if someone try fe move there family in the E-Z Call.
‘You probaly better stay here for tonight,’ she says. ‘Till tomorrow init then you go over Dagenham and stop at your sisters or whatever. But tonight you can sleep on the sofa. But only tonight seen cause if my uncle found out he fucking do his nut init. And there a right bunch of nosy old women init them men what work in the sweet centre over the road and theyd soon notice and get on the phone to him believe me. Even if he is back home. Probaly use are own phone fe grass us up init.’
Then Ruji-Babes aksed Foxy-T what she think.
Foxy-T take a breath and look up a bit shock to hear her name init cause she just been sit there and listen to them but tell the truth she just been listen to the sound of them voice not what them a say since she lost in her thought. So Ruji-Babes go through it again and aks her what she think about them two may let Zafar stop on there sofa.
Foxy-T just want fe run init but she play it cool and say, ‘Dont matter to me is it. I dont know man what business is it of your uncle if we put up a friend on the sofa for the night.’
‘No thats right,’ says Zafar. ‘Its just for one night. Dont matter what he think about it. Whats he gonna do anyway. Is your flat aint it.’
‘Well he could do a lot actually,’ says Ruji-Babes. ‘But what him dont know about wont hurt him is it. And like I say its just for tonight. I’ll get the spare duvet out the cupboard man and then you can kip down on the sofa init.’
‘You sure about this,’ he says. ‘You dont have fe put me up is it. I mean I dont want fe cause no trouble.’