by Tony White
And I say, ‘Night.’
And Foxy-T say, ‘Yeah goodnight man.’
I aint exackly sure what happen next man but I’ll tell you some things what I seen. As I’m like walking down the street I turn back and I can see Foxy-T pulling down the shutters like normal when they close up. Only thing is when I get down the road and turn back down onto Bigland Street fe reach me yard I just catch a glimpse of someone a climb over the gate of Mulberry School. I cant be sure is it but just in them few second before him disappear into the shadows it look to me like that Zafar. This worry me a little believe me. So I figure I better maybe go back round the front and tell them that I seen him or something init only by the time I get back up by the E-Z Call them shutters is well down and the place all lock up and the lights off. I knock but no reply. Ruji-Babes cousin beemer still park up outside though init. So I check in the Halal Kebab and Fish and Chips over the road and get a table in the window. Order some fry chicken and chip. The light is on upstairs in the flat above the E-Z Call and they aint draw the curtain yet so I just look up at there front room while I’m waiting for that food and I dont see nothing much except when Foxy-T come fe pull the curtain and I see Ruji-Babes cousin come stand behind her and slip him arm round her waist so him a hold her against him. I can see her laughing as him bend down fe kiss her neck. Then she pull them curtain close and I aint see nothing else is it. But I man just sit there for a bit init. Eating me dinner. Keeping an eye.
Listen like I say there was nuff fireworks a go off all around that night since it was November. So I aint sure if I heard nothing later or not. Nuff banging and flashing everywhere seen so what difference one more little bang gonna make is it?
I tell you already that Ruji-Babes uncle who is probaly just fly into Heathrow right this very minute while me sit there I told you him a business man seen. And him own many a them business and property down this way. Well just think for a second man. Think about that. And I know say not every business man a gangster fe true but every gangster sure enough a business man. Money is money init.
Some little time pass and my food arrive so I just sit and eating that chips and chicken and next thing I know is the shutter going up and I see Ruji-Babes cousin a stand there and chat upon him mobile for a second before coming out and crossing over to the butcher next door to where I’m sitting. And this butcher own by her uncle and all. And that cousin a chat quietly on the pavement outside a second then that butcher nip back inside him place before come out rolling one a them blue meat waste bin on its end and him take that over the way and into the E-Z Call. Few minutes later him brother bring the van up front and I seen them other two man struggle fe carry that meat bin out of the E-Z Call and when they done that them push it in the back of the van with all them other bin them. And while this all a going down I see another beemer pull up and this cousin driver what I reckonise and some other couple of guy what I dont just get out and touch fist with Ruji-Babes cousin then slip inside the E-Z Call. And like I say I dont know none of this fe true but you know what me think was in that bin.
Cause what I figure happen is this. I reckon that was Zafar what I saw a climb over the Mulberry School gates. Makes sense man. He done it before init. And since him stop that robber him also figure that without no Zafar a live in the E-Z Call there be no one fe stop him a broke in himself. And thats what him try fe do I reckon. Him try fe broke in and shoot Ruji-Babes with this piece what he buy off Rocky in it. With him sister child benefit. Only him no reckon upon Ruji-Babes being off at the airport fe pick up her uncle is it let alone figure that Foxy-T may be have some serious shit with Ruji-Babes cousin all this time and her just use this stupid Zafar as a excuse fe split up with Ruji-Babes.
That Zafar man!
Believe me him no know women is it so him obviously no realise that them women might have other plan in mind than just play along with what simple-minded scheme him a hatch. Anyway I reckon him must and this is Zafar now I is a talk about I reckon him must still have got some like spare key fe the back door and gone a blunder in there. And perhaps him well cold now from spend all day a walk from Dagenham to Whitechapel so probaly the first thing him a do is check fe that Gucci jacket what him nick off the robber before and maybe if it was still hanging there next to the downstair toilet him maybe just slip it on and feel well cool. Him love the smell of that good quality leather even if it aint real Gucci and maybe Zafar even check himself in the mirror there fe see how cool him look and check fe him hair and all just fe see him look well crisp before him creep upstairs and slip into that front room there with him gun cock and ready. Only him no reckon upon what him gonna find in there. Stead a finding Ruji-Babes sitting and a watch the TV him must a find Foxy-T. And maybe him go like, ‘Where Ruji-Babes?’ but all him find is Foxy-T a stand there with that baseball bat or machete and maybe him no notice Ruji-Babes cousin at first cause maybe him stand behind the door or whatever. Cause fe sure them would a heard him downstairs and just think him another robber. And I reckon Ruji-Babes cousin step out from where him hid behind the door and shoot him first. That’s what I think happen seen. Cause even if maybe man would never think yeah Ruji-Babes cousin would carry a gun is true that the type a business Ruji-Babes uncle a deal with and way them tax them shopkeeper and them type a runnings is pure gangster business seen. So if at least you can say that if Ruji-Babes uncle a gangster then her cousin a gangster and all. Like father like son init.
And listen. No one a see him arrive and no one not even him sister out Dagenham knowed about him scene here with Foxy-T. All Zafar sister know is her benefit book nick and him gone. He never even tell him spar is it through him embarrass. And not even Ruji-Babes would know nothing about him come fe call tonight since her cousin spar will maybe a clean up or whatever. No one except me that is. Cause I figure I seen it all happen or like I seen some of it and put them piece together through just be there. Cause like Foxy-T say I’m there best customer init. I seen everything since him first show up. But believe me man no one a go miss some little thief like that Zafar. Even him so call spar would just figure that him move on or back inside init. So where ever them butcher took that meat bin in there van I aint sure probaly just a burn him up with all that other shit from the other butcher them. But whatever they done they got rid of him good.
Few minutes or maybe half hour later I seen Foxy-T coming out the E-Z Call with a suitcase. Ruji-Babes cousin soon come too along with him spar who all shake hands business like and then get in there car and drive off. And after him watch them up to the lights him pull down the shutter and lock up or whatever then the two of them open the car doors and get in him beemer. And I tell you man once they was in the car and he turn the key and switch on him sound system there I swear that Foxy-T look over where me sit and catch me eye. And without even think she smile at me like normal as if to say ‘Laters.’ And that’s when I realise like I say that she never say ‘Goodnight’ to me earlier on but she say ‘Good luck’ as if she plan it all the time. This was the night that she was gonna leave Ruji-Babes whatever and she was gonna do it when Ruji-Babes was off at the airport. Only she wasnt gonna leave her for that fool Zafar is it but for Ruji-Babes own cousin. And if him never come a blunder in the middle of all this that Zafar probaly still be alive and living out Dagenham with him sister.
I dont know man I mean maybe I just got a active imagination init. Maybe none a this mean what I think it does. Maybe is all just some story I make up fe tell myself. But I think I’m right man. So I smile back at Foxy-T and wave at her and I say ‘Good luck’ to her and all only she cant hear me cause a the glass but she know what I’m saying.
And believe me yeah as they pull away that night headed for where ever I knowed right there that this was gonna be the last time I ever see that beautiful Foxy-T. Only sometimes I still see her tag here and there init left from time where it aint yet wash off or paint over and I maybe stop and trace out them lines with my finger and think to myself, ‘Yeah. Good luck man.’
&nb
sp; Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Sarah Such for lots of things – helping to make this novel possible is one of them. I would also like to thank Antony Harwood, Lee Brackstone, Charles Boyle, Jon Riley, Steve Beard, Stewart Home, Gordana Stanisic, Michael Bracewell, Stella Duffy, John White, Bronac Ferran, Nicholas Blincoe, Matt Thorne, Borivoj Radakovic´, FAK, as well my family and other friends, for their support.
About the Author
Tony White is the author of five novels, including Foxy-T. Previously literary editor of the Idler, White has written for the Guardian and New Statesman. He recently collaborated with artists Blast Theory on the libraries live-streaming project A Place Free of Judgement. White was creative entrepreneur in residence in the French department, King’s College London, and has been writer in residence at UCL SSEES, and at the Science Museum. Tony White currently chairs the board of London’s arts radio station Resonance 104.4fm.
Copyright
First published in the UK in 2003
by Faber & Faber Ltd
Bloomsbury House
74–77 Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DA
This ebook edition first published in 2017
All rights reserved
© Tony White, 2003
Cover design by Ghost
The right of Tony White to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
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ISBN 978–0–571-34181-8