Love on the Dark Side of the City

by Kennedy, Thomas

  As the sun came up over the trees, for Adizua it became more like home. If it was not for the wet damp and the coldness of his fingers, it was as if he was at home in Lagos working in his brother in law’s car business, outside his sister’s cabin.

  He allowed himself to imagine he could smell the warm air, hear the noise of the market and the noise of the traffic and the traders at the pothole and his sister pounding Yams for the dinner.

  But then a light damp rain began to fall and the dream faded. Instead he was getting wet in a wood straining to release old nuts and screws with cold hands, and his back was as much wet from rain as from perspiration.

  They were well advanced with the work when Megan arrived with her friend Maureen. They were carrying a steaming vessel of tea and a basket of food.

  “Early lunch” Megan called, “Molly sent us up.”

  “Ye are welcome,” Joe said lifting his head out of the boot of one of the Volvos, holding on to the spare wheel.

  “I’m dying for a cup of tea,” Paddy said.

  “Lets’ take a break while it is still hot,” Phelan suggested and they all downed tools.

  “Are ye staying for a cup yourselves? Paddy asked as the girls laid out the food on a cloth. It was mainly bread and fried chicken with some cold beans and tomatoes. Maureen looked at Megan who nodded. “We might stay a minute,” Maureen said, “Molly is going mad down below getting ready for the move.”

  “Did Jimmy Mac come back?” Joe asked.

  “Yes Dad,” Megan said, “he’s getting the children to help with the horses, he ses he has found a field, so we can move them.”

  Joe grunted, “And what about the halt?”

  “All in order” Maureen said. He ses it’s no sweat. We’ll get a month or two out of it.”

  “Good” Paddy said, pouring out the tea. “We’re short a couple of cups.”

  “I’ll share with you Phelan” Maureen offered, and Megan who will you share with?” she added with twinkle in her eye.

  “Adizua can share with me,” Megan said and took one of the cups from Paddy.

  Maureen smiled at Megan, and Megan knew that Maureen had noticed her fascination with Adizua. Megan had never met a big black man up close before and she found she was prepared to admit to herself that she was curious about him, a curiosity that had been reinforced earlier when he had stripped his top off for his morning wash to reveal a strong muscled torso.

  Adizua finished extracting the part he was working on and came and joined them. As he came he picked up some of the wet grass in the glade and cleaned his hands.

  “Put your shirt back on and your sweater.” Phelan advised Adizua, pulling a sweater over his own head. “It can get cold right into the bones when you stop working, you’ll easy catch a cold.”

  “Right” Adizua said and went back to the seat of the Volvo where he had left his clothes to protect them from the damp and to avoid ruining them with oil and grease as he worked.

  “How is he getting on?” Maureen asked in her country accent, referring to Adizua.

  “Great,” Joe said, “with his help we’ll get the job done in one day rather than in two, he’s a great worker and he knows his cars.”

  “Would he make a good itinerant?” Maureen asked with a grin, she had heard that Adizua had called himself an itinerant when he met the boys on the previous night.

  “If he weren’t as black as the ace of spades. Surely every police man in the land would see him coming a mile off, you’d never be safe on a job with him.”

  The other boys laughed and moved over to make space for Adizua as he returned.

  “All right Adizua?” Phelan asked.

  “Yes but it is very wet, everything is getting damp.”

  “That’s Ireland for you,” Phelan said philosophically, “sit you down beside Megan the two of youse have to share a cup, were short of cups.”

  Adizua sat himself down beside Megan who felt herself blush and covered up by raising the cup to her lips.

  The sight of Adizua’s wet muscled arms as he had come from the car had affected her and although he was now wearing a sweater, she felt like touching him.

  “Have some bread” she said to cover her confusion; “it’s already buttered,” passing the basket first to Joe who passed it round.

  Soon they were all being warmed by the tea and relaxed and eating. The sun came out again and again it was summer as the temperature in the wind sheltered glade rose and some steam began to rise off the grass.

  “It s very beautiful here” Adizua said, “At this time in my home in Lagos everything is burned and yellow, everything here is so green, I have never seen so much green.”

  “They call us the Emerald Isle” Paddy said.

  “Here you are” Megan said, handing the teacup to Adizua. “I’ve finished me tae”

  “Thank you” Adizua said taking the cup.

  As she passed the cup their fingers touched. For Megan it was like the tingle of electricity and the trace of where their fingers brushed lingered on her senses for a few moments.

  Adizua seemed not to have noticed anything and was busy manipulating the kettle to pour a cup of tea. Milk and sugar were already added and the brown sweet warm liquid filled his cup. Adizua sipped, letting it warm his insides.

  “Can’t bate a cup of tea,” Paddy said, helping himself to half a chicken and a lump of bread. “Come on Adizua, ate up” he encouraged, “you don’t know when you might next eat again.”

  “When can I get to the city?” Adizua asked, building on Paddy’s remark. As he spoke he took a generous piece of chicken, broke it in half and with his fingers and passed some to Megan who was further away from the food.

  “That might be a problem,” Joe said before Phelan, who was about to reply, could say a word.”

  “A problem?” Adizua asked with a worried frown.

  “Well” Joe said, “you surprised us today Adizua with your expertise on cars. And good thing too, but it means that if we keep going, with your help we can finish here today rather than tomorrow and that would be a good thing as we are moving on.”

  “I am happy to help, you people have been very good to me, but I am also anxious to get into a city where I can get some work and figure out my next moves. I am trying to get to England.”

  “England is it” Paddy said dismissively, “you’ll not get a nicer place than Ireland.”

  “Adizua could go in with yourself and Jimmy Mac when you take the car spares in to be sold,” Phelan suggested.

  “Ah no,” Joe replied. “The van will be full up to the top with spares from exhaust pipes to seats. There would be no room and we don’t want him up front in case he draws attention to us.”

  ‘He can come in with us when we go in to beg tonight,” Maureen suggested, watching Megan and making the suggestion more to tease Megan than as a genuine solution.

  “Why not,” Joe latched on to the idea. “We will be finished and Jimmy Mac’s van loaded by five. When you get back Maureen, tell Jimmy Mac to come about five and we will load him up. Paddy can take you and the children into town and drop Adizua somewhere.”

  “All right” Paddy said agreeably, and then added looking at Adizua, “what will you do in town any ideas?”

  “First I get there,” Adizua said, “then number one I try to find a job and then some where to sleep. Depends on how late we are.”

  “Just a minute. I might be able to put a word in for you Adizua. Jimmy Mac’s uncle Jimmy Joe has a scrap yard where we sell the car spares. He is still a traveller and has a caravan in Clondalkin. I think he could use someone who knows his cars. I might have a word.”

  “I usually pick up something working in back kitchens of restaurants” Adizua replied, “it does not pay well but they are used to dealing with migrants and illegal immigrants so they will give a job.”

  “Lots’ of youse refugees go on the social welfare and get looked after that way,” Paddy said, his tone suggesting he did not approve.

&nb
sp; “I am an economic migrant,” Adizua explained, “If I get involved with the authorities they will send me back to Nigeria as quick as they can and probably hold me under arrest. I need to be free.”

  “Like us” Joe said, and then qualified it saying, “of course we get the social welfare, but we need to be free.”

  “We have to go “ Maureen stood up, “come along Megan, Molly will be screaming for us. We will see youse at about five. Jimmy Mac will bring us up and we can get to town from here.”

  “Are you begging or doing house to house?” Paddy asked, as the answer would determine where he dropped them.

  “No it’s too late for house begging, we will just do our usual spots on the streets and you can come and collect us at eleven to twelve midnight.”

  “All right” Paddy said, “it will be back to the new halt tonight. That’s just outside Tallaght so it should be a shorter journey back. I’ll pick you all up at St. Stephens Green, midnight, that will give you time to catch the crowds from the pubs and the theatre.”

  The girls made to depart. Megan looked at Adizua and with a shock she stood up as their eyes met. His eyes were a soft brown with a strong confident look. She felt a bit shaky and ran after Maureen. Maureen was seventeen to Megan’s sixteen and inclined to be the boss.

  “Time you married those two off,” Paddy said to Joe, referring to the girls who were disappearing into the trees.

  “I’ll have a matchmaker up for Megan when she is seventeen in the summer,” Joe said, “Any plans for your sister?” he asked Phelan.

  “Ah, she is involved with Jimmy Mac’s big boy, when he gets out of prison in autumn we might have a wedding.”

  “You said you might be able to help with a job?” Adizua asked when the men settled back to finish to remains of their picnic.

  “Yes, I’ll ask when we deliver the spares to see if Jimmy Joe might give you the start. He finds it hard to keep a mechanic and you might suit him, being you want to stay out of sight.”

  “I don’t want to be a criminal,” Adizua said seriously.

  “Nothing criminal. Jimmy Joe bends the law and so do you Adizua. But he is an honest crook, he buys and sells and stays out of organized crime. He is just like other itinerants, living on the fringes.”

  “And does well out of it. Is it true you have a shine for his daughter, Phelan?” Paddy asked.

  Phelan was embarrassed and laughed. “You’d never know,” he said

  “That’d be a good match,” Joe said

  ‘When might you know about the job?” Adizua persisted.

  “I’ll get him to give you a start tomorrow. If he likes the cut of you he’ll keep you on. If not he will have you out like greased lightning.”

  “Then should I go in with you in the van?” Adizua asked.

  “No” Joe said after rubbing his chin in consideration of the situation. “Let me talk to him, to prepare him, I can say what work you did today and tell him I think you are honest. If he needs someone he’ll take you. He won’t pay much, not mechanic rates, but better than a kitchen wage I’d guess.”

  “How will you tell me?”

  “Adizua, you stay with one of the girls. Megan begs in the lane between Grafton Street and Powerscourt house. You hang around there and when I find out about the job I’ll drop by.”

  “Too much trouble in that” Paddy interjected mildly, “I’ll follow you in, and you talk to Jimmy Joe while Adizua waits in the van and then bring him in to Jimmy Joe if all is ok. Then I’ll drop the lot off in town. It will only take an extra half hour.”

  “That’s better” Joe agreed, “I’d like to get back to the horses and see them all right.”

  “You’re a divil for the horses Joe,” Phelan threw in.

  “You can make a pretty penny on horses at the Galway fair,” Joe said “and I always loved horses. When I was young we had no vans we had a pony and caravan. It was the real gipsy life then.”

  “More power to you” Paddy said, “you have a way with horses.”

  “If we are agreed on the travel arrangements we should get back to work,” Paddy added with a touch of sarcasm.

  “Right you are” Joe said and they went back to work.

  The rain began to settle in and soon everything was damp or dripping wet.

  At half four Jimmy Mac arrived with the two girls and three younger children of assorted ages in the back of his van. They all poured out.

  At this stage the cars were stripped of all removable parts including the wheels, and stood like skeletons on stone blocks.

  “What will happen to them?” Adizua had asked, referring to the remains of the cars.

  “The County Council might find them and take them to a dump,” Phelan explained.

  They began loading Jimmy Mac’s van with the car parts and the girls and children helped. Joe supervised, making sure that like spares were piled together, the better for counting and sale to Jimmy Joe.

  When this was done Joe and Jimmy Mac took off in Jimmy Mac’s van. Paddy supervised the collection of the tools and the skittle they had used for a kettle at lunchtime. When everything useful was gathered up they all piled into Paddy’s van with Phelan and Paddy in the front and Adizua and the children in the rear out of sight.

  “It’s about half an hour to Jimmy Joes, maybe forty minutes, depending on the traffic” Paddy explained for Adizua’ benefit and explained to the children that they were detouring to Jimmy Joe's to see if they could fix Adizua up with a job.

  “It won’t be too long extra,” he reassured them.

  Encapsulated in the half dark of the rear of the van, the children sat near to front to be able to see out and Maureen came behind them acting as mother hen and keeping them in order.

  Megan sat with her back to one side of the van in the rear and Adizua sat on the opposite side at the very rear. As the van jolted along Megan and Adizua’s limbs were bounced against each other. Megan could have drawn back and moved further forward but she did not. They could feel the warmth from the side of each other’s legs where they touched unseen in the dark shadow of the rear of the van.

  The spark started in their eyes as they glanced continuously at each other in the gloom. The spark crackled in their nerves when they touched with the bumping of the van. Silently the intensity grew and warmed them both even though neither understood what was happening.

  For Adizua, at her glances and their casual touching, a joy and a terror seized his heart. His eyes touched hers, her lips, and the rise of her bosom. The touch of her warm legs against his thrilled his inner being. He could no more move away from her than he could stop breathing.

  The loneliness of the past two years on his journey to reach England had begun to corrode his soul. It longed for warmth and human concern. It longed to be out of the place where none could be trusted. It longed for the soft caress of a woman, for he had had none on his journeys, not even a brief liaison.

  The children chatted and Maureen encouraged them to sing a travelling song and they began into the ‘Fields of Athenry,’ filling the van with their happy chorus.

  No one noticed the tremendous event unfolding for Megan and Adizua, not even they understood that their souls had been marked by each other. They without hardly moving and without speaking, only knew the strangely frightening exchange of sexual and physical attraction and the imprinting on each other’s soul from the impact of eyes, and honesty and character in their faces, upon each other.

  Afraid to betray themselves they remained silent and watchful. But the eye contact increased as Megan eventually looked boldly at Adizua for a moment and he returned her gaze, his face serious but composed.

  He brought his left leg more firmly against her right leg and she responded with pressure. They stayed like that. Adizua wanted to change over and sit alongside her and hold her hand but he dared not.

  It had seemed like a moment in time, but Paddy announced, “We’re here.”

  Megan was startled and moved her leg away from Adizua and a
s the van stopped she kneeled up and joined Maureen and the children at the front of the van. Paddy and Phelan got out and Phelan said,

  “Come on Adizua, “help us unload Jimmy Mac’s van.”

  Adizua joined Phelan and Paddy had a brief word with Jimmy Mac and got back into his van.

  Paddy gunned the motor and left for town with the children in the back of the van. Adizua got a last glimpse of Megan as she looked back at him out of the small rear window of the van. He thought he saw her wave but was unsure.

  “Get the other end of this” Phelan called, picking up a complete exhaust pipe that had come from one of the Volvo’s. Carefully they brought it through to the warehouse.

  Joe brought Jimmy Joe out to have a look at Adizua. The initial eye contact the handshake all made Jimmy Joe comfortable.

  “You a Moslem?” he asked, “most Nigerians I have met over here are Muslims.”

  “No” Adizua replied, “Moslems are mainly from the north, I come from the south and I am Christian.”

  “Do you have any Nigerian contacts in this country?”

  “Again no. I have avoided Nigerian contacts on my itinerary,” Adizua began

  “Told you he thinks he’s an Itinerant,” Joe said picking up on his old source of amusement.

  “A lot of Nigerians are in gangs with credit card frauds and with drug dealing. I promised my sister I would stay out of organized crime.”

  “Did you murder someone in Nigeria?”

  “No, indeed no. I have an uncle there and in time I will contact him but it must be a time of my choosing.’