by Derek Haines
‘Hello Vince. It’s David Holdsworth.’
‘Good morning David.’
‘The answer is yes Vince,’ David said simply.
‘Ok David. Good. Can you call by my office at say, let’s see, two tomorrow afternoon? I’ll have my solicitors arrange the property issue, and I’ll have your employment contract ready for you.’
‘Yes, that’ll be fine.’
‘See you then David.’
Back in Business
With the property issue settled, David’s marriage now only needed the legalities of a deed of agreement to be finalised and then just wait for the expiration of twelve months for a divorce to be granted. He would then be free of the past. His first wife had not proceeded with her claim for increased maintenance. It wasn’t to say she might not at a later date, but for the time being David felt he had his life under some sort of control. His new position was enjoyable. Vince had kept his word in every aspect. David was impressed by Vince’s attention to detail. His job was truly autonomous. As yet it was only a small operation, but he had tidied up the mess he’d inherited, and it was now, after six weeks going smoothly. On a good salary and having a new car, he felt his confidence return. Steve and Tony were still very much his friends, but they were seeing far less of each other now.
Tony was back to doing what he enjoyed. Driving. With the pressure of running a business off his shoulders, he was starting to enjoy life again. He relished the contact he had again with the other drivers. He was on a good salary and Vince, with Steve’s help had set up his salary payments to minimise his child support payments. On Steve’s advice he’d agreed to a structure that paid a small payment to Tony’s ex wife. He would’ve preferred she got nothing, but he was convinced by Steve that it was better to appear as though he was being cooperative. It would avoid too much scrutiny. To any investigation, Tony was earning the basic award wage. His child support payments were reassessed on this earning statement. His application to the court was successful. The balance of his salary package was paid in kind. A car, a share issue in As New Spares, rent and a weekly cash payment. He was supposed to find a place of his own to live, but had been too busy to find somewhere. He was still at David’s flat. His deed of agreement with his wife had been formalised by the Family Court, so he was waiting now for his house to sell. He now had the option of enforcing an auction after three months. This he would do at the earliest opportunity. His anger for his wife had been replaced by contempt. The loss of contact with his children was the highest price he paid. The hope he lived with now, was that he could establish a new and fresh relationship with them when they were a little older, and capable of understanding what had happened. For Tony, life was as good as it could be given the events of the recent past. At least he had a routine and a life.
Steve had found his true niche in life. His role with Vince Walsh was perfect for him. All of his skills were used by Vince, and he was rapidly becoming Vince’s problem solver, fix it man and finance adviser. Earning twice what he was earning as a junior accountant, he was driving a BMW and living in a very large, modern and well appointed apartment. From time to time he couldn’t resist his in built need to play with his toys. He enjoyed David’s company on these occasions. It was clear Tony didn’t enjoy them, so they didn’t force the issue. For his image, Steve started to date a young woman who was the daughter of one of Camden’s well known doctors. There were times he needed class company at social engagements. Steve now had his position in society to consider and was creating a class exterior. He was still a thief, liar, accountant and con man, but he considered himself a businessman. Steve had no trouble with this concept of himself. Above all else, for the first time in his life, he felt very important.
The bond these three men had formed at the time they were at the lowest points in their lives was not lost. It was simply that they now all had something useful to do. The situation they all faced over the months after their initial problems was just a period they had to fight through. They had faced the crisis together. Each crisis different, but with the common denominator of a feeling that they had each been used and abused by life. For David and Tony, their wives had discarded them. Thrown them to the streets. Destroyed the lives they had worked to achieve. They both had agreed that their wives had cheated and won. As far as they were concerned, there was no justice in the result. It was totally unfair. What was most unjust to them was that the system rewarded their wives for their blatant and obscene adultery. For Steve, he was bitter at being used just for money. He was bitter at Beth for discarding him because he believed she had measured him by his salary. His bitterness towards the mother of his daughter was because she had no interest in him until she found out he was earning an income. The other two mothers were just contemptuous in his mind. None of them could touch him now. He’d made sure his income was hidden in companies and trusts. There would never be a cent for any of them.
This bitterness, contempt and anger these men felt for the women who had aggrieved them was a shared spite. The simple fact of being employed, and feeling useful again, helped them forget their bitterness for much of the time. It ceased eating at them twenty-four hours a day. That is not to say that they had recovered. For David and Tony, the emotional anguish continued in their lonely hours. Anger, hatred, loss, confusion and inadequacy haunted them. Feeling betrayed and beaten by a system that rewarded the guilty only added to the pain of the loss of their wives. If they had lost their wives to an accidental death or a terminal disease they would have recovered, with the assistance of sympathy and support from consoling family, friends and medical practitioners. Their loss in these circumstances would take far longer to heal as they had no support. They floundered alone within a system that showed no compassion for their feelings. The legal process that follows separation is an agony.
For Steve, his experience with Family Law was just another small fight. He was no stranger to court proceedings. Possibly, the enthusiasm he had used to drag himself from nothing to something in his years during and after prison was diminished by his experiences with the Family Court. But, more likely, Steve used it as an excuse. Inside him resided a cocky, self indulgent and self centred man. Since an early age he had been, and delighted in being a risk taker. Had circumstances allowed him to have spent more time with Beth and her children, they may have had a positive influence on him. Beth had been the only woman in Steven’s life. She had been the only woman he had loved and respected. The timing of the three claims made upon him were unfortunate. Beth’s approach to resolving the problems had been sensible, but she had not known Steve for long enough to truly understand his damaged personality. Unlike David and Tony, Steve only believed there was one person to consider in any situation. Himself.
‘This makes a change doesn’t it?’ David said to Tony as they enjoyed a take away Chinese meal at the flat.
‘What does?’ Tony asked with a mouthful of noodles dripping down his chin.
‘Having you here for dinner.’
‘Shit Dave, you’re sounding like my wife.’
‘Sorry,’ Dave almost blushed.
‘It’s ok Dave. So long as you’re not screwing the gardener,’ Tony laughed so much he nearly choked on his food.
‘Yeah, ok smart arse. I just meant that we’ve both been busy getting on with life. And it’s a good thing,’ Dave said trying to be serious.
Tony’s face lost its smile. ‘Yeah, we might be busy, but we’re only doing what we’re doing because we had no real choice. Have you ever thought about what’s happened?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Have you ever thought that we might be suckers?’ Tony asked quizzically.
‘Vince?’
‘Vince and Steve.’
‘Ok Tony, spill your guts. This sounds like a conspiracy theory.’
‘Just think about all of this. Think about what’s happened. We were both fucked. Fucked in the head. Both in the shit. And we get offered jobs. And very good ones. Well paid. And,
all our problems get solved into the bargain. Why would anyone go to all that trouble for a couple of manic depressive drunks? One a wife beater, and another a tax cheat.’
‘Do you think we’re being set up?’
‘I dunno Dave. Maybe I’m spending too many hours alone in a truck, but it’s all been a bit sudden and a bit coincidental. Think about when you first met Steve in my office. Remember that Friday afternoon?’
‘Yes. Just after my wife pissed off.’
‘Yep. Then I had my mishap.’
‘And?’ Dave asked.
‘And then, Steve arrives after his pissy little problems and starts to look after us,’ Tony explained.
‘You aren’t saying Steve concocted his problems.’
‘No. He had a couple of small problems. But that’s what they were. Small. You and I had full blown disasters. All he had was a simple little child support payment. That wasn’t a good enough reason to just turn his back on Beth, and go troppo.’
‘So, what’re you saying?’
‘I had my concerns about Vince. I still do, but maybe, just maybe we should be a little wary of our ever friendly and helpful Steven Sharp,’ Tony said as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve.
‘You might be just paranoid you know. Maybe Steve’s just being a good friend. Helping out his mates. In his own way granted. But well intentioned,’ David said trying to balance Tony’s theory.
‘Well, Dave, all I know, is that Steve’s gone to a lot of trouble to sort out my problems. But, now I’m in a situation where Steve or Vince could bring me undone. If my wife’s lawyers got a clue of how I’m being paid they’d tear me to shreds.’
‘But why would they want to bring you undone? There’s no reason.’
‘There isn’t yet.’
‘Tony, I really think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick here. There’s nothing I have to hide now. My job with Vince is all above board. I just don’t see your point.’
‘You could be right Dave. Maybe it’s just all coincidence,’ Tony admitted.
‘I’ll keep my antenna up though.’
‘Ahh, so you do have a small doubt in that head of yours,’ Tony smiled.
‘Let’s just say I agree with you that things’ve happened very fortuitously for us both.’
‘So, how’s your drug importing coming along?’ Tony asked with a wry smile.
‘Tony my friend. If I’m importing drugs, you’re distributing them around the country on the back of your shiny Kenworth.’
‘I hope that’s a joke!’
‘I do too.’
‘Tell me Dave. Just suppose Vince was importing drugs. Would you have any way of finding out?’
‘In the job I have Tony, no. I really only see paperwork. But I think you’re going off the deep end.’
‘You’re right Dave. Forget it. Maybe I should be thinking of how lucky I am to have a good job and a helpful employer.’
‘Another beer?’ David asked Tony as he made his way to the refrigerator.
‘Yeah, thanks Dave.’
David returned to the table and handed Tony his beer. He sat quietly for a short while with a thoughtful look on his face.
‘Have you left the planet?’ Tony asked with a smile.
‘Oh, sorry Tony. No, I was just thinking about what you said. You know, I hadn’t really thought about it before now. The last six months have been a fucking horror. I was just casting my mind back to the month before my wife pissed off. How my life has changed since then.’
‘For us both. I feel like I’ve been totally out of control,’ Tony added.
‘Maybe we’ve been totally controlled? Just reacting to what’s been happening to us. Reacting to other people and situations,’ Dave pondered.
‘Tell me Dave. Do you feel settled now? In control of you life?’
‘In all honesty Tony. No. I only took this job with Vince because it bailed me out of deep shit. My choices were few. If I’d still been married, the tax issue would’ve still been a problem, but it wouldn’t’ve been a disaster. Having my assets all fucked up with the split left me out in the cold. Anyway, I made the decision. I’m contracted for five years now. I guess that’s my sentence to serve.’
‘Do you still blame your ex wife for everything?’
‘Tony, what do you think? From the day she walked out, my life’s been fucked up. It’s easy to blame her for everything, but in retrospect, the system’s made everything worse. It’s made me feel like a worthless piece of shit. She has all her money now. All settled. She has her lover, a job, a life. Exactly what she wanted. I’m now contracted to a probable crook, and I’m stone fucking broke. She even escaped the fucking tax bill that should’ve been half hers. Do I still blame her? Tony, I’ll blame the bitch ‘til I die,’ David said caustically. ‘And you Tony? Are you one to forgive and forget?’
‘She only destroyed everything I ever lived and worked for. Looks like we’ll both die with hatred in our guts.’
‘Nice to have so much in common huh?’ David paused for a short while then continued.
‘Hey, I thought you were looking for a new place to live.’
‘Yeah, I was. But I got lazy. And anyway, I only own a bed and a few clothes. Hardly enough to furnish a new palace. I’m quite comfortable here. That is, if it’s still alright with you. Would you prefer to have the place to yourself?’
‘Stay as long as you like Tony. Misery seeks company.’
‘Well, you’ll have the place to yourself for a few days. I’m doing a run to Perth. I leave tomorrow afternoon.’
‘That’ll be good for you. Will you have time to catch up with your mum and dad?’
‘Yes, just a short time, but it’s been a while, so I’m looking forward to it. Maybe I should just stay there huh?’
‘Want a passenger? Life was simpler in Perth.’
‘Do you regret leaving?’
‘Hindsight’s easy Tony. Right at this moment I wish my parents had never moved to a city. Stayed a country boy. I would’ve enjoyed working in a produce store selling hay and fertiliser. Married the girl next door, and lived a simple country life. And you? Do you regret leaving Perth?’
‘Same as you Dave. With hindsight, yes. I wish I was still sweeping sheep shit off the back of trailers at Simpson’s Transport in Fremantle.’
‘I think I have sackful of regrets. Just the baggage of life huh?’
‘We all have that Dave.’
Both men sat in rueful silence. In their minds they both wished the last six months away. Neither would admit to each other the feelings of loss, hurt and pain. Had they been two women in the same situation, they may have opened up to each other. Let out their feelings. Cried. Grieved. But they were men. Australian men. Raised to be tough, unemotional, strong. To both of them, their upbringing’s had taught them that to show their inner feelings was a sign of weakness. To cry was unthinkable. Within them both was a dangerous cocktail of suppressed emotions and anger.
‘I think you’re right about Steve,’ Dave said after the long silence.
‘How so?’
‘He’s just been too helpful. There’s something we don’t know about going on. I’ve got no idea what, but when I think back over the last six months, he’s just been far too helpful. I think you and I should be careful from here on in.’
‘Are you really hog tied for five years to Vince?’ Tony asked.
‘Well, it’s an employment contract. They aren’t watertight, but it’d be a battle to get out of.’
‘Why do you think Vince contracted you?’
‘I’m not really sure. I didn’t really think about it. I was in so much shit with the tax thing, I suppose I just grabbed at the lifeline. Vince’ll make a tidy profit from the property, so, I don’t know. But, employment contracts aren’t unusual. I haven’t asked if anyone else there is on contract. Maybe it’s just the norm. It’s more at how the job came about. It must’ve been at Steve’s suggestion. Same as your job. That’s where the doubt is,’ David explai
ned.
‘Well, all we can do is keep our eyes and ears open. I need the job at the moment, so I won’t be making waves,’ Tony said.
‘Yeah, me as well,’ David agreed. ‘The job bailed me out, and now feeds me.’
Vince Walsh studied the reports he’d received on Tony and David. He was very please with what he read. Ted Murphy reported that Tony Pilletto had not made a single late delivery since he’d started work with As New Spares. No damage or losses, and he was proving to be a reliable, cooperative and conscientious driver. Ted even commented on how well presented and dressed Tony was. Reports from Ted’s contacts at the drop off points were also glowing in their praise for Tony. Tony was also mentioned in Steve Sharp’s monthly report. Tony hadn’t drawn fully on his rent allowance. It was over two thousand dollars in credit.
As Finance Manager, Steve also reported to Vince on David’s progress during his first six weeks. There was no doubting David’s ability in import and export. Within his first month he had instituted a range of new procedures within his office, and established trade finance facilities with two new banks. Most of the problems that had been experienced previously had been because the local bank branch had not been used to handling Letters of Credit. David had insisted in his first few days that this be changed. A Dutch and US merchant bank now handled the transactions. Vince made a note in his diary to arrange a meeting with David in a few weeks. He made a note alongside. ‘Discuss new opportunities.’ Then drafted a memo to Steve to affect a five per cent increase in Tony’s salary, and to sort out the rent credit as he saw fit.
The next report Vince opened was one marked ‘Steven Sharp-Confidential’. Vince was above all a careful and meticulous man. Steve held a position of responsibility in his company now. Vince wanted to be sure. He read the covering memo:
‘Target - Steven Sharp
Position- Finance Manager
Duration - 28 days
Mr Sharp has been observed in the company of three local drug dealers. It is impossible to confirm if he is dealing but it has been obvious he has contacts within the street dealing community. Within the last twenty-eight day period of observation Mr Sharp has made twelve contacts with known street dealers.