Richard by now is starin out the window.
I can see it’s gone too far, the man is shakin in fear. If he was braver, he’d get the beatin done with, just butt Johnny Wright by the door an see wot happens.
He makes a serious mistake. He gets up slowly to leave. We’re nowhere near a station so he’s just bein yella.
Bernie grabs him by the throat an throws him down, I never expected none of this.
Rafferty shouts: ‘see as he got any money to lend us, Bernie.’
The Scouser starts cryin. He’s bleedin while swimming amongst Piranha’s.
‘I hate to see a man cry. So shut up,’ says Bernie.
There’s a horrible silence, filled only with the sound of Bernie goin through Richard’s pockets. The final act of humiliation comes when Bernie strips him of his watch an passes it to Rafferty.
The train pulls into Salford, next stop Victoria Manchester, the game is reachin its climax an Richard’s only hope is Jean Claude gettin off an us goin to mither Big Tits. But reality is a bitch cos the train choo-choos out of Salford with the carriage line-up intact.
I know wot is happenin is wrong but I ain’t got the bottle to stop it. Don’t get me wrong I ain’t like Rafferty, I ain’t frightened of none of them, includin Bernie. It’s just sometimes easier to be one of the boys. So I look on fascinated.
16 responses so far ↓
1 Amy // October 1, 2008 at 9.56am
I’ve got a funny feeling in my tummy, that was really horrible, which obviously means its a well written story because it’s provoked a reaction. But how awful. Is it true?
2 mike duff // October 4, 2008 at 1.01pm
wot is truth?
3 Danny 'Laureate' loki // October 4, 2008 at 5.19pm
This reminds me of a similar incident I witnessed on the Orient Express back in 1932. Some poor chap got chived up bad in the shitters at the back. Then some old tart sussed out who did the crime and got him sent down.
Actually, that bear little or no similarity to this tale, Duff. So in essence, meh.
4 ralph milnefanclub // October 4, 2008 at 5.22pm
*shakes with fear*
5 mike duff // October 7, 2008 at 12.09pm
loki i have the dice ready willing and able…and i am prepared to re-live my youth
6 Rainy City Stories « 40three // October 10, 2008 at 7.10pm
[...] the stories that are up I particularly liked Rats and Mice by Mike [...]
7 smith3000 // October 12, 2008 at 10.42pm
Nice story Mike – well you know what I mean. Looking forward to reading more of your stuff on here – or will you not bother if they’ve got no dosh for you?
8 mike duff // October 21, 2008 at 7.49pm
dear smith3000……sent three things for the price of one….money is not a thing that drives my art….i went unpublished for thirty year….so i’d willingly give kate another 50 things for free
mike
9 smith3000 // October 22, 2008 at 9.00am
Sorry Mike, just realised that might have seemed a bit snide. Humour doesn’t come across well in comments, I suppose. The only stuff I’ve read of yours before is Low Life and I was confusing you with the narrator … I wasn’t having a pop.
10 mike duff // October 22, 2008 at 12.10pm
no problem smithy…..a good friend of mine the writer pete kalu once calculated that he earned two pound an hour from his writing….to which i replied “well yer jammy bugger that’s four times more than me”…..try “the hat check boy” by me….different from “low life”….and don’t buy it use a library…..
11 smith3000 // October 22, 2008 at 1.08pm
The speed I write at, 50p an hour is probably about right. Thanks for the tip, I’ll track down The Hat Check Boy one way or the other ..
12 brady // October 26, 2008 at 2.59pm
top writin mike…puts you in a room with them all an I squirmed for mr suit like he were me…. dunno what I would have done…hard to know really til yer cornered
13 Bees // October 27, 2008 at 10.37pm
who would know …by act or ommission …to do the right thing…chilling real mike…
14 rob // October 28, 2008 at 1.50pm
…basically u were a scally or chav before that demographic was given a title (credit) – haha – sorry! but so was i… so can relate to being in your predicament.
i really enjoyed the story… cheers mike… ill now borrow your books from the library… but im such a slow reader ill probably end up lining your pockets as u can only borrow books for 2 weeks… which aint long enough for me!
15 Jo Kirtley Pritchard // October 8, 2009 at 6.40pm
loved this.
16 Ian D Smith // November 25, 2009 at 7.48pm
Reminds me of the time the kids opposite came back from Manchester on the train and some scallys talked them into taking out all the CDs they’d bought, and then legged it with the lot at Levenshulme. One born every minute. Nice story. Like it.
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