Frank's Wild Years by Nick Triplow

Author:Nick Triplow [Triplow, Nick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Crime fiction
Publisher: Caffeine Nights Publishing
Published: 2013-11-01T00:00:00+00:00

Carl had his first proper introduction to Frank Neaves, a bloke who, until then he’d known only through Dad’s soldier stories, on a drive over the river one hot Sunday when he was a kid, barely into his teens. What came to mind mostly about that day was the car. Frank picked them up in a blue Mark III Cortina with a black vinyl roof. As they cruised under the lights in Rotherhithe Tunnel, he felt like he was in Starsky and Hutch.

Dad had directed Frank to Joey Silverman’s.

Joey had been tailoring Dad’s suits since the ‘60s. The business was one of a string of small concerns that had been grateful for a Dave Price investment. No questions asked. The premises, on the frayed edge of the City off the Commercial Road, stayed one of its best kept secrets.

Carl pictured his old man leaning against the cutting table, winding Joey up.

Joey had bristled at the piss-take that he was nothing more than an East-end schmutter merchant. ‘I’ve got the best cloth and I cut the best of any tailor you can afford.’ The finger pointed.

Dad said he’d heard good things about a cutter at Dege and Skinner.

‘Let me tell you, David Price, them Savile Row blokes make suits for lords, poof guardsmen and Yank tourists.’ A tap of the nose and the point was made. ‘Go there if you want, but mark my words, son, you’ll get better, cheaper, here.’

The two-piece, midnight blue, single-breasted suit Frank was measured for that Sunday should have been a gift from Dad. A little extra for a service rendered, but he wasn’t having it. ‘Last time I had someone buy my clothes for me was my mum. I’ll sort myself out, thanks.’

Dad smiled, ‘I just want to make sure you look right.’

‘Like I need that from you.’

Joey’s tape measure flicked out. He muttered numbers under his breath like incantations, pencilled notes in a brown pocket book in which he kept, ‘… the measurements of every man it’s been my pleasure to have known.’ The borrowed line came with a quick smile. ‘Final fitting Sunday week, Mr Neaves. Pick it up a week later.’ He offered his hand.

‘Cheers,’ said Frank. ‘What do I owe?’

Joey glanced at Dad as Frank shook his jacket back on. ‘Fiver on account. The rest if it fits.’ He snapped an elastic band over the brown book. ‘I’ll throw in a spare pair of strides ‘an all for an extra fiver, you won’t get that up bloody’ Savile Row.’

The Cortina cruised through the City’s backstreets, windows down. Dad slipped a Motown Chartbusters tape in the player. Nowhere to run to baby, nowhere to hide. The City was empty that Sunday and Carl felt like they owned a piece of it.

Around Dad in those days, you could usually perm any from Roy, Lonnie, the Tonys, Stan and Wally and sometimes Uncle Ruby. Their faces were imprinted on Carl’s memory, flushed with booze at late night card sessions, at the pub at Christmas, or round the table at Nan’s with their wives and kids.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.