Jaq: A Top Boy Story by Ronan Bennett

Author:Ronan Bennett [Bennett Ronan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canongate Books Ltd
Published: 2023-10-27T00:00:00+00:00

JIMMY THE INDIAN

We’re heading home to pick up the baby when this black Audi races through the bus lane just as this man in a three-piece suit, shirt and tie and polished brogues is crossing the road. The man curses the driver and waves his hands. The driver slams on the brakes and reverses almost right up to the fella and jumps outta the car. Big white guy, shaved head, tattoos on his neck and arms. Are there women who go for that look? There must be, but I don’t understand why.

The driver comes up to the man he nearly killed and shouts in his face, ‘Shut up, you fucking Paki.’

‘I’ll show you a fucking Paki,’ the well-dressed fella says and he throws a punch that sends the driver staggering into the back of his own car.

One punch. He’s squaring up getting ready to hit him again but he don’t have to. The driver is sliding to the ground. His senses are gone, he don’t know what day it is.

The well-dressed guy is standing over him, his fists ready in case the driver gets up again. But that ain’t gonna happen.

‘Look who it ain’t,’ Lauryn says.

I look at the fella. He’s stocky but not fat, sort of squarish. His black hair is going grey and his face is kind of rough-looking. It’s him. I can’t believe my eyes.

Jimmy the Indian.

He’s twisting these big gold rings on his right hand.

‘Fuck me,’ I say.

Jimmy is already straightening his tie and starting to walk away when me and Lauryn hurry up to him. Jimmy doesn’t recognise us at first, but when he does he flashes a massive smile with these massive extra-white teeth that don’t look real.

‘My guy didn’t know who he was racially abusing,’ I say, looking at the driver, who is having a lot of trouble getting to his feet.

Jimmy shouts, ‘My god, my god! There’s too much beauty here, I have to shield my eyes.’ And he puts a hand over his eyes all dramatic. ‘It’s too much! My eyes, my eyes! They’re burning.’

He grabs the two of us, one in each arm, and pulls us in for a hug. He moves his arms to our shoulders and steers us away from the driver, who’s trying to get into his car except he can’t find the door. People are laughing at him and some kid is videoing him on his phone.

Jimmy looks at us all serious, taking us in.

‘What a pleasure it is to see you girls,’ he says. ‘How long has it been?’

It’s been a lotta years, can’t lie. Jimmy goes on about how amazing we are and how beautiful we are. I tell him Lauryn’s got a baby and he wants to know everything about the baby and who the dad is. That’s when the conversation goes a little quiet. But Jimmy’s a very intelligent man, very sensitive, and he don’t press the point about the babyfather.

‘Speaking of dads,’ he says, ‘you know, I saw your dad.’

‘When?’ I ask.

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