Cold Open by Andrew Raymond

Author:Andrew Raymond [Raymond, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-06-24T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

AT FIRST GLANCE, they appeared to be two regular men in their late fifties walking down the street. Wearing perhaps not very trendy clothes. The younger of the two, Barry, wore slightly baggy, unflattering jeans, hanging down a bit at the back. Along with a polo shirt, and a jacket that was one size too big for him and too warm for the late-spring weather. His brother Peter looked like he had shopped at Marks and Spencer, rather than Barry’s Primark efforts.

The differences between the men became more apparent as time went on. Like the fact that neither man was talking to the other. And, often, the men didn’t even walk together. Peter walked a few steps ahead of Barry, normally carrying some food shopping bags. Peter would be focussed on the path ahead, while Barry had his head bowed, not burdened by any bags. But certainly not unburdened.

The walk had become a ritual – since Barry’s release. Every Monday, Peter arrived at ten a.m. sharp at Barry’s tenement flat in Govan. Then they would do the five-minute walk to Farmfoods at Govan Cross. Peter would carry the basket for Barry. Nothing that happened there was ever a surprise. Barry bought the same things every week, in the same quantities. All from the same microwaveable range. Macaroni and cheese. Cottage pie. Chicken chow mein. It was all about routine.

Barry had become used to routine.

Routine was what had made passing the time inside passable. Each moment was just a countdown to the next event. Wake-up. Showers. Breakfast. Leisure time. Rehab. Psychological evaluation. On and on it went, for each day of his sentence.

Now that he was back out in the real world, Barry craved routine more than ever. Without it, his life fell apart.

The men went round the shop in near-silence. The only utterances between them occurred if Peter wanted to check if the price of something was okay, or if Barry wanted a different quantity. But Barry always wanted the same.

Peter preferred to keep a distance. Not just because it was easier for him to not have to talk to his brother. It was also safer.

After the trial, life hadn’t been easy for Peter either. Once Barry’s identity had been revealed by the press, suddenly strangers in the street had plenty to say to Peter.

‘Creep,’ was a typical one. Also ‘weirdo’.

Then there were the ones who simply spat at him.

What Barry had done was enough for Peter to resent him already. But now that Barry was out of prison, Peter only felt two emotions walking the streets with him: contempt and shame.

It was Tuesday. Which meant a stop off at the bookies on the way home. Peter had no time for such places. He couldn’t fathom the punters’ willingness to throw money away with such little prospect of reward. Though winnings weren’t the real reason for Barry’s visit. It never was.

Nobody noticed the two brothers enter the bookies. They couldn’t have been more anonymous as people. Peter stood holding the carrier bags, counting down the time until they could go.

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.