we go fir a pish in the auld central station at the fit ay the walk, now a barren, desolate hangar, which is soon tae be demolished and replaced by a supermarket and swimming centre. somehow, that makes us sad, even though ah wis eywis too young tae mind ay trains ever being there.
—some size ay a station this wis. git a train tae anywhair fae here, at one time, or so they sais, ah sais, watchin ma steaming pish splash oantae the cauld stane.
—if it still hud fuckin trains, ah'd be oan one oot ay this fuckin dive, begbie said. it wis uncharacteristic for him tae talk aboot leith in that way. he tended tae romanticise the place.
an auld drunkard, whom begbie had been looking at, lurched up tae us, wine boatil in his hand. loads ay them used this place tae bevvy and crash in.
—what yis up tae lads? trainspottin, eh? he sais, laughing uncontrollable at his ain fuckin wit.
—aye. that's right, begbie sais. then under his breath: —fuckin auld cunt.
—ah well, ah'll leave yis tae it. keep up the trainspottin mind! he staggered oaf, his rasping, drunkard's cackles filling the desolate barn. ah noticed that begbie seemed strangely subdued and uncomfortable. he wis turned away fae us.
it wis only then ah realised thit the auld wino wis begbie's faither.
we were silent on our journey toward begbie's until we came upon a guy in duke street. begbie hit him in the face, and he fell. the gadge briefly looked up before trying to pull himself intae a foetal position. aw begbie said wis 'wide cunt' as he put the boot intae the prostrate body a couple ay times. the expression the guy had when he looked up at begbie was mair one ay resignation than fear. the boy understood everything.
ah didnae even feel like tryin tae intervene, even in a token wey. eventually begbie turned tae me and nodded in the direction we were headed. we left the guy slumped on the pavement as we continued our walk in silence, neither ay us looking back once. |
