Conscience
CONSCIENCE
Conscience stared, looked around, bided time, then, just as the doors were sliding shut,
slipped in and sidled in beside Chris (Mark’s Dad).
Although this is Chapter Three in Quintuple ~ A Short Story, this stands in its own right too.
I
Hey Tony!
Yeah you!!
You Faggot!!!
You’re invading my space
ged away, or I’ll beat yer!
What did you just say?
Faggot eh?
Scum eh?
Where you getting all this shit from?
I saw yuse t’other day
You’re the bully boy aren’t yer
The gobber
Yeah I’ve ‘eard all about yer
II
Hey now look Toe mate
You know what it’s like
You gotta kick this shit
inta touch
They’re everywhere
They contaminate our kids
They threaten us all wi.....
Listen Crissy-boy
I aint your mate
Never have been
Never will
But you just called my mate scum
Yeah, I watch you on the terraces
I seen you at Anfield
and what yuse did at Goodison
well...
let’s say you’re lucky to
be breathing.
Ey, come on man,
yuse know the score like!
Hey lad. Button it.
Don’t like yer tone.
I speak. You listen.
And you don’t get to speak back!
Got it?
You pick on people.
Yeah, sure I’m no saint
But people like you?
Gutless - yeah you heard right!
You don’t like that do you!?!
III
Stay!
Yuse getting off this Metro
when I says …
Yeah, but it’s my stop …
It’s not.
Aw come on Man
this’ll put me wrong side a’ city
I just got this job like
Don’t mess me!
IV
Button!!
Lissen ta me Crissy-boy.
I’ve got my eye on you.
And I’ll visit you
when you least expect it.
In the night,
in the bedroom,
even when you’re in’t middle screwin’.
Wot’s matter?
Why you sweating Chris?
Don’t like collar being felt?
Don’t like toseys
trying to retouch ground like?
Where’s your courage now eh?
V
Look. Quit messing me.
Only got dis suit yesters!
Trying to make my way
Yuse knows dat!
I don’t like cowards
I don’t like homophobes
I don’t like bullies
I don’t like gutless people
I don’t like snides
I don’t like thugs
You think guys on’t pitch stand wie yuse?
You think they’re proud of yuse?
They want nowt to do wi ya
ya silly liddle prick!
VI
Let me put it this way
What would they all say at work,
on’t terraces,
down at pub,
if I was to tell ‘em
the time,
date and place
of your own little secrets?
No skirt in those places is there mate?
Wouldn’t that get the tongues wagging!
You get my drift?
So back off
Shud up and shud-owt.
We’re onto you.
VII
Oh, and by the way,
the Bill…da Filth, you know?
The HCU?
They know about you too.
Keeping a close eye on you.
It’s them who’ve suggested this little chat
They’re giving you one last chance.
For if they have to speak to ya
it’ll be, how do they pud’it?
oh yeah ‘under caution’
and we both know what that means!
So tidy yerself up
put yer tie straight
ha ...straight..ha..ged it?
Yuse?!
That’s a laf an a ‘alf!
Get yer arse to work
Keep yerself to yerself
and remember. . .
We’re everywhere
and
We’ll appear when you least expect it.
Leave that news seller alone!
Keep yer gob shut on the platform
Don’t even think you’re someone
to be fancied.
Yuse got yerself a nasty little reputation. . .
“Nazi boy” they call you!
Avoid the lifts at work mate.
Get yerself fit.
Use the stairways.
It’ll be better for you!
VIII
Remember - one peep
outta ya
ever again
on this ‘omo vendetta
and We’ll tell the HCU
No. . .no. . .no. . .no. . .
It’s okay Toe.
I won’t.
IX
No mate. It’s not Toe!
I’m your conscience!
And if I have to, I’ll seer you
like a red hot poker!
Get to!!
Oppitt!!!
X
Hey, Chris, mate.
You wanna watch it.
You missed the step there!
Here. Catch!!
You dropped yer briefcase!!!
*
HCU - Police Hate Crimes Unit
Now operational in all Forces throughout the United Kingdom, HCU tackles all aspects of hate crime whether sexual or racial, whatever. They’re a formidable team of dedicated police officers and support staff who look to prosecuting all forms of hate crime, and exercise a zero-tolerance policy.
If by any chance you find yourself the victim of any form of hate or bigotry, the HCU is there for each and every one of us.
Just check your local force website. If you do n’t have internet access and are worried about attending the police station to make a complaint, pop into your local Citizens’ Advice Bureau – the CAB staff will make the initial contact for you.
Don’t be frightened. They’re all there to help you, to help us, and I’m writing this as a former police officer.
Help is at hand.
Tomorrow, Chapter Four sees Chris, Mark’s Dad on the day his little world imploded and he got his comeuppence.
19 May 2021
All Rights Reserved
© Kenneth Thomas Webb 2023
Photo by Drew Hays on Unsplash
This banner image by Drew Hays perfectly captures that mutli-demensional figure of ‘conscience’ that confronts Chris on his morning commute in Chapter 3. The Artwork through Lens by Drew Hays is flawless, and having written the chapter, this was precisely the type of image I had had in mind. IBM
Ken Webb is a writer and proofreader. His website, kennwebb.com, showcases his work as a writer, blogger and podcaster, resting on his successive careers as a police officer, progressing to a junior lawyer in succession and trusts as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives, a retired officer with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and latterly, for three years, the owner and editor of two lifestyle magazines in Liverpool.
He also just handed over a successful two year chairmanship in Gloucestershire with Cheltenham Regency Probus.
Pandemic aside, he spends his time equally between his city, Liverpool, and the county of his birth, Gloucestershire.
In this fast-paced present age, proof-reading is essential. And this skill also occasionally leads to copy-editing writers’ manuscripts for submission to publishers and also student and post graduate dissertations.
