Marshall Law

Everywhere is monsters Tits out, wet-mouthed, heads back Shouting and screaming just to prove they exist Becky’s at the bar with the usual mix Of decadent fabrics and desolate lighting Everybody here has got a hyphenated second name Blowing more breeze Than the wind at the weather vane Industry slimeballs, showbiz big-deals The cool new band with the retro feel It’s the wrap party for their video Becky danced in it The director, Marshall Law Head to toe in yellow velour Is holding court about the science of image While the sycophants giggle and grimace Becky fidgets, tells herself ‘Must stop being so cynical Everybody here is a human Even these pitiful posturing pop stars and idiots.’ She tells herself to look again - Nothing is hideous So while Marshall Law is wanking on about his artwork She smiles at the guy opposite Bright eyes, dark shirt He raises his eyebrows in the direction of Marshall ‘My name’s Becky,’ she says ‘What’s yours?’ She was like nothing that he’d seen before Strong body, soft edges, with something so raw In the core of her iris He said his name, ‘Harry’ And never in his life had he felt so happy They got talking Free bar. Exhausting decorum He drank until she was so absorbing He blanked out the party The floor spun, he stared at her face and felt sure Something was happening here He was kinda nervous His eyes kept doing circuits of the room He drank as fast as they could serve him Then this dude comes over Sticks out a thick hand And Harry looks at her Like he’s just found himself in quicksand He gives this guy a wrap, they shake hands Sweaty cash passed between palms No fuss. Bish bash, yes, bosh He looked at her guiltily She waved it off, smiling ‘You a shotter then, right? I don’t care.’ ‘Becky, all I ever wanted was a place of my own.’ His eyes, wide and trusting He’s staring at her, desperate for something to click He is opening up. This is it ‘A real classy place, the whole bit Like a speakeasy, right? Chandeliers and lights That shine off of the glasses No hype, and no arseholes Instead of rotting our guts out In shitty old boozers We can be grown men, listening to music Real music. Played with heart by real bands Not just posers looking like they’re Giving blowjobs to mic stands And I’ll be in a waistcoat, dead grand Harry’s Place Or, at least, that’s the plan.’ She was half listening Half not listening Kept getting distracted by the lights flickering He looks like an outline that needs filling in He leans in close, starts whispering: ‘The thing is, and it’s weird I never felt so able To talk like this to anybody, ever Recently Becky, I’ve been really feeling the pressure I can’t tell you how good it is To get this off my chest.’ Becky’s holding tight to her glass Good coke, brain fast She watches his face as he talks Little bump on her fingertips Expert. Quick snort Sucking on a cigarette, feeling vaguely bored It’s true if you believe it The world is the world But it’s all how you see it One man’s flash of lightning ripping through the air Is another’s passing glare, hardly there It’s true if you believe it The world is the world But it’s all how you see it One man’s flash of lightning ripping through the air Is another’s passing glare, hardly there ‘If I’m being honest, well it is It’s like a trap I ain’t trying to be flash I just need to raise the cash for the dream I hardly touch it myself Look, it ain’t that But once I set myself a task Well, there ain’t no going back And I am halfway there I am, nearly, anyway The point is I kinda had to push all of my friends away I can’t have nobody Knowing what I’m up to I keep it very secret but the thing is I would love to Just for one day You know, live like any other guy I can’t have a girlfriend, you see ‘Cause I don’t like to lie It’s safer all round That I just keep my head down And, yeah, the business is booming Yeah, the business is really booming But my family think I work in recruitment So, I get up every morning And I put a shirt and suit on And I get on a train, I go up town It’s all professional users I sell in the boardrooms and not the boozers To, like, CEOs and these modern day Scrooges Who get their secretaries to bring me coffee It’s so stupid Meant to be hard times, right, a recession? But these guys are buying more than ever, I reckon And I… He’s got nice eyes Shame about his issues, though The party pushes on, her cynicism’s getting vicious Show nothing Keep smiling She catches the eye of her mates They’re dancing by the bar They’re in a state Nod for ‘save me’ They understand, dance over Put their arms around her shoulders - ‘Becky, we’re bored, let’s go’ His mouth slows to a stop He seems to lose his composure She smiles at him ‘Yeah, was nice getting to know ya.’ No, not like that, don’t leave Please Don’t make her go, we’ve just got started Their teeth are bare, their feet are planted Their smirking at him like he’s dirt And now his heart is Damp with the fury of Finding and losing This miracle girl He feels weak with confusion, like What had he said? How long had he talked? He watches them walk to the doors His blood roars In the back of the cab, the girls sit there giggling The driver lets them smoke out of the window So they’re shivering They pass a bottle of wine back and forth Let it clash against their teeth The cab moves fast through the streets ‘Who was that guy you was with?’ Becky shakes her head softly ‘Him? I don’t know, probably alright But I could tell he was one of them “save me” types And I couldn’t be dealing with that Nah, Not tonight.’