Happy End

‘Everybody Down!

He’ll be here in a second, I reckon’

And Becky beckoned them round

And made them get on their knees

Behind the bar

They held their breath

And stifled giggles

Crouched down

Like a twenty-headed beast

That writhed and wriggled

‘Happy Birthday, Pete!

Another year older, eh?’

‘I never expected a thing

I don’t know what to say.’

Harry couldn’t look at the way

Pete held Becky’s hands

Still he passed him a beer and said

‘Well, there you go, big man.’

‘Harry, this is Ron

Ron, this is Harry, my brother

You guys should really talk to one another

Ron runs the caff and

Harry’s starting up a place up of his own if he can.’

They raised their glasses up

‘Good to meet you, Ron.’

‘Ah, pleasure’s all mine.’

Ron looks into Harry’s eyes and recognises how they shine

Harry. He says the name to himself

Before he’s led away and introduced to someone else

‘Becky, this is Dale,’

Pete’s drunk now, warm inside

Dale’s awkward with a sort of

Distorted and cautious pride on his face

‘Actually, we’ve met’

‘Really? I’m sorry,’ says Becky

‘Don’t pretend that you forgot me already?’

‘Where’d you meet?’ says Pete

Big smile, white teeth

‘She was working, you remember

It was you that made me ring her?’

It hits Pete, like a fist

Where every finger wears a ring

He couldn’t blink or breathe or think or anything

‘Yeah, you remember?

The twenty-third of November

I met you in the Hotel Hacienda

We had a couple drinks

You knew the bartender

You had a Whisky Sour

And I had a Monumenta

We went up in the lift

They was playing Enya

That made you laugh

You said that Enya sent ya round the bend

Pete was scared that you’d been sleeping with men

So he asked me to investigate

Now, in your defense

You was very professional

I was very tense

But I have to say my favorite part

Was the Happy End.’

Ron was in the toilets, washing his hands

When he heard what sounded like a man

Sniffing a whole gram

In one go

Harry walked out of the cubicle, ‘Oh!

Alright, Ron?’

Ron tapped his nose

‘You ain’t got a spare line?’

Harry smiled, ‘No sweat.’

Handed him the wrap and said, ‘I’m going for a cigarette

I’ll meet you at the bar, mine’s a pint of Sea View.’

Ron only had to look at the coke

And he knew

She was dumbstruck

She could feel herself going numb

Clutched thumbs in her fists

Felt unstuck

‘This is wrong!

Fuck this!’

Her stomach heaved

‘You set me up

Instead of just talking to me?

What about trust?’

Guts twisted

Pete was stuck to the spot, his lips shifted

He couldn’t make a sound

Dale stood still, calm

Pete stared dumb

Reached out, touched her arm

She shook it off

So livid, so hurt

She walked away without saying another word

He was about to follow

But saw Dale hiding a smile

Then he couldn’t help it

He saw red, he went wild

‘Alright, look, son

I know we’ve come to have a party

So have a couple of drinks

And a dance with your auntie

But hear this

Let’s clear this up right now

Your numbers are up, son

I have found you out

You don’t know who I work for

Men who have hurt more

Men than the world wars

When you were first born

They were killing men who were worth more

Than ten of your kind

Are you out of your mind?

Look, don’t worry, son

I’m in no hurry, son

I’ll have you on the run

Like a funny curry, son

Go back inside and make sure

Your brother’s having fun

Just know this:

Any day now, I’ll be coming son.’

Becky ran out to the street feeling weak

She took a breath

Heart slamming its head against the wall of her chest

She looked to her left

Saw Ron, shoulders squared

Talking to Harry

Harry looked awkward, scared

‘What’s this, mother’s meeting?

Come on, Harry, need your help.’

She walked him off as Ron watched

Harry felt himself melt

‘Becky,’ he began

But he couldn’t finish

He fiddled with a cigarette

Held it between his fingers

‘What’s up?’

She didn’t need to ask, she could feel it there

‘You got yourself in trouble with my Uncle?’

‘Yeah’

He stared at the skyline

He tried find the right words

‘I gotta leave town

And tonight at the latest.’

They stopped walking, turned

Looked into each other’s faces

‘And I want you to come with me.’

Time stopped

Harry waited

She said nothing

She raised her eyebrows

Like he did on the night they met

In this way they spoke at length

And his heart heard what her eyes said

He said nothing

He just felt and hoped that he was understood

Then she felt something in her melt

And lightning flashed and thunder shook

He stared at her until she heard him

Felt an energy go surging through her person

Something in his eyes

She felt her body bursting

She kissed him

And it reached a part of her that had been sleeping

And she felt his heart beating in her own

She felt complete and so known

They didn’t speak

Ran down the street

Leon had the motor running

And they jumped in the back seat

Becky felt peace when she looked at his face

‘Lets us three get on a plane and open up Harry’s Place’

He stared at her, ‘Really?’

She nodded, his pulsed raced

He reached down beside him

Brought out a suitcase

Stuffed full of cash

Leon smiled at them both

‘Let’s fucking do it,’ He said

Away they drove

Dale and Pete

Were in a pile of trainers and feet

Clenched fists and black eyes and chipped teeth

Their dads had tried

To get in-between them

It was like they couldn’t wait to get involved

Graham was beating David’s skull with his elbows

David was kneeing Graham’s nether regions

And Miriam was at the bar weeping

Ron was pleased as punch

With the outcome of the evening

While Becky, Harry and Leon headed for the beyond

Off to Dover for the ferry

And from there, wherever

Harry looked at Becky

‘Let’s feel this way forever?’

Off to Dover for the ferry

And from there, wherever

Harry looked at Becky, said

‘Let’s feel this way forever!’