William
William… it was really nothing.
Oh but it was something, wasn’t it.
Someone who looks very much like this guy, has done over a hundred burglaries since Christmas. I was involved in one of them. But our connection goes back further than that. And, transcends any petty thefts he and his cronies can pull off.
Let’s get one thing clear, he doesn’t have a drugs habit. He really does just get a buzz from it. Ok, so they sell some stuff off, but they never hurt anyone, not physically anyway. They thought about all the possible scenarios, even considered a peaceful ’signature’ for their projects before realising (remembering Home Alone) that it could aid capture, and so forgot that idea quickly.
Instead, they sit around on one of their stolen TVs to watch crime shows and collect ideas, they even make notes in a little book. His three mates have been with him for years, helped him through when his Mum went away, indeed one of them came up with the idea of getting into the taxi firm for some tip-offs. They’re clever lads but never fitted in at school, outcasts who just hit it off, a bit like the Breakfast Club.
They sell most of the stuff, never keep it, even prone to giving it away at times. He spends some of the money on his mum, she doesn’t deserve it but it makes him feel better kind of… He also spends it on his beloved Blue boys, this photo was for his original application, he sits in the Gwladys Street amongst a funny group, a loud arl fella who always comes up with a clever quip when you least expect it, an ill-looking alcoholic woman, and a quiet studenty type who rarely shouts or sings. That guy reminds him of those ones him and his mates used to torment in the Bullring, throwing fireworks, bricks at windows, bedding plants if they were stuck for projectiles. He was really young, didn’t know anything else.
Going the match makes him feel better though. Everything else goes away, for a while at least, memories fade and the world seems good.
What doesn’t feel good though is when they come close to getting caught. The fear is so intense it pierces his skin, yes it’s exciting for a short while but then the overwhelming dread takes over and he’s scared that everything could be over in a split second.
The last time it happened was just before Easter. They’d done the usual, weren’t expecting people to be in, they were meant to be away according to the taxi receptionist… so nearly got caught.
It made him think again about padlocks. He didn’t know why. Primary school seemed so long ago, why should all those memories flood back and fill the voids left by his mum, or Gaz?
He didn’t want to say it, it just felt right at the time. the more he’s thought about it since, it made more sense, especially the night in town.
Times were especially hard, it was his mum’s birthday coming up so it called for drastic measures. Him and the boys went into town that night with the sole intention of grafting but causing no pain, they’d target the drunks who didn’t know better and certainly didn’t want any violence.
They got split up and he saw that drunk girl trying to get in the door, it was too good an opportunity to miss. She was fiddling with the lock and it seemed a gift horse. He didn’t see the bloke with her.
William felt the pain and closed his eyes. All he could see were keys and locks, a classroom, an embarrassed child crying. He bled for a while and staggered into the street, managed to rang his mates, the rest is a blur but he knew it must have been ok as he woke up in hospital full of relief, and little else.
He wishes he’d said something else that day in school.
His nightmares are filled with keys and padlocks and regret.
I think i’ve seen this somewhere before…but it’s not bad at all
I think its a great work & it certainly will make many realise that how precious their love is.
Thanks Michael I’ll consider it – always interested in the macabre and surreal!
Sadly not.