The Scout or Welcome to South Bermondsey - стр. 5

"So what?" he waved it off. "Just a minute. Hey barman!" He waved his big hand at the bartender. "Be a friend and give us some service!"

"So what Johnny did you come here because you want to get pissed or tell me something?"

"Tell you, tell you. And so, after that conversation, I was pulled into the inner sanctum…"

I didn't want to help him or support him in any way, so once he started, I just let him talk.

"So then what did the Big Boss offer me? …Or rather, not really offer but you could say he even consulted with me…" He hesitated, and I sat and waited. "Well, anyway, he suggested to me, because we were stuck in such a tight spot and there was no opening in sight, that we think about replacing our Harris and that I become the general manager… Something like that."

"And well? So what did you say?"

"Me?" He didn't seem to have expected the question. "I didn't know what to say at the time. And then that episode happened and everything seemed to get better… and then about two weeks ago I was asked again what I thought about the fact that… well, about whether I might need to take the old man's place before the end of the season."

"Fucking wankers!" I knocked over my glass and asked him, "Did you talk to the old man?"

"Bloody hell no Alex! No! I didn't tell him!"

"I hope you didn’t tell the boys!"

"What are you nuts? Who do you think I am?!"

"All right, all right!" The bartender's assistant, a young bloke with spider web tattoos on both elbows, brought us more of the same drinks and I ordered a whiskey.

"So what do you think about all of it Johnny? By the way, what did you say to the offer?"

"What could I say to them? You know what a mess our old man got me out of…"

"What about them?" I asked.

"What about them? They said think carefully, Mr. Martin. Such offers are not often given."

"Not often…"

"That's just it…"

We sat in silence for a while. The whiskey was nice, so I ordered more.

"Come on, Johnny. If you want my advice," I put down my glass and looked at him, "if I were you, I'd go talk to the Big Boss again. Explain to him that you have to tell Harris everything otherwise you'll feel like an wanker. I'm sure the Big Boss will understand everything."

"I guess you're right…" he finished his drink, clearly relieved. "So, how was your cannibal today?" Johnny laughed. "He probably ate their red headed Scotsman and made a mess of everything."

"Yes well, the main thing was that he was not praised too much…"

‘Well, you wouldn't expect that from the old man." Johnny said.

"That's for sure. So what? One for the road? I have to get up at the crack of dawn tomorrow."