The Papers of Tony Veitch by William McIlvanney Page A

looked like a bomb that might soon explode. He was staring at Ballater. ‘This is where good people live. We don’t need you.’
    A signal went off in Mickey Ballater’s head. He remembered a chip-shop in the Calton. He had been young and hard and drunk, and he had casually insulted a small, middle-aged man. He had said for the titillation of bystanders, ‘Somebody in here’s fartit. It wis you!’ pointing at the small man. The small man had said nothing, paid for his chips and gone out.
    Mickey Ballater had forgotten he said it by the time he came out the door, when he forgot everything for several minutes. He worked out later that the small man must have hit himfrom the side as he came out, presumably with a gib-crane he had handy. Since then, Ballater had understood that the fiercest man is the one who has had his incomprehensibly private values encroached upon. Attack a mouse in its hole and it will try to nibble you to death.
    This was no mouse. He saw one of an endlessly repeated species, the young who haven’t found their limits yet and wonder if you could help them. Gus Hawkins was puffed out like a cockerel with his own aggression. He had started before Mickey had even thought of it.
    Mickey knew that steel to steel the boy had no chance. Six days a week, Mickey would kill him. But this was one of those seventh days – wrong time, wrong place. It wasn’t why he had come. So he had recourse to a feeble gesture.
    â€˜Wait a minute!’ he said.
    Gus Hawkins waited. Mickey found it useful that Hook Hawkins intervened.
    â€˜Listen, you,’ Hook said.
    â€˜Jim!’ Gus said at once. ‘Don’t give me your routine. I’m your brother. In my book you’re just a liberty-taker. We’re where you come from. Don’t try to frighten us. I’ll put up with you. But I really don’t need his nonsense. He doesn’t behave, I’ll show him a quick road down.’
    He nodded to the pavement thirteen storeys below. Mickey Ballater couldn’t believe how silly the boy was but he was trying to. This was unbelievable but it was happening. What struck him was how seriously Hook was taking it.
    â€˜For Christ’s sake,’ Hook was saying. ‘You get a grip. The man’s just askin’ a question. Tony owes him money.’
    â€˜I don’t believe that.’
    â€˜But it’s true,’ Mickey said.
    â€˜Tony Veitch’s got money. His mother left him it. He doesny need to owe anybody.’
    â€˜Ah don’t mean he borrowed it,’ Mickey said. ‘Ah just said he owes it.’
    â€˜What for?’
    â€˜That’s ma business.’
    â€˜Fine. Take it with you when you go out. Like as fast as your legs’ll carry you.’
    Hook held up his hand to forestall Mickey. He looked down at two boys playing with a ball.
    â€˜Gus. Ye’re no’ in a book now, son. This is serious business. Ah didny want to come here. Ah tried for ye at the flat. Then Ah knew ye wid be here for yer dinner. There’s people in a hurry tae find where Tony Veitch is. Mickey’s just one o’ them.’
    â€˜How do you mean?’
    â€˜Big John Rhodes is lookin’. And Cam Colvin.’
    Gus looked from one to the other, unbelieving.
    â€˜Come on. Tony blew his finals.’ He laughed. ‘Is Cam a member of the University Senate?’
    â€˜Whatever that is, Ah think your Tony did a bit more than that,’ Mickey said.
    â€˜They reckon he did Paddy Collins,’ Hook explained.
    Gus stood looking over the balcony as if he had never seen the view before. He started to laugh and stopped and looked at the sky. When he looked back at them, his certainty was already clouding.
    â€˜Tony?’
    â€˜Tony,’ Hook said.
    â€˜But why would he do that?’
    â€˜He owed Paddy as well,’ Mickey said. ‘I came up and we were gonny collect together. By the time I get here, Paddy’s dead.