they steal the eyes oot ae the back ae yer heid if ye wurnae looking? Maist definitely, bit they’re still growing up. Maist ae the boys that people refer tae as The Mankys hiv started their ain businesses, like Jake McAlpine and his clothes boutique and Simon…er, Angelo, wae his carpet warehouse. Ah heard that Tony hid gaun in tae the property market wae an aulder, mair experienced business wummin, knows tae everywan as Donna The Prima Donna,” Senga hid said straight-faced before they’d jist aboot fell aff ae the couches, peeing themsels laughing fur five minutes solid at the name.
“Oh my God, Senga. Where do all these names come from?” Fanny hid asked before they’d aw crumbled again at Senga’s response.
“Probably the same warped source as where the name Fanny originated fae,” she’d replied. “Donna’s been in business as an accountant fur years and Ah heard fae wan ae the lassies that she his a stake in a couple ae flats that Tony put money in tae. She’s well-respected and will keep him right. Ah also heard a rumour that Pat McCabe his also invested in an established jewellery business. Y’know, if Ah’d come oot wae any ae that a few years ago, people wid’ve laughed me aff the street, so they wid’ve,” Senga hid argued.
“So, how were they able to invest? Where did the money come from,” Alison hid asked via her pad.
“Dis it really matter at the end ae the day, Alison? Ah could be wrang, bit the majority ae them hivnae been up in court or in the jail fur a good few years noo. Ah don’t know aw the details aboot why Tony, Snappy and Pat did whit they did, bit it wisnae whit it wis made oot tae be. If ye’re saying that leopards don’t change their spots, then whit chance hiv the rest ae us goat? So, they managed tae steal a bit ae money and invest it. Aye, that’s wrang and bad, bit that’s whit’s goat them aff the streets. Tae be honest, Ah jist cannae imagine guys like Simon Epstein and Jake McAlpine hivving the time tae be running aboot causing mayhem, the way they did when they wur younger. It may be that the best thing that ever happened is that they managed, hook or by crook, tae lift themsels up and oot ae a life ae crime and channelled their energies intae something a bit mair acceptable. Christ, how many ae these big rich folk that everywan look up tae didnae start at the bottom, ripping people aff tae get tae where they ur the day?” Senga hid challenged them.
Fanny smiled tae herself. Jist efter arriving in tae her work earlier she’d bumped in tae Johnboy Taylor being escorted oot ae the barber’s shoap, looking glum.
“Never mind, Johnboy, it might never happen, eh?” she’d said tae him in her maist friendly, jolly-sounding voice.
Of course, as expected, he’d ‘slung her a deafy’ as the YOs called ignoring somewan, and hid jist walked right past her, bit the fact that she’d spoken tae him like that jist highlighted tae her how much her confidence hid risen in dealing wae the Springburn YOs. She also believed that confidence hid translated intae how she’d dealt decisively wae Tony Gucci earlier. She looked up at the unexpected knock oan her door.
“Tea, Mrs Flaw?” the pass-man asked, popping his heid roond the door.
“Oh, go on, Robert,” she said, smiling, needing tae go fur a pee.
Chapter Seven
Johnboy wondered where Tony hid goat tae as he surveyed the scene in the sewing machine workshoap. Being called oot by a screw and no hivving returned efter a couple ae hours hid gone by, missing the efternoon break, could only mean wan thing…trouble. Johnboy hid been sitting pondering how tae make the right noises, without it being too obvious that it wis an apology until he realised the time. He glanced up fae unpicking the fuck-ups oan the bandolier he wis currently working oan tae see whit plots Snappy wis working oan. He hidnae spoken tae the stupid basturt
“Oh my God, Senga. Where do all these names come from?” Fanny hid asked before they’d aw crumbled again at Senga’s response.
“Probably the same warped source as where the name Fanny originated fae,” she’d replied. “Donna’s been in business as an accountant fur years and Ah heard fae wan ae the lassies that she his a stake in a couple ae flats that Tony put money in tae. She’s well-respected and will keep him right. Ah also heard a rumour that Pat McCabe his also invested in an established jewellery business. Y’know, if Ah’d come oot wae any ae that a few years ago, people wid’ve laughed me aff the street, so they wid’ve,” Senga hid argued.
“So, how were they able to invest? Where did the money come from,” Alison hid asked via her pad.
“Dis it really matter at the end ae the day, Alison? Ah could be wrang, bit the majority ae them hivnae been up in court or in the jail fur a good few years noo. Ah don’t know aw the details aboot why Tony, Snappy and Pat did whit they did, bit it wisnae whit it wis made oot tae be. If ye’re saying that leopards don’t change their spots, then whit chance hiv the rest ae us goat? So, they managed tae steal a bit ae money and invest it. Aye, that’s wrang and bad, bit that’s whit’s goat them aff the streets. Tae be honest, Ah jist cannae imagine guys like Simon Epstein and Jake McAlpine hivving the time tae be running aboot causing mayhem, the way they did when they wur younger. It may be that the best thing that ever happened is that they managed, hook or by crook, tae lift themsels up and oot ae a life ae crime and channelled their energies intae something a bit mair acceptable. Christ, how many ae these big rich folk that everywan look up tae didnae start at the bottom, ripping people aff tae get tae where they ur the day?” Senga hid challenged them.
Fanny smiled tae herself. Jist efter arriving in tae her work earlier she’d bumped in tae Johnboy Taylor being escorted oot ae the barber’s shoap, looking glum.
“Never mind, Johnboy, it might never happen, eh?” she’d said tae him in her maist friendly, jolly-sounding voice.
Of course, as expected, he’d ‘slung her a deafy’ as the YOs called ignoring somewan, and hid jist walked right past her, bit the fact that she’d spoken tae him like that jist highlighted tae her how much her confidence hid risen in dealing wae the Springburn YOs. She also believed that confidence hid translated intae how she’d dealt decisively wae Tony Gucci earlier. She looked up at the unexpected knock oan her door.
“Tea, Mrs Flaw?” the pass-man asked, popping his heid roond the door.
“Oh, go on, Robert,” she said, smiling, needing tae go fur a pee.
Chapter Seven
Johnboy wondered where Tony hid goat tae as he surveyed the scene in the sewing machine workshoap. Being called oot by a screw and no hivving returned efter a couple ae hours hid gone by, missing the efternoon break, could only mean wan thing…trouble. Johnboy hid been sitting pondering how tae make the right noises, without it being too obvious that it wis an apology until he realised the time. He glanced up fae unpicking the fuck-ups oan the bandolier he wis currently working oan tae see whit plots Snappy wis working oan. He hidnae spoken tae the stupid basturt
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