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crack as it hit the tiles. Albert peeled a tenner off the wad and threw the rest in McGrory’s face.
    He walked back to the table kissin a split on his knuckles, sat down and had a big swig of beer. See what Ah mean boys he said. We nodded. He swallowed the rest of his pint and went up to the bar for another. The barman said it was on the house. Albert sat down and had a couple of drinks. He rolled a fag and telt us a coward dies a thousand deaths but a hero only dies the once. His eyes were sparklin when he telt us that. Then he went for a piss and Archie said that was fuckin brilliant wait till Ah tell the boys about this. McGrory was at the bar bein comforted by his mates. Where were ye? he was sayin to them. They just shook their heads.
    The next mornin Archie said he’d walk in to school with me and Gambo. Ah didnay want him to. Last thing Ah wanted was our Archie bein confronted with how much of a shitebag his wee brother was. Sammy noticed Archie and he hesitated but his pals were there so he didnay have a choice. Where’s yer skirt ye Springburn homo? he shouted. Archie looked at me and looked at Sammy as if he couldnay believe what he was hearin. What did ye say ya cunt? he said. Fuck off back where ye belong said Sammy. Archie was across the road and over the railins as fast as fuck. Sammy blinked and tried to mingle with his mates but Archie was havin none of that. Ah saw his head flash and Sammy was reelin back till he bounced off a fence. He put up a good fight but Archie was too strong for him and it wasnay long before Sammy was on the deck. Archie gave him a kick in the guts and told him to pick on guys his own size in future. Then he turned to Sammy’s pals and asked if any of them wanted some. They shook their heads. Gambo couldnay believe it but he’d never saw Archie in action before. That’s how ye deal with bullies Archie said as he wiped Sammy’s blood off his forehead. Just attack the cunts.
    Later on at school Sammy came up to me in the dinner hall and asked me to shake his hand. No hard feelins he said. Ah just shook my head. Ah didnay know what to say. Me and Gambo shrugged at each other and finished our dinner. Gambo said he wished he had a brother like Archie. We put our plates on the tray and walked into the playground. Archie and Sammy were in the middle of a gang of lads showin them the detailsof the mornin’s fight. Archie said Sammy had some fuckin left hook. Sammy laughed and said fuckin right Ah have. After a coupla weeks the two of them were best pals.

C HAPTER 3
    The cloakroom was full of guys sitting on benches munching sandwiches out of Tupperware boxes. Sean went to the sink and gave his hands a good wash. Then he picked up his bag and sat between two guys. It was a bit tight so he wiggled his arse to make more room. They tutted but they moved. Sean pulled his box out of his bag and opened it. He threw one of the bags of crisps over to Albert.
    Thanks son.
    No bother old yin.
    Not a lot was said in the cloakroom. The men were too busy cramming their food into their mouths so they would have time for a fag before they had to go back to the chickens. Sean ate the crisps and the sandwiches and he was halfway through his chocolate biscuit before he realised he had missed the break. He always meant to take his time. Savour the fifteen minutes as if they were finely spiced steak slices. But it never happened. He munched through his food and didn’t even taste it half the time. One minute his box was full and the next he was putting the lid on and pushing it back into his bag.
    Sean finished the chocolate biscuit and made a ball out of the wrapper. He flicked it at a white cap and lookedaway. The white cap had a look around and Sean caught his eye and pointed to Albert. The white cap threw a bit of bread at Albert. The old guy pointed to the white cap.
    What the fuck are ye playin at?
    The white cap went red and stared at his piece box. Albert looked at Sean.
    Did ye see that?
    Aye