Taking In The Nothing Going On

Archie McGuire's physical appearance was enough to leave a man breathless.

He had peroxide blond hair sticking out of his head, like snakes frozen in time. His bikers' jacket, covered in studs had once been painted with the names of bands. The paint was old and chipping off, his trousers growing holes. His boots were fucked, scuffed and cut. Polish couldn't save them.

Archie's eyes were punk. Bright green saucers with small dark bullet holes in the centre, they had seen too much to be anything else. Sammy himself would have possibly been unaware of it. He probably thought his eyes were normal eyes.

I was sitting on a wall outside Boots the Chemist waiting for something to happen. I didn't expect anything to happen. It was entirely coincidental that I was sitting on that wall, along from the old man, as opposed to any other wall I might have chosen.

The walls contained the shrubbery reserved for bland town centres, a futile attempt to improve the physical appearance. Flowers would have quickly found themselves as victims, so they never bothered planting them.

The old man and I never spoke, or exchanged glances. I looked up and down the street, taking in the nothing going on. I don't know what he was taking in.

Then the bold Archie ambled up our way. He had a bag of chips and a dog. Earlier, judging by the walk, he'd had a drink. He passed the old man and offered him a bite.

'Alright old fella, want a chip?'

The old man didn't answer. Archie held the bag to me and I shook my head. He shrugged his shoulders and sat down in the middle. Occasionally, he threw the dog a chip.

After a time, Archie nudged me.

'That guy's dead.'

'Aye?'

'Naw, he is. Pan bread.'

I stood up and looked and so he was, lying back in the dirt. Definitely dead. He was in a new pair of shoes. There was a sticker on the sole.

'What did you say to him?'

'I said Hello.'

A friendly word was all it took to see him off.

Archie went and phoned the police. I milled around to keep him company until they'd nearly got there and then I wandered off.

I never knew how Archie took it. We weren't mates or anything like that.

The last time I saw him, he had built a little fire. He was skinny as a finger and chasing his faithful companion around the fire's edge.

The word was that he was starving.

I stood to watch a while and then I walked away.

ENDS