As usual, it took ays a second or two to work out who she meant, then it hit me. Veronica was the tasteless nickname some people occasionally gave tae The Poisonous Cunt.

– Is she in here the night? ah asked with some apprehension, checking Amber’s watch tae see if we could make the curfew at Sublime or Sativa if it was a yes.

– Naw, this wis earlier at the City Cafe, eh.

Thank fuck. Ah took another pill and Ally, Amber and this young guy called Colin came back tae mine. Ah tried a shift oan the decks but ah was too fucked tae dae anything. This gig would be comin up soon n aw. We hud tae turn it doon cause the yuppie scum acroas the landin whae shouldnae be in Leith in the first place complained aboot the noise and ah didnae want the polis roond eftir what was gaun oan wi Nukes. It was a bit embarrassing as Amber was trying tae get intae Ally and this young Colin cunt was trying tae get intae her. If ah had a wee bit mair sexual ambivalence and energy, ah’d have tried to get intae the young guy just tae wind every cunt up even mair. Eventually, he went, then Ally did too and ah wanted Amber tae but she sat up all night playing music. Ah was cunted, ah telt her that ah was fir crashin. When ah woke up in the morning she was at the other end ay the bed, her feet in my face.

– How you doin, Lloyd? Amber asked.

She was pulling her trousers on, looking dead young with her make-up faded and ah was feeling a bit like some paedophile cunt, aye right ye are ya dirty wee fuckin stoat-the-baw cunt that ye are.

– Fine, ah goes.

– Dinnae look fine tae me. Your feet are boggin, by the way.

– It’s good ay ye tae say so. That’s real mates for ye. Ye want a coffee?

– Aye … sound. Dinnae go aw huffy but, eh, Lloyd. Everybody’s feet smell eftir a night ay kickin it in trainers.

– Ah ken that. Take yours for instance. Fuckin mingin, they wir, ah say, rising to make the coffee, as she gies ays a long, contemptuous scowl.

Ah was feeling pretty ropey. The coffee wisnae daein it for me. Ah had tae see The Poisonous Cunt. Ah hud no tae see The Poisonous Cunt. This was getting oot ay hand. Ally had left some ay that crystal meth and ah was intae giein it a go. Ah needed a hit ay something before gaun tae that place. – Ye want a snort ay this? ah asked Amber.

– Nup, widnae touch it.

– That’s sensible, ah said, chopping up a couple of lines.

– You’re mental, Lloyd. What dae ye dae that fir?