We’re just wanderin aboot at our ain pace. We’ve git aboot fifty quid between us n we’re in n oot the pubs n goin fur a bottle. There’s nae fury tae our session the day. Danny seems tae be holdin up. A catch a wee sad glance when he thinks A’m no lookin n the extra wee gulps ae pints n neat shots show a man sufferin. A hud walked roon tae git him this mornin. His maw n da’s hoose wis dark n hud the ineffable residue ae death over it like a shroud. The happiness ae homes seems tae drain oot them when somebody is missin. Normality seems tae stall n the everyday colours ae life become cold pastels like a hospital wall or hospice reception.

His patter aboot being a mad dealer hus calmed the day. Much as A want tae be a good mate, the fact remains that sometimes yi huv tae put distance between those who wid git yi in too deep or take yi tae places yi don’t want tae go. The place Danny is headin is significantly worse than where A’m prepared tae follow. As the day wears on, A hear the extent ae his dealings. ‘Much yi been shiftin then?’ A ask.

‘A’m up tae a bar ae green, a few hunner blues n an ounce ae gear anaw.’

‘Fuck sake, Danny. That’s a few grand tae chase in. Far cry fae the eld soap bar n a few swedgers.’

‘A know,’ he replies, quiet.

‘Yi still dealin wae McIntire?’

‘Aye, mate. A’m thinkin aboot wrappin it.’

‘Aye?’ A say without conviction. A hud heard it aw before. People like Danny, who huv become used tae the money, always spout shite like this. It usually means they’re pissed aff or huvin a few bad weeks or got a sore face. Maybe his personal loss is geein him a sense ae perspective aboot it aw. It sounds heartless tae dismiss anybody’s desire tae change, but they just say it tae make themselves feel better in the meantime n expect you tae play yir part in listenin n entertainin it.

‘Good stuff, mate.’

We’re walkin again n things don’t seem so bad. We irnae drunk, just enough tae keep us movin on a day like this. Me n Danny hud talked aboot the eld times, the way things used tae be, when we wur young. It hus always been us two n no matter wit happens, we’ll be mates fur life. We hud talked aboot the early days, like roon Agnes’s back garden or at primary school n sittin playin the Sega Mega Drive n then the N64 aw summer. Or when they put aw the James Bonds on telly when GoldenEye came oot wae Pierce Brosnan rather than Timothy Dalton. A kin still see the Martini advert that sponsored them, mad swirlin colours. That wis 1996 – thirteen year ago. We wur just wee guys then. Losin eld Agnes hus brought back a flood ae memories, smells n colours fae the past. Our childhood wis a happy wan, simple but rich wae the important things.