Love In Cheshire 1966. Chapter 25.

Chapter 25

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Monday night a black Humber Hawk pulled up outside Kenny's house. The engine purred while the car's headlights picked out the raindrops from the darkness. The driver remained in the car but the passenger, a tall heavily built man, walked across the pavement and gave a hard single rap on Kenny's door. He pulled up the collar of his overcoat in an attempt to stop the wind driving the rain against his neck.

         Kenny walked out to greet his friends, grateful that they had made a special journey from Liverpool to give him support. They got into the car and set off for Barfield.

         They drove past Minstrels, crossed the river bridge, and continued along the road until they reached the car park of The Black Swan. "It's a big ole place, Ken, but just say the word if you want it us to take it apart."

         "It shouldn't come to that," Kenny said. "They're very cliquey in here but Steve's the main man. When he goes down the rest will shit themselves."

         They walked into the saloon bar and the regulars took an interest in the intruders to their local. Kenny saw Steve at the end of the bar and made his way towards him.

         Steve appeared puzzled by the appearance of Kenny and his friends but he smiled. He had not seen any of his family since the fight at Minstrels and wasn't aware of Kenny's friendship with Brian. "Hello, Kenny," he called out. "What brings you up here?" The look on Kenny's face indicated that he wasn't coming to buy him a drink. The obvious look of menace about the other two men confirmed it. "What's all this about, Ken?" he said but Kenny didn't reply and he knew he was in trouble. He put his fists up hoping to protect himself from Kenny's devastating right hand. Kenny threw his left. Steve glanced it off but a split second later Kenny's right fist smashed into his face. Steve careered backwards almost leaving the floor. He tumbled over a table, smashing some glasses and slicing a great gash in his thigh. There was almost silence in the bar as Steve landed unconscious in a heap on the floor, lying amongst the broken glass, the spilt beer, and the blood. The only sound, an empty bottle rolling across the wooden floor.

         The two Liverpudlians kept themselves alert scanning the room for any sign of a hero wanting to join in, but nobody did. The barman reached for the telephone. One of the men glared at him and shook his head causing the barman to move his hand away again.

         Kenny looked across at a man who had been drinking with Steve and he made his way towards him. The man took a step back while raising his hands shoulder height in a sign of submission. "Na… Nothing to do with me, Ken," he said.

         "Tell his brothers that I'm a friend of Brian Conway. When I find them they can expect the same." The three men looked around the bar as a final check, looking for the slightest sign of any aggressive movement, before they casually walked out.

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         Tommy left his house for his hour's drinking at the Railway Hotel before work unaware of the significance of the Vauxhall Cresta parked a few doors up.

         It was almost ten o'clock when he left the bar and the rain had become considerably worse than when he had entered. He would be on shed duties all night and thought it would be best to pop home and get his raincoat. As he reached the house he noticed all the lights were off. Thinking that Vivien had gone to bed early, he entered the house quietly so he wouldn't disturb her. An unfamiliar jacket was on the armchair. Tommy stared at it, taken aback for a moment, wondering who had called and why they had left without their jacket. They must have left. He didn't even want to think otherwise. Although he and Vivien weren't the most loving couple, their sex life was good. Why would she look elsewhere? He heard laughter from up in the bedroom and feared the worst. He quietly climbed the stairs still wishing for a reasonable explanation, though the thoughts flashing through his mind were of adultery and betrayal. He opened the bedroom door and switched on the light.

         Vivien scrambled off the far side of the bed full of panic and started to hastily dress herself, naively surprised she had been caught. The man pulled the blanket over his thighs in the strange belief it would make a difference. His brash attitude was no longer present as his face displayed his fear.

         Tommy was heartbroken as well as angry. Despite their problems, he loved Vivien but he knew that everything was ruined now. He wanted to scream abuse at her before beating the pair of them to a pulp but all he could do was growl which terrified the man even more. He reached up and took a cut-down pickaxe handle from the top of the wardrobe. He looked at Vivien and then stared at her lover before raising the handle above his head as if aiming it at the man.

         "No, Tommy," Vivien cried. The man shrieked in terror trying to cover his head with his arms, his legs thrashing about wildly, kicking off the bed covers like a child throwing a tantrum. Vivien began screaming.

         Tommy glanced at her and then suddenly threw the handle across the room. Just missing her, it crashed into the dressing table mirror causing the glass to burst into hundreds of pieces. He yelled at her, warning her to be out of the house when he returned. He turned and kicked the bedroom door against the wall causing the hinges to break from the woodwork. He picked the door up and crashed it on top of the man before leaving the room.

         He was in no mood to go to work and walked back to the hotel where he drank heavily until closing time. When he went back to the house, he checked every room but the house was empty. He was drunk and too late for work but decided to go to work late anyway and he staggered across the road and through the hole in the chain-link fence.

         The sidings were nearly always busy at that time of night but there was no sound of shunting operations which meant the shunters were probably having a tea break. He thought he would be safe enough going across the tracks in the darkness instead of taking the long trek around them. He made his way across the rails, passing in front of buffers of the first trucks until he got to a goods train standing on the through loop line. It was blocking his path and he could hear the throbbing sound of the diesel engine at the front of the train as it stood waiting for a green light from the departure signal. Tommy crawled under the trucks but his heavy drinking made him feel disorientated and dizzy. Panic filled him when he heard the sound of the diesel locomotive going into full power. He knew he had to move fast to get clear, but he hit his head on the spare shackle that was hanging down and stumbled, falling onto the sleeper. The sound of the shackles snapping taut worked its way quickly along the train. He tried to scramble clear of the rail as the trucks jerked forward and accelerated, but he stumbled again. He sobered up momentarily as the steel wheel turned onto his back. A wheel tapper was nearby and heard the short piercing cry of a man dying a horrific death.

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         Tuesday morning I was still off work, but I had returned from the hospital a few days before and one of my workmates, a keen motorcyclist, brought my motorbike home for me from Barfield. It surprised me when my workmate arrived again on his own motorbike. I greeted him at the door smiling but I wondered why he had called back. We went into the house and the man broke the news about Tommy's death. I was devastated and my sense of grief was made worse because the last time I spoke to Tommy was when we had the small disagreement on the engine.

         I went to the funeral and felt insignificant, dwarfed by the number of people in attendance. Tommy had been a popular man. As well as his family and friends, half the workforce from the depot were there, plus some union people.

         Tears filled my eyes as I watched Vivien drop to the ground. She screamed hysterically for Tommy before being consoled and led away by her family. I wondered how she would cope after losing the ability to give the love and devotion that she obviously had for her Tommy.

         Although I had been invited back to Vivien's house, I decided to go back with my friends to The Ring O'Bells leaving the gathering at her house to the family members. We all sat in the bar reminiscing about our times with Tommy and then for a while we sat quietly with each of us deep in our own thoughts.

         Badger broke the silence. "Seen anything of Judy's other brothers, Ken?"

         "I've got a few lads looking out for them but I think they're hiding. I've heard that one of them is staying with Judy. Gutless bastard, hiding behind his sister but I suppose he thinks that he's safe there."

         "I appreciate what you did," I said. "But why bother with the other two. That Steve was the instigator. The other two probably know it was wrong. Perhaps we should just call it quits."

         "You can if you like," Kenny said. "But everyone heard me in The Swan. I've gotta see to the other two or I'll lose respect. Anyway, they were all in it together."

         I knew it was not going to be my decision. I felt sorry for Judy's youngest brother. I knew that her brother had been no match for me. What chance would he stand against Kenny?



         Back at work, my driver and I were walking across to the railway station to relieve a train that was returning oil tanks to Stanlow refineries.

         The train drew into the platform and squeaked to a halt. When we entered the cab, I began shovelling more coal on the fire and it wasn't long before we were travelling at full power up the gradient out of town. I looked at the mass of buildings as we thundered along the embankment. I saw the chimney of the bakery and then looked down at some children waving from a car on the road that travelled part of the way with them. I waved back to them and then noticed a green Mini further up the road. I couldn't keep my eyes off the car, hoping, praying that it was Lynn's car. I gave a long blast on the whistle as we slowly started to pass.

         Lynn looked up and waved. I felt ecstatic at the sight of her but noticed a young man sitting next to her and I thought he was the boyfriend I had seen her with at Minstrels. The road turned and the car went from sight under the railway bridge. I was about to walk to the other side of the engine when I heard Ernie shouting. I looked over and saw him pointing to the boiler gauge glass. I knocked on the water injector to top up the boiler and then opened the firebox doors. I looked in at the swirling mass of flames and picked up the shovel to begin hurling coal into the firebox.

         We were soon at the refineries and turned the engine ready to take it back to the depot. I sat on the wooden seat, it would be an easy trip back and I sat looking out at the countryside. The pressure was off and my thoughts returned to Lynn. I remembered how I had been pleasantly surprised when my father had told me about her visit to the hospital, even though I was puzzled that she had visited me. I remembered how thrilled I had been when I saw her in her Mini on my outward trip but I also felt slightly disappointed because she seemed to have a steady relationship with her boyfriend. I had not seen the girls for a while and thought I must make an effort to contact them. I liked Kathy and if I could start dating her then the four of us could go out together. My thoughts returned to Lynn and her boyfriend in the Mini. I began to feel envious and wishing it had been me sitting in the car with her.

         I pulled up the next day at the bottom of Warwick Hill and looked at my watch knowing the bus would be along at any time. I heard it approaching and looked up at the back window as it passed. Two girls waved when they saw me looking and I smiled and waved back but they were not my girls. I looked to the top of Warwick Hill and saw a green Mini just going out of sight. Realising she must have gone to work in her car I pulled out into the road and then roared up the hill after her, catching her up just as they turned into the Meadowview estate. Lynn had noticed me in her rearview mirror flashing my headlight at her and she pulled over. Kathy got out and gave me a wave as Lynn pulled away again.

         I felt disappointed when Lynn drove off, but I didn't want to let Kathy know. I knew I was attracted to Lynn but I believed she was courting strong and I had let Kathy down three times. How could I try to date Kathy's best friend without causing trouble?

         Kathy smiled at me. "You look good, Brian. The way Lynn spoke, I thought you might end up looking like something out of a horror film."

         "Oh, thanks, I think," I said.

         "It's good to see you again anyway and I've missed you standing me up all the time."

         "Well, I won't do it again. I'll pick you up at your house next time."

         "Next time," Kathy said.

         I laughed. "All right, can I pick you up at your house tomorrow? I'm on nights this week. I've got to be at work for nine o'clock, so what if I pick you up at four?"

         "Four," Kathy said. "Do you think I can get home, have a bath, do my hair, and be ready by four?"

         "Half-past then."

         "Five o'clock."

         "It's a deal. I thought we could go swimming first and then have a drink before I fetch you home."

         "Swimming," she said, giving a puzzled look.

         "I thought it would be too early for the pub. I go swimming a lot and, er. Look, I'm sorry, it was a stupid idea."

         "No, swimming sounds smart to me. It's different anyway. I've never been asked to go swimming on a first date before."

         "Maybe your friend Lynn and her boyfriend might want to come with us."

         "Lynn, and her boyfriend." Kathy gave a wide grin. "No, they don't like swimming. Look I've got to go. I need to put the dinner on for my dad when he gets in. Do you want to come round so you know where I live?"

         "Get on the back and I'll give you a lift."

         "I only live round the corner."

         "Doesn't matter. I'll give you a lift round the corner."

         "Okay, but don't go fast. I've never been on a motorbike before."

         "This isn't just a motorbike. This is a B.S.A. Gold Star."

         The ride to Kathy's house was over in seconds but Kathy seemed thrilled with it especially when we saw her neighbours taking an interest as my motorbike pulled up outside her house. "That was great," she said full of excitement. "I can't wait till tomorrow so I can have another go."

         I ran my comb through my hair as she dismounted. I took hold of her hand. "Do I get a kiss then?" I said. Kathy reached over to give me a quick kiss but I pulled her close kissing her with a passion that surprised her.

         "Mmmmm." She pulled away. "Blinking heck, calm down, love. You nearly made me go weak at the knees. You'll have all the neighbours talking."

         "Don't care about them," I said.

         "You don't have to live here. Phew, you certainly know how to kiss a girl though. I can't wait to have a go at that in private." I laughed as she ruffled my hair up again before hurrying down the path to her house. She smiled and gave a wave before going inside.

         I rode off for home content to watch a couple of hours of television before setting off for my night shift.

Love In Cheshire 1966. Chapter 26.  (18+) Judy calls to see Kenny, and Kathy turns things around. #2056786 by Bruce.