𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐃 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

32

"Right, day rate, seven shillings" Micheal sighed, "loading unloading. Night rate, three. Total ten"

"Let's go and get a drink" Isaiah suggested.

"No i'm alright" Micheal shook his head, signing a piece of paper. "Come on its payday," Isaiah argued, pulling a face at the boy. "Everybody has a drink on payday"

"Not me"

"You think your mum don't have a drink on pay day?" Isaiah asked, his accent thick. "You think Lord Almighty don't have a drink on payday?"

Micheal glanced at him.

"The Marquis" Isaiah said, "that's where the BSA secretaries go"

"Don't you have a girlfriend" Micheal reminded him. "Mate, i'm on about for you" Isaiah scoffed. "Wont catch me with no BSA officer, Micheal"

"Look," he leaned forward, "they won't serve a black man without a Shelby at his side" he informed him.

"You do realise, your girlfriend, is a Shelby, Isaiah?"

"I know that but she ain't one to go out round The Marquis" he waved him off. "So you're using me?" Micheal asked.

Isaiah smiled. "Yeah, come on"

Micheal thought for a moment.

-

Micheal and Isaiah approached the bar. "I told you, i fucking told you this city is going mad" Isaiah scoffed. "Girls go out on their own now"

"Two pints of dark mild, please" Micheal nodded, handing the barman some money. "Fuck that, we're peaky boys, two whiskeys" Isaiah corrected.

Micheal lit a cigarette, frowning at the boy staring at them in the corner.

"You get used to it then you can't stop" Isaiah told him, referring to the cigarette.

The boy approached them, looking Isaiah up and down. He whistled to grab their attention.

"I don't drink with blacks" he said, his hands in his pockets. "Here we fucking go" Isaiah sighed, turning to them. "Paddy, they're okay" The man behind the bar warned.

"Not with me they're not" he shook his head. "I don't drink in pubs with blacks"

"So leave" Micheal said.

"Look, my dad is the preacher round here, he has connections, ask anybody" Isaiah stepped forward.

"I couldn't give a fuck who he is" Paddy scoffed.

Micheal bit his tongue, his mind on the fact Lottie was pregnant with Isaiah's child. He debated intervening before anything happened.

"I'm telling you to leave it Paddy" The barman repeated. "And i'm telling this darkie to get out of here" Paddy responded. Isaiah turned. "You know something? Fuck off"

"It's all right, Isaiah, leave it, come on we'll go to my cousins pub"

"I like it here" Isaiah hissed, "you fucking-" Paddy began before sending his fist into Isaiah's face.

Micheal grabbed the man behind Paddy, shoving his fist into his stomach.

A fight broke out between the men within the pub. Both peaky boys held up their end better than the others did.

"Paddy" The barman shouted as he grabbed Isaiah's neck, "The white kids a peaky blinder"

"He's Polly Shelby's son"

Paddy's eyes widened, slowly letting go of the boy, holding his arm out.

"He's Polly Shelby's son" he repeated. "Are you fucking suicidal"