The International Writers Magazine:Clear Head Fiction

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Who's buying the rock? • Alan Stokes You want to stay here all afternoon. You want to stay here all day. You want to disappear into your head and not come back. For once in your life admit that come on admit that.

You're getting old. This isn't a joke it's serious it's serious. You hear me? You hear me man?
Benson's turned up. He's called Benson because he sells cigarettes and tobacco. He also sells drugs but he doesn't announce that. You can buy almost any drug you want from Benson. Usually I buy weed but today I'm on coke and I need more. I wave him over.

His eyes are glazed and I have difficulty making myself understood. There was a time when Benson worked with a straight head. He even carried a notebook around with him for his accounts and a calculator because he's crap at maths. He took his business seriously and talked about expanding his empire to other parts of the city and maybe beyond the city. He was an entrepreneur.

Hibbert didn't call it a puff nest. There's no way Hibbert called it a puff nest. Hibbert doesn't say things like that. Hibbert likes gay people. His sister's gay, for Christ sake. I know that because he told me.
Actually he didn't tell me that, I saw her man I saw her. In that club what's the name of that club? She had her tongue down that girl's throat. Christ it was funny it was so fucking funny.

I walk out the toilet and into the bar. There's hundreds of people but I manage to push my way through them. I stand next to Hibbert and start dancing. I haven't danced since I went to the Magnet that time with Shaz and got battered by students.

How did we get here anyway? Whose idea was it? I haven't been to a gay club for years and I didn't like it then.
If you stay here any longer you'll end up like that bloke over there and who wants to be like him? He's wearing a boiler suit for Christ sake a red boiler suit. How does he get on a bus in that? How does he leave his house?

We're listening to Travis. Hibbert wanted to switch on the TV but I talked him out of it. I'm rolling a joint. I still don't know how or why we went to a gay club but I'm past caring now. I'm exhausted. I just want to go home and sleep.

The next morning.
I'm at the seaside. I'm still stoned but it's okay because most of my students are stoned too.
Jean suggests we buy wine and vodka. I announce that it's too early for that but it's useless. I hand over the cash. Jean heads for the supermarket and the rest sit down on the sand.
Everyone's happy.

© Alan Stokes Jan 2006
alstokes@yahoo.co.uk
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