The Sights You See…

 The Sights You See When You Ain’t Got A Gun

“Oi! Bill! Get rid of these bin bags you lazy git,” Jack shouted as he approached the shopping mall’s shuttered glass doors.

“When are you going to learn some people skills Jack?” Helen asked as he passed her flower stall, where the stargazer lilies, brilliant pink with the heady fragrance concealed her presence.

Jack jumped, his close shaven head bobbing like a nodding dog as he searched for the source of the voice. Helen appeared from behind a large display of Chrysanthemums, a fire in the once-beautiful blue eyes impossible to mistake.“Why don’t you leave him alone. He’s cleaned the toilets and finished  his work out here, all before you fell out of your pit?” She pulled the fingerless gloves from her old tan Barbour pocket.

“It’s got nothing to do with you Helen! I’m the manager here remember that,” Jack towered above the tiny woman, his fresh white shirt still looked as if it had the coat hanger in and hid the space that was supposed to be his neck.

“You couldn’t manage a dodgem car! And don’t come the superior-than-thou routine, just remember it’s us traders that pay your wages.” Helen threw a casual glance at the red faced but smiling Bill as he lifted the offending bin bags. Jack stared at Helen, she could tell by the scowl on  his face she had won this showdown and with a grunt he walked off.
Helen had been thinking about Bill on and off all day. It was worrying her that he was treated so badly. Most of the traders saw him as an object ridicule, constantly taking the piss out of the way he dragged his feet, shoulders sloping in the oversized fleece that he always wore. None of them even said hello to the sweet hard working man. Helen  saw Bill walking towards her a cappuccino in his hands but his eyes still looking towards the floor.

“Helen I bought you this,” he said, handing her the steaming polystyrene cup. It’s just a little thank you for this morning, you know…”

Helen gazed at his pixie featured face and for a few brief seconds she saw the sorrow in his emerald green eyes.

“Bill do you ever go out? I mean socialise with other people. You just don’t seem to have made any friends here.”

“I don’t need friends Helen. Lets face it, everybody here is a  moron, except you.” his answer jolted her, she had never heard him say anything like this.

“Yes I go out. I’m going out tonight as it happens. The Purple Palace,” Bill said before turning on his heels and sloping off without a word.

Helens jaw dropped, she knew the place well, a glitzy nightclub for grab a grannies, homosexuals and binge drinkers. She also knew the dress code and Bill’s fleece, dirty t-shirt and baggy jogging bottoms certainly wasn’t it. Her thoughts were interrupted by Lauren.

“Hey Helen coming for a drink with me and Tracey tonight,” she said.

“I don’t know I’m tired. Where you going, the Red Lion?” Helen really wasn’t in the mood to go out with the younger girls.

“No it’s karaoke down the Purple Palace. I got a great pussy pelmet may even go commando,” Lauren giggled.

“IF! I come, you will behave yourselves and no squawking,” Helen gave a mock angry smile, but she was curious to see if Bill would turn up there, but pretty sure in the back of her mind he wouldn’t.
Helen was losing her temper with the ridiculously high stool, her chubby legs just to short to mount the stainless steel obstacle. Lauren and Tracey shoved her up from behind, laughing uncontrollably at her ungainly struggle. Finally seated Helen good naturedly rounded on the two girls.

“Oi! Quit the laughing you two, just remember I am tall width-ways and I pack a punch,” she grinned, as she shuffled into a more comfortable position.

“Good job you had trousers on Hel you would have cleared the club with that view,” Tracey said the affection in her voice unmistakeable.

Helen peered round the dimly lit club as the girls went for the drinks, ‘the sights you see when you haven’t a gun,’ she thought as the the guy in the black patent flat cap and leather chaps pushed past her seat, his bum cheeks resembling watermelons. She searched with her gaze in every corner but could see no sign of Bill. Helen was saddened by the notion that he had felt the need to lie to her about his social life.

The karaoke was in full swing. A wannabe Britney had just finished an ear-splitting rendition of ‘Oops!! I did it again,’ in full school uniform and dancing like a duck laying an egg. Lauren and Tracey had already embarrassed Helen. They had sung ‘It’s raining men,’ while perfoming with the strategically placed pole, Laurens skirt so short the men at the front cheered and scrambled with each other for a better view. The next performer , the guy in chaps, posed with his hands on his hips  as the rhythm of ‘Y.M.C.A,’ blared from the speakers.

“Oh my goodness!” Helen giggled at the man’s gyrations, his tanned bum clenching in time to the music.”What does he think he looks like?”

“Pretty hot, judging by the gay fraternity over there,”Lauren laughed nodding towards the crowd of dancing men, arms in full YMCA action and swaying to the music.

“Bloody hell, Where do these people get the idea they can sing?” Helens eyes turned towards the men and caught sight of the woman in the silver sequinned dress with purple feather boa. ‘Obviously the next act,’ she thought.

The applause for the guy was defeaning whoops, yells and grabbing of his rear end .

As the introduction to ‘Big spender,’ exploded from the speakers, the woman slow paced onto the stage pointing her toes at the required beat swivelling her hips at the perfect cue.  When she began to sing Helen took notice, her voice was in tune rather grainy in a beer and cigarettes kind of way but unlike the others she could certainly hold a tune. Helen watched closely enjoying every minute of the performance. Tracey nudged Lauren and nodded her head at the grinning at the older woman.

“Trust you Helen to like this old song,” Lauren said laughing.
“Well she sings better than any of the other crap that’s been on tonight.”

“Yeah! But you can hardly call her sexy,” Tracey said looking at the singers sleek but shapeless body.

“Maybe not, but don’t you see, look at her, she doesn’t care what anybody thinks of her, Her body, her movement, she’s confident dancing in her own skin. Nobody is going to phase that broad ,she knows what she wants and how to get it.”

The singer stepped down from the stage before stepping and swaying towards the three women “Wouldn’t you ……fun,fun,fun.” as she approached shaking her boa at the men sitting at the table to the right of her, “Spend………..with me.” She finished her song by wrapping the boa round Helen’s neck and planting a wet lipstick kiss on her cheek.

“Thanks for coming Helen,” Bill said , just before bowing to his adoring audience.