1
鈥淎nother arse numbing half an hour hanging around
on the West Link,鈥 he muttered to himself, fingers
tapping on the steering wheel, eyes scanning the stationary
metal snake that made up the A12. Someday they鈥檒l
finally get the underpass started, he thought looking around
the cars bracketed around him.
To his left, sitting in a Ford Focus, a gaunt man eagerly
picked his nose, almost screwing his finger up the knuckle
in his left nostril, before slowly drawing it out and absent-mindedly
wiping it on the rolled up sleeve of his striped shirt.
To his right, trying to nose a car into a three feet space
in front of his Audi 鈥 when the traffic finally moved
another inch or so 鈥 were a twentysomething couple
in a VW Beetle. The hold-up had not deterred their ardour.
The man rested his tattooed left arm on the window while
stretching the rest of his body to neck his partner. She
giggled and playfully pushed away a hand that had been hidden
from his voyeuristic glances. Behind him he could see in
his mirror a black-haired woman talking quickly into her
mobile. Her swift moving lips and creased forehead suggested
she was less than happy to be stuck on this road to nowhere.
Her black BMW inched closer to his bumper before she stopped,
perhaps realising that there was nowhere to go. Or perhaps
her foot had slipped a little off the Beamer鈥檚 brake
while she issued instructions into her phone. Or perhaps
she was just telling her lover that tonight鈥檚 passion
was going to be put on hold for a wee while.
鈥淲ho knew a traffic jam could be a spectator sport?鈥
he said to the empty interior of his Audi.
As his gaze flicked around the cars beside him he turned
off the CD to tune into the news. The vapid headlines of
non-stories gave way to the traffic and travel.
鈥淪evere delays are expected this evening,鈥
said the decorous voice. 鈥淎n accident between at the
Greencastle junction of the M2 and a broken-down lorry at
the junction of the West Link and the Grosvenor Road are
causing tailbacks. A major accident at Templepatrick is
also causing tailbacks. The M1 at the Saintfield Road is
closed to country bound鈥︹
鈥淎h frig,鈥 he thought. 鈥淚f I鈥檇
listened to this earlier I could have gone down the Lisburn
Road.鈥
The Royal Victoria Hospital鈥檚 mish mash of buildings
were a strange counterpoint to this tiring journey, while
advertising hoardings on his right urged another consumer
splurge of things he neither wanted nor thought he could
ever need.
The jam relented for a couple of feet and he waved the
Beetle forward. The tattooed arm reached out of the window
in a casual acknowledgement. Or maybe it was just to flick
the ash of a cigarette. The black-haired woman in the Beamer
was not impressed by his gesture as she lifted her hand
off the steering wheel and frowned, without missing a beat
in her telephone patter.
The cars all moved forward another few inches.
2
鈥淟isten Rab, it鈥檚 a done deal; we鈥檝e
got it in the bag!鈥
Samantha was bouncing as they walked out of the Hillsborough
hotel鈥檚 conference room towards the bar.
鈥淭hey loved it! They loved you! That bit about 鈥榳e
hope that whether you decide to go with us or another provider,
your project is a success鈥 that was pure genius waffle.鈥
She clapped him on the back as they settled down to a seat
in the bar.
He flushed slightly. Sam was two years his junior, but
the first boss that had given him free reign. If he hadn鈥檛
have been married with three sprogs he might have鈥ut
then she was in a heavy relationship too.
鈥淗ave a pint on me Rab!鈥
鈥淭hanks Sam, just hope they bite.鈥
鈥淭hey will big lad, they will, now settle down and
enjoy the moment!鈥
She sauntered off to the bar, her step bouncing, despite
the two-inch heels and the businesswoman鈥檚 standard
issue severe trousers and jacket while he ceremonially lowered
his tie to the official post-presentation half mast position.
The sales presentation had went better than he could have
hoped. The pitch had been worked out for a month now, but
the details on laying the pipe had only come together three
days ago.
鈥淒rink up! We should celebrate!鈥
鈥淪am, It鈥檚 not in the bag yet, fer frig sake
I know they liked it,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut they haven鈥檛
bought it yet!鈥
They analysed the presentation over and over again, noting
their potential customer鈥檚 reactions, noting when
they鈥檇 took a drink, when Sam had called a break at
three and returned with a waiter to take an order for pints
and wine.
鈥淲anna another one?鈥
鈥淎ww Sam, I鈥檝e already had a couple.鈥
鈥淕o on Rab, you鈥檒l鈥檝e soaked that up
with that feed you swallowed at lunch.鈥
鈥淥kay, but I really gotta go after this one, we鈥檙e
on the first flight out of here for sun, sangria and doing
sod all for a fortnight!鈥
鈥淲ith your lot, not a chance.鈥
3.
The West Link traffic jam eased a little. Well truth be
told it was a very little but Rab was desperate for a piss
and desperate for a sign that the growing pressure on his
bladder would soon be eased before he doubled up behind
the wheel.
The black haired woman in the black BMW eased ever closer,
almost as if her German made metal had crept into his Audi鈥檚
boot, while he鈥檇 inadvertently edged so close to the
Beetle that it鈥檚 diminutive boot had been swallowed
up by the front of his car.
The visual distortions caused him to rub his eyes.
鈥淪hit, I haven鈥檛 had that much to drink,鈥
he thought. 鈥淎 pint before lunch, a good meal, a pint
at three and two before we left. If I鈥檓 over the limit,
it鈥檚 just by a wee bit; I can handle a wee drop.鈥
But then again he鈥檇 been working on this presentation
for too long and the last three nights had been fairly late,
as he鈥檇 honed the PowerPoint down to what Sam had
commended last night as being 鈥渢ight as a shark鈥檚
arse big lad鈥. Last night! He was knackered. It had
been three in the morning before he and Sam had finished
the rehearsals and when he finally crawled into his bed
Katherine鈥檚 voice had just slurred out of sleepiness
that she鈥檇 packed his bag, the kid鈥檚 suitcases
and organised the doggie hotel for their Labrador.
He felt tired behind the wheel, but removed from the cars
surrounding him.
3.
鈥淭he broken down lorry at Grosvenor Road has now
been removed, and traffic on the A12 West Link heading out
of Belfast is easing slightly,鈥 the announcer said.
鈥淏ut severe delays remain on the M2 at Greencastle
and Templepatrick鈥︹
He鈥檇 less than an hour to get to the airport before
Katherine. He wanted the car parked and to be settled at
the bar before Katherine and the girls arrived.
4.
鈥淎 major accident has closed part of the road at
Templepatrick tonight. Motorists heading for the international
airport are advised to exit at the Sandyknowes roundabout鈥︹
5.
鈥淪am, I really gotta go,鈥 he said. 鈥淚
need to get there before Katherine and the girls. I鈥檝e
got the passports and the tickets in the car.鈥
鈥淥kay, but are you sure you don鈥檛 want a wee
short before you go?鈥
鈥淣辞.鈥
鈥淐鈥檓on, you鈥檝e been working flat out
for the past month. You deserve to chill before you head
for the beach, and we can go over the shit you鈥檝e
no doubt left for me while you head to sunny Spain.鈥
鈥淥kay boss, you鈥檙e da boss, but I really got
to go soon.鈥
He accepted the Jack Daniels and sipped it slowly, thinking
that he wouldn鈥檛 finish it or the pint before hitting
the road for the airport.
6.
He accelerated past a lorry, shifting back up the gears
as he cruised towards Sandyknowes roundabout. His relief
that the Templepatrick junction was now open meant he could
cut a few minutes off his time. He鈥檇 less than 20
minutes to get to the airport.
The Audi slipped smoothly between the lanes as he eased
the car up to 80. The pressure on his bladder was still
there, but he at least felt an end was in sight as he again
edged the accelerator.
A bus had pulled out to overtake a Mini and he was forced
to settle behind its sedate progress before it pulled in,
and he could power forward. The car reacted well, pushing
forward.
He dialled Katherine鈥檚 number on the hands free kit.
鈥淗i love.鈥
鈥淵ou better have your 鈥榟i love鈥 ready
Rab,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not too far away
and you better be there waiting with those tickets.鈥
鈥淣o problemo, almost there. If you get there first,
set them up!鈥
鈥淎ye, right! See ya soon.鈥
One touch and the call was disconnected, and he saw the
exit ahead. He was still in the outside lane. He urged the
German engine a little further on, cutting ahead of a Nissan
to make the exit. He eased back a little, seeing the speedometer
reluctantly cutting back from 70 to 60 to 50. He came off
the exit ramp at 45, and as soon as he saw the dual carriageway
Rab dropped from third to second gears, determined to make
the bar early. The Audi鈥檚 front leapt at the sudden
gearshift, pulling his attention with it. He tried to shift
up, but a flash caught his eye. He was on the carriageway
already.
The blue Citroen 鈥 his wife鈥檚 blue Citroen
- tried to stop.
It didn鈥檛.
The Audi took the impact just at his offside rear wheel.
The car spun. The airbag smashed into Rab鈥檚 face.
The side of the car crumpled into a hedge. The sudden stop
snapped his neck. His breathing stopped too.
7.
Katherine saw Rab鈥檚 Audi. The Citroen was less than
20 yards away.
She couldn鈥檛 stop in that space.
His car span in front of her before she realised there
had been an impact. The steering wheel pulled out of her
grip. She stood on the brake, watching Rab鈥檚 car spin.
The Ford behind her couldn鈥檛 stop. The impact killed
Katherine and the girls before the Citroen turned over on
its side.
8.
鈥淎nother arse killing half an hour hanging around
on the West Link,鈥 he muttered to himself, fingers
tapping on the steering wheel, eyes scanning the cars jammed
into the stationary metal snake that made up the A12. Someday
they鈥檒l finally get the underpass started, he thought
scanning the cars bracketed around him.
9.
But then again since he killed Katherine and the girls
he鈥檇 been wondering about this road every
time he replayed that day.
