We’d made the choice of going to The Temple rather than straight to 85s ‘cause Duncan said that his brother was down there and he wanted to catch up with him. Not that we were totally against the idea or anything, although on the way there Neale was complaining about the place, saying how it was full of, “Old druggies,” and about all the fag burns in the carpets and the fact that the pool tables sloped to one side and there was never anywhere to sit, but we just told him to shut up ‘cause he was ginger and therefore what he thought didn’t count for anything.
Anyway, the bouncers were pretty lenient for once that night and didn’t even bother asking any questions – even to Graz who’d just got his hair cut and was looking about twelve – so we had no problems getting in.
As soon as we got through the doors Duncan spotted a couple of his brother’s mates and went off to talk to them and while Graz and Neale headed to the bar I decided to go through to the back to look for Colin, who I found playing pool with one of his new townie mates: When he saw me he was all like, “Hey Chambers, how’s it going?” Not a hint of what he’d said the last time I’d seen him or anything.
I asked him how long he’d been down there and he said, “Not that long,” then kinda went back to concentrating on the game.
Graz came through at that point and asked me what I was up to, showing me this huge whisky that he’d got for me, which tasted well strong, and saying that Neale and Duncan were talking to some people who Duncan knew from his work, and he asked me if I wanted to go and join them but I said, “No.”
I stood there for a while looking at Colin and not saying much to either him or Graz actually, before I finally started a conversation with Graz about the Patterson song that was playing, which was well cool; although Graz wasn’t totally convinced.
I rolled up a cigarette, half listening to Graz, half watching Colin playing pool and then I was scanning the place, looking for anyone I could recognise amongst all the people in there; without much luck.
I did spot a semi-fit girl though, sitting by herself on one of the chairs by the old stage at the end of the room and thought for a while about going over to talk to her. She was wearing this orange dress that really showed off her tits, made of that material that just kinda like shines if you know what I mean. Like the one that looks like silk but probably isn’t. And it was well hard to keep myself from staring.
As I sparked up Graz began a half hearted conversation about college but I wasn’t really listening and I think he could tell ‘cause before long he asked me if I wanted to sit in the corner on the floor, our usual spot in The Temple for watching the crowd and listening to the tunes.
Colin was beating everybody on the pool table: The winner-stays-on rule doing pretty well for him. And at one point I noticed he started putting this other guy’s balls in the table just to take the piss and then, when the guy finally got angry, Colin pushed him into the wall and the guy hit his head, and there was even blood on the wall - which was kinda funny in a weird sort of way, and I laughed.
Anyway, then Charlotte came over to talk to Graz for a bit so I went for a piss to leave them to it. I still had a bit of a thing for her at that point, but I knew it was Graz she was interested in and I was sure he still had a soft spot for her, despite of what he’d said about her being a, “Fat slag,” whenever we were pushing him about it.
It was quiet in the bogs, which made me feel kinda sober and drunk at the same time if you know what I mean. One of the Temple locals tried to talk to me when I was in there. He was like, “Having a good night?” and I was like, “Yeah, pretty good,” but that was it.
When I got out Charlotte had gone. I gestured to Graz to see if he wanted another drink and he nodded, shouting, “Get the house whisky.”
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