"Clinton, how's it going?"
"You alright mate."
"Yeah, yeah I'm good. Going to battle of the bands with some people later."
"Oh right."
"Woody and all that."
"Yeah. So? ...You need some stuff."
"Yeah, is that cool?"
"Come to my place, remember where it is?"
"I do, okay maybe I'll be over in half an hour"
"Cool mate, in a bit."
Matt wished he could just send a text to a dealer, an eighth, tonight. He always felt bad, made small talk like getting his weed wasn't the only reason he called. It was bad because he knew Clinton from around; they had some mutual friends and had talked about music or girls a few times. But really he just liked the weed Clinton got, and could take or leave the awkward chatter. Still it wasn't so bad, a bright hot Saturday; maybe they would have a couple of games of fifa, smoke a joint, and then he would leave with a nice fat bag for the gig tonight.
Clinton's room was small and airless; his curtains were drawn leaving a fuzzy blur of sunlight and slow moving dust. He was sat on the bed with a friend Matt had not seen who nodded at him. He watched them finish their game and tried not to look bored or impatient. Clinton had one wall covered in a Jamaican flag; the bottom of it was lined with stickers of Manchester united players. This was his nans house, Matt knew Clinton was born in Jamaica when the first time they met Matt tried to lecture him on Soul rebels, in his opinion Bob Marley's best album.
They finished their game.
"Right, how much do you want Matt?"
"Just an eighth"
"You sure"
"Yeah, I'll be skint after tonight"
"Alright"
"Woody and all that will be out tonight if you want to come to the gig?"
"No, that's alright, I'm just gonna chill tonight."
"Oh okay", said Matt. He knew Clinton would never go for an indie battle of the bands; he just wanted to keep up the pretence of friendliness.
The front door slammed shut and he heard someone move into the kitchen, he could hear cupboards being opened and slammed.
"Clinton!" The voice was Jamaican, well-spoken and authoritative.
He heard heavy footsteps, and the door flew open. In walked Clinton's grandmother and looked at the two boys with suspicion.
"Clinton!"
His friend spoke up, not in the sullen grunt he had greeted Matt with but meek and polite.
"Oh hello Miss Davies"
"Where's my Grandson?"
She looked Matt over and for some reason he felt unnerved. She was tall and powerfully built, he wondered how old she was, to be someone's grandmother. She couldn't be any older than fifty he thought. She looked stern and intimidating. She wore glasses, her hair was a big wobbling mass of tight curls. She wore a long thick silk skirt and a crisp satin blouse. Around her waist was a shiny black corset which caused her huge breasts to spill out, straining against the thin material. Matt found himself staring at the woman, her huge legs were squeezed into shiny nylons and sharp heels. Despite this very effeminate attire her face was harsh, she frowned at the two boys in her grandson's room.
"I think he's in the toilet Miss Davies."
She walked to the bathroom and knocked on the door, then noticed her bedroom door was open.
"Clinton, what are you doing in my room?"
She closed the door and the boys listened quietly to her raised voice, and Clinton squeaking in reply. They heard a loud slap, and Clinton came out of the room. He walked back to the boys, rubbing a large red mark on the side of his face.
"I forgot to go to the shops for my Nan,"
he said, still rubbing the mark,
"Come on" he said to his friend. Miss Davies walked in after him. Matt stood up to leave.
"Who is this boy?" said Miss Davies.
"My friend Nan"
" Has he got a name?"
Matt found himself squeaking out his name, the woman withered him with one look. Her skin was rich brown, her face was large but very mean. A thick nose, bright red lips and large brown eyes. The imprint on Clintons face was that of a large powerful hand. Hands that were covered in elbow length silk gloves. She spoke with a Jamaican twang but with all the refinement of the church going English lady that she was. She wore a string of pearls, and a larger string of dark black pearls.
"What are you doing here Matthew?"
"Oh you can call me Matt miss Davies."
"Is that the name your mother gave you when you were born, Matt?"
"Well no..."
"Then I will call you Matthew"
"Well I haven't seen you with my grandson before, what are you doing here?"
"Oh nothing" he said, Clinton didn't help him out of his Grandmothers interrogation, he just stood there dumbly.
"I was just going to go..."
Matt felt himself flush, he didn't want to get Clinton into trouble with his grandmother, and for some reason he also did not want to get himself into trouble.
"I should go."
"I think I know why you're here....well my lazy grandson has been playing computer games all morning while I walked all around town doing chores. So he has to go now, to the butchers and the greengrocers, because our food doesn't just appear on our plates by magic, does it?"
She grabbed the back of Clintons head for emphasis
"Ow, no grandma, no!" Clinton whined
"18 years old and still playing computer games, how old are you Matthew?"
"18"
"18 what?"
"18 miss Davies"
"I see you've got the same manners as my Grandson, You haven't told me why you are here yet"
"I was just visiting, it's alright, I'll go"
"Nan he's here to"
"Shut up, I want him to say it..."
"He wants an eighth Nan"
"I told you to shut up, oh you do irritate me. Take your little friend and go, and don't you forget the list boy or I'll mash up the other side of your face, go on."
Clinton, shuffled out with his friend, Miss Davies wouldn't move from the doorway, she sneered
"So you just want an Eighth huh?"
"Um, yes" said Matt, unsure of himself
"That's not exactly big time is it? It's barely worth my time"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... I'm sorry. I should go."
He moved toward the door, she stuck out one leg to block him with a nylon swish that filled the airless room.
He was very close to her now, she clicked a gloved finger and he almost jumped out of his skin
"Come on then Matthew, lets give you what you need."
She led him into her room, it was much larger than Clintons. One wall was taken by a huge wardrobe, another a black satin sheet hung over an unseen structure. But the room was mostly filled by a huge bed, covered in leopard print pillows and gold coloured silk sheets. There was a large black leather high backed chair in one corner. The room was also airless and warm, Matt wanted to go, or be allowed to leave. He watched the woman hang up her overcoat in the wardrobe which was full of lace, satin and leather. She fished out a small bag of weed from a shoe box and held it up to him.
"Twenty pounds" she said briskly, and he handed it over. He watched her sit on the leather chair which whooshed under her weight, holding the bag he had just paid for. She pulled a cigar paper from under the cushion and poured the whole bag into the middle, she grinded the weed between her large fingers crushing it into fine powder.
"I was going to, um save it for tonight."
She frowned and sneered at him, "You want to get high yes? You wanted some weed?"
"I don't usually smoke that much though."
"Come over here" she ordered, he walked to the chair and she pointed to the edge of the paper, which was resting in her hand on her lap.
" Lick!"
"What?"
"Lick the paper, so I can stick it together, you're going to be smoking it?"