The John Smith Dialogues

Tonight, the bus was quite busy. Most of the seats were filled up, and I prayed to God that John Smith wasn't going to sit behind me. He was a nice enough old man, but I didn't fancy talking and he always smelt of booze. Unfortunately it was the only place spare. He did not talk to me though - he turned to one of two young lads, who I had met a few times before. They had stayed after school to play football. 1

"Why were you runnin' about outside?"2

"What?" 3

"I said, why were you running about outside earlier?" I don't think they said much in reply. John Smith had struck up conversation like this with me before, but I had just smiled and nodded. He was lonely, I think. 4

"What's your mum makin' you fer tea then?"5

"Poo with sugar." They giggled behind me.6

"But you are looked after? You're looked after?" I can't recall what the kid said back, but it wasn't anything of much substance.7

"You are looked after then? Well, who is there to look after me? I go home to an empty house. No-one looks after me." 8

The conversation went on, and somehow (my thoughts must have drifted at some point) they came to the topic of earnings. 9

"How much money do you make?" 10

"Poo!" They said. They laughed again, and John Smith said nothing. I then heard a muttering behind me, and one lad dared another. 11

"How old are you?" He said. John Smith ignored them. He muttered something about 'cheeky gits...' under his breath. Personally, I felt pretty sorry for the old guy. 12

"Have you been to the pub?". I don't think he heard.13

"John, have you been to the pub?" One of the young lads was called John, I think, but it's fairly likely they were talking to John Smith.14

"No, no." I thought he was maybe lying. "Maybe later, no."15

He reeked of whisky. I had sat behind him a few times before and he always reeked of whisky.16

"Are you gettin' pissed?" 17

"Bah, only millionaires can get pissed these days..."18

I drifted off into daydreams, and when I came to we were in Patrington. One of the kids had to leave. His young friend, John, said goodbye, and John Smith said "See ya, kid." After that, there was no more conversation. I guess that since one had left, the remaining no longer felt big or hard enough to torment an old man. My stop came by, so I got off, and said Goodbye to the driver.19