A Good Find by Gary L Beer (chrysanthemum read aloud .TXT) 📕

not look at all happy. Dippa sits at the window and stares out not acknowledging that Steve has entered the room. Steve can hear Sheila and Natalie in the kitchen, by the sounds they are making they are doing the washing up. He hopes they have the kettle on as his mouth is dry. Taking his phone out of his pocket he tells Dippa loudly; “Take my phone will you and give Alex a ring find out what's holding him up? I gotta pee and sit down for a while.” he says as he throws his phone in Dippa's direction.
Dippa turns away from the window at the sound of his name and neatly catches Steve's phone. Pushing buttons he dials Alex's number and listens to the ringing tone, after five rings the answer phone informs him that the call is unavailable and to try again later. Dippa looks down at the phone in annoyance and reaches for his tobacco tin.
Rolling a cigarette he does not see the muddy silver car pull up outside Simon's flat and Simon come running out, jump in and get driven away up the street.
Dippa lights his cigarette and dials Alex again; “Hello.” says the voice after the first ring.
“All right mate, it's Dippa, Steve wants to know where you are?”
“Am about ten minutes away, I'm in me van and I'll pull right up outside Stella's coz I'll need a hand to unload.”
“I'll tell Steve.” Dippa says as he disconnects the call. Putting Steve's phone down onto the table he takes another drag of his cigarette and stares down at floor.
“You want me to take a turn at the window?” asks Barry sarcastically from his position on the couch.
Dippa looks at Barry his face flushing with anger, here's someone else who thinks they can push him around! Staring Barry in the eyes he blows out a big cloud of smoke, an angry reply on his lips. Just as he is about to speak Dave moves his head forward, the cold look in his eyes makes Dippa think twice about his answer. Suppressing his anger he makes an attempt at a smile; “No, you stay where you are, you look well comfortable there would hate to disturb you.” replies Dippa in some sort of bravado, though his voice sounds more scared than sarcastic.
“Your right there mate, when's this delivery getting here?”
“About ten minutes the fella said and he said he's gonna need a hand unload it coz he can't do it on his own.” replies Dippa with a bit more confidence in his voice than he felt.
“Me and Dave will help him, you keep an eye out.” orders Steve from the doorway of the bathroom; “Where's Barney?”
Dippa stares him in the eyes, the anger he felt a few moments ago rising again in his throat almost choking him. With difficulty he keeps his voice calm; “He had an urgent call from the missus, some things gone wrong at home.” Dippa returns to watching out of the window and looks down at the well dressed lady and her three dogs, which are still in their pram and fails to notice the dirty silver car turning the corner at the end of the street. Looking in the other direction he sees a few people making their way towards the town, taking a drag of his cigarette he stubs it out in the ashtray and continues his boring vigil.

Reaching the edge of town Stef looks in his rear view mirror and lets out a whoop of triumph; “Looks like we made it Dude, there's no one following that I can see.” Stef tells Simon with big beaming smile.
The smile tells Simon he has been forgiven for the moment and he smiles back in relief.
Stef looks at Simon's bruised face; “Looks like they roughed you up a bit?” asks Stef with real concern.
“Yeah they did a bit, especially when they first came in. I bottled one of 'em and put another one down before they knocked me out.”
“Didn't torture you did they?” asks Stef in alarm.
“They were going to as I killed one of 'em, they weren't too happy about that.”
Stef's face turns pale “I bet they weren't, think it best you tell the rest when we get back to Heather's; unless there is anything you want to tell me that you are not prepared to tell them?”
“You sure you want me to tell the girls?” asks Simon in dismay.
“They are involved as much as we are in this, we had to tell Heather and she stands to lose as much as us if things go wrong with this gang.”
Simon stares at Stef thoughts rushing through his mind; “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” he agrees reluctantly.

“That looks like Alex's van coming along the street.” says Dippa from the window.
Steve stands up from where he had been sitting at the table and looks at Dave; “Gonna give us a hand mate?” he asks as he walks across the lounge. Dave looks at Barry, as Barry nods his head in agreement Dave stands up and follows Steve down the stairs.
Alex's dirty white van pulls up as Steve opens the door, putting on the hand brake Alex jumps out of the van and walks to the back and opens the doors. Alex is a tall skinny looking fella, a little over two metres tall and wearing a tight faded denim jacket and jeans that makes him look wiry, but tough. The long greasy hair and round steel rimmed glasses that sit on a very round dirty face gives him the appearance of never having washed. Steve walks along the path knowing that Alex works at a very dirty engineering firm. He only has to be there for five minutes before he is covered in dirt and grease and he does not feel the repulsion that Curly Pete and others feel towards him. Smiling broadly Steve approaches the back of the van; “Was getting worried about you; you should have been here a half hour ago.”
“Sorry Steve, had a customer turn up just as I was driving out of the gate, had no choice but to listen to his troubles before I could get away.”
“No worries,” smiles Steve “you made it in plenty of time,” Steve takes his mobile phone out of his pocket and looks at the time; “Well ten minutes.”
Alex smiles and looks at Dave as he approaches; “All right mate, you look big enough to carry it on your own.”
“What is it?” asks Dave curiously as he looks into the back of the van; inside is a long steel pipe about one and a half metres long and looks to be thirty centimetres in diameter. Two long tubular handles are welded opposite each other and the pipe looks to be packed with steel bars and concrete.
Dave laughs; “I don't think I will mate that must weigh a ton?”
“Dunno what it weighs but it took three of us to get it in, mind you we don't work out in the gym like you do.”
Dave gives no reply and looks at Steve; “Ready?”
“Yeah, we've only got to get it in the hall.” he says as he steps forward and grabs hold of one of the handles as Dave gets a firm grip on the other. Lifting it slightly and dragging it forward they brace themselves as they take its full weight; “This ain't so bad.” says Dave as they walk along the path.
Steve however is finding it a lot heavier than he thought and he makes no reply as he struggles to keep abreast of Dave. Reaching the front door they feel the pressure released as Alex grabs hold of the back of the pipe and helps them through the door. Putting the huge metal pipe down carefully onto the floor they all stand and straighten in relief.
“I'd better move the van or I'll get a ticket.” Alex tells Steve; “See ya later guys.” he smiles as he walks along the path.
Steve manages to catch his breath enough to shout a 'Thanks' as Alex gets into his van and drives up the street.
“Unless he's got it bricked up we'll be able to walk in with this.” says an impressed Dave.
The 'Battering Ram' does look impressive standing upright on the floor and Steve feels his confidence rise; “You and Pete on each side may be able to do it in one go.” he says hopefully.
“If Pete's up to it.”
“Don't let him hear you say that he'll insist on doing it on his own.” laughs Steve.
“Ok this is business after all.” smiles Dave as he starts to walk up the stairs, Steve shuts the door and follows Dave slowly up the stairs.


Chapter Ten

The ancient looking tramp dressed in hand me down old army clothes of green khaki jacket, camouflaged trousers and with a huge rucksack on his back pushes the old wooden gate and feels the latch give a little. Standing back he looks up and down the alley and seeing no one he looks up at the windows that overlook the gate. No staring faces or movement give him the confidence to push the gate with all his might. The rusting lock gives away easily and silently and the tramp steps inside the garden, pushing the gate back into its frame. Walking quickly he approaches the house keeping an eye on the surrounding windows. As he reaches the back door he tries to open it in a vain hope that it is unlocked. Disappointed that the door is locked he puts his rucksack down on the ground and takes a closer look at the side window. The window is made of roughly painted wood and the tramp notices the broken pane of glass. Putting his hand through the broken pane he lifts the catch up and opens the window wide. Pulling himself up onto the window ledge he climbs in. Shutting the window behind him he goes to the back door and unlocks it, stepping outside he retrieves his large rucksack and steps back inside the flat and shuts the door.
Confidently he walks through the kitchen and into the lounge; he had watched the young couple leave earlier, loading their suitcases and bags and boxes into their car and drive away; so he knew that this place would be empty for at least a few days.
Putting his rucksack onto the couch he marvels at the new television before him and eagerly looks for the remote control. Pushing every button he finally comes to the conclusion that the television is not switched on. With a curse he crosses the room and turns the switch on at the socket; the television still does not work.
Realising that the couple probably turned off the electricity at the meter he starts to look through the cupboards. Finally finding the meter he turns the switch to ‘on’ and goes back into the lounge and turns the television on. Searching through the channels he finds the English news channel and turns the volume up. His main interest is the weather forecast and as the talk on the television is about the latest credit problems he starts to unpack his huge