appearing too obvious.
‘Shut up Brian,’ she said without turning her head, and the argument at the counter ceased mid-sentence. For a moment the only sound was a low moaning from the youth she had by the ear, now bent over, his head on one side, greasy hair flopping over one eye.
Sue let go, stepping back and flicking her fingers as if shaking something noxious from them. ‘And you can sit down properly too, Darren,’ she said. Darren folded himself into the nearest chair, clutching his ear and glaring at her.
‘Now, just what is going on,’ Sue demanded, ‘and why are you all late? Your day centre orders are for 9.30 and if you’re not here on time we can count you absent and report you. So, go on, give me a good reason not to.’
There was a round of shuffling and a bit of mumbling from the group as they glanced at one another, no-one willing to speak up and risk Sue’s wrath.
‘Come on,’ she said, tapping her gold-sandalled foot impatiently . ‘You were making enough noise a minute ago. What about you Brian?’ She swung round and fixed him with a piercing look. ‘You look like a leadership sort of person. Why don’t you tell me what’s been going on?’
At that moment the door creaked open a few inches and one eye peeked through the gap. At the sight of Brian it vanished and there was the sound of footsteps hurrying away down the steps and across the yard.
Before Sue could react, Pauline was at the door and off after the fleeing figure. ‘Simon,’ she called. ‘SIMON!’
‘Oh, I should have guessed,’ said Sue. ‘You should all be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves. Stand up. Now!’
The group shambled to their feet, arms flopping at their sides, eyes firmly fixed on the worn carpet as if seeking a dropped fag-end. Sue gestured Brian over to stand with the others.
‘Well, what a bunch of brave lads you are,’ she continued, her voice dripping scorn. ‘How many of you are there – five? And not one brain between you. Five big tough lads picking on someone all on his own. Oh yes, really something to boast about. Well, it is something to go on your records and if there is ever the slightest hint of anything like this again you are all going back to court. Do you hear me?’
There was a slight shuffle, a shrug or two from the group and she shouted, ‘Do you hear me?’
‘Yes Miss,’ muttered Darren followed by a few sullen “Yeah”s’.
‘Right, well don’t you forget it. Now bugger off into the day centre and wait until someone comes for you. And no using the pool table either. You can just stand and wait.’
The door into the centre slammed behind them and Sue took a deep breath as a voice from behind said, ‘We can’t actually breach them for that you know.’
Sue sighed as she turned to face Gordon, who was leaning on the counter watching her. ‘I know that,’ she said, ‘but those little dumb bunnies don’t’.
Gordon grinned at her, raising one eyebrow in admiration. ‘You are a bad woman,’ he said.
‘Maybe, but I think I’m a decent probation officer,’ she countered. Gordon nodded. ‘You are certainly turning into one,’ he said. ‘Still, be careful, Sue. Things are changing round here. The job is turning into something … different and we will need to change with it. Just watch your step, okay?’
Sue stared after him as he made his way back up the stairs. He looked tired, she thought. Tired and worried. And if Gordon was worried then something was definitely wrong.
Sue caught up with Pauline in the office after lunch. ‘It didn’t take Brian long to revert to type,’ she said.
Pauline shrugged. ‘Well, he’s back with his family,’ she said. ‘There’s a distinct lack of moral fibre in that particular gene pool. He’s drinking again and of course all his old friends are around him egging him on, so I suppose it’s only a matter of time …’ Her voice trailed off and she stared sadly at the desk for a moment.
Pauline was very fond of
‘Shut up Brian,’ she said without turning her head, and the argument at the counter ceased mid-sentence. For a moment the only sound was a low moaning from the youth she had by the ear, now bent over, his head on one side, greasy hair flopping over one eye.
Sue let go, stepping back and flicking her fingers as if shaking something noxious from them. ‘And you can sit down properly too, Darren,’ she said. Darren folded himself into the nearest chair, clutching his ear and glaring at her.
‘Now, just what is going on,’ Sue demanded, ‘and why are you all late? Your day centre orders are for 9.30 and if you’re not here on time we can count you absent and report you. So, go on, give me a good reason not to.’
There was a round of shuffling and a bit of mumbling from the group as they glanced at one another, no-one willing to speak up and risk Sue’s wrath.
‘Come on,’ she said, tapping her gold-sandalled foot impatiently . ‘You were making enough noise a minute ago. What about you Brian?’ She swung round and fixed him with a piercing look. ‘You look like a leadership sort of person. Why don’t you tell me what’s been going on?’
At that moment the door creaked open a few inches and one eye peeked through the gap. At the sight of Brian it vanished and there was the sound of footsteps hurrying away down the steps and across the yard.
Before Sue could react, Pauline was at the door and off after the fleeing figure. ‘Simon,’ she called. ‘SIMON!’
‘Oh, I should have guessed,’ said Sue. ‘You should all be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves. Stand up. Now!’
The group shambled to their feet, arms flopping at their sides, eyes firmly fixed on the worn carpet as if seeking a dropped fag-end. Sue gestured Brian over to stand with the others.
‘Well, what a bunch of brave lads you are,’ she continued, her voice dripping scorn. ‘How many of you are there – five? And not one brain between you. Five big tough lads picking on someone all on his own. Oh yes, really something to boast about. Well, it is something to go on your records and if there is ever the slightest hint of anything like this again you are all going back to court. Do you hear me?’
There was a slight shuffle, a shrug or two from the group and she shouted, ‘Do you hear me?’
‘Yes Miss,’ muttered Darren followed by a few sullen “Yeah”s’.
‘Right, well don’t you forget it. Now bugger off into the day centre and wait until someone comes for you. And no using the pool table either. You can just stand and wait.’
The door into the centre slammed behind them and Sue took a deep breath as a voice from behind said, ‘We can’t actually breach them for that you know.’
Sue sighed as she turned to face Gordon, who was leaning on the counter watching her. ‘I know that,’ she said, ‘but those little dumb bunnies don’t’.
Gordon grinned at her, raising one eyebrow in admiration. ‘You are a bad woman,’ he said.
‘Maybe, but I think I’m a decent probation officer,’ she countered. Gordon nodded. ‘You are certainly turning into one,’ he said. ‘Still, be careful, Sue. Things are changing round here. The job is turning into something … different and we will need to change with it. Just watch your step, okay?’
Sue stared after him as he made his way back up the stairs. He looked tired, she thought. Tired and worried. And if Gordon was worried then something was definitely wrong.
Sue caught up with Pauline in the office after lunch. ‘It didn’t take Brian long to revert to type,’ she said.
Pauline shrugged. ‘Well, he’s back with his family,’ she said. ‘There’s a distinct lack of moral fibre in that particular gene pool. He’s drinking again and of course all his old friends are around him egging him on, so I suppose it’s only a matter of time …’ Her voice trailed off and she stared sadly at the desk for a moment.
Pauline was very fond of
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