“Hello baby, how are you? It’s lovely to know you’re there.
You do what mummy says, be a good girl. Now put mummy back on the phone. Thanks baby! I love you! You know that daddy loves you! Thanks baby!
…Cunt! Why can I no see her?
“You’re always out your tits! And why did it take your ugly fucking mother two weeks to tell me that you were remanded again?”
“Fuck off!
You really are a nasty boot!
…And don’t fucking call my mother ugly – At least she’s no a hoor like yours”
“I’m no getting into this, you can’t see Tammy, you’re a fucking bad influence.”
“Well listen to you, so fucking high and mighty – Have you forgot how we met?”
“Fuck you Graham, that’s all in the past.”
“Half a sleeve of jellies was what you charged me for a blow job and it wasn’t even worth that.”
“I didn’t hear you complaining.”
“I was too busy grimacing, it was a pity your fucking teeth hadn’t fallen out before then – Useless bitch!”
“I’m no listening to this. She needs to go to bed.”
“Put her back on!”
“Fuck off!”
“Please, I only want to say goodnight.”
“Just for a second and then you can fuck off.”
…Okay Tammy, here you go, Daddy will say goodnight to you.”
“Are you still no talking? No matter, I’ll do the talking for both of us….Goodnight baby – Dream something nice! Love you baby! You know daddy loves you!”
“She’s away.”
“Come to fuck Elaine, let me see her.”
“No. And if you come near, I’ll be straight on the phone to the lawyer and you’ll be back inside.”
“Why are you being such a cunt?”
“Cause I’m looking out for her.”
“Are you fuck!”
“And what the fuck are you doing? What kind of role model are you? You’re a fucking black greedy junky and I’m surprised she would want to go anywhere near you – The smell from your feet would knock out a rhino.”
“Fuck off! You know I’ve got bad feet.”
“Bad feet my hole. There’s nothing wrong with them that some soap and water wouldn’t cure!”
“And what would cure your cuntiness?”
“At least I’m fucking clean!”
“Fair do, I’ll give you that. You’ve always been a spotless bitch. I’ve said on manys an occasion, aye Elaine could be minging with the clap but her clothes are always clean and her hair is always washed.”
“Fuck you!”
…“How about you come with her, just for an hour.”
“No. I’m not coming near your junkiness or your fucking rancid feet.”
“Please Elaine, you know I love her in my own way – She’s my world.”
“The smack’s your fucking world.”
“It was also yours, at one time. Can you no remember back and accept that fucking up is all part of it?”
“No – I need to look out for her. All you do is build her hopes up and let her down as you always do.”
“Fuck me! You know I can’t promise I won’t fuck up – It’s the shite in me that does that, no me but I’m in there somewhere and that’s who really needs to see his wee darlin’.”
“Fuck you Graham! It’s your fault she’s a fucking retard!”
“She’s just quiet. I mean with you as her mother she probably doesn’t want to say fuck all until she can say I’m fucking out of here.”
“At least I’ve got somewhere that she can leave from. Where’ll you be when she’s sixteen? B&B? Hostel? No, those are best case scenarios. She’ll probably be visiting you in jail or standing over your headstone saying to whoever will listen that her da’ died a junky bastard!”
“That’s no very nice.”
“It’s fucking true!”
Come on Elaine, for old times sake – We were a family once.”
“Were we fuck – You’ve always been a junky bastard.”
“But to begin with, I only used four days a week.
…Please, she’s my baby.”
“Fuck! Why do I let you do this to us?”
“’Cause you still love me?”
“Get that fucking stopped right now! And even if you do, I fucking hate you!”
“Sorry! Sorry! You’ve every right to hate me. I was out of order, please, I’m begging!”
…Right, the park, tomorrow at three and you will be gone by four…understand”
“Yes, of course. Thanks, I mean that. It’ll be so nice to be with my girls again.”
“Don’t fucking call us that!”
“Sorry, I’m sorry! But thanks. I really mean that. You know that don’t you.”
…“Fuck! I suppose so. And don’t be late.”
“Thanks.
…Elaine?”
“What?”
“Tomorrow…Could you bring us a twenty?”
literally stories 
The thing here is if you changed the particulars you would get something that happens in all levels of society. Estranged couple discussing a mutual child. Thus there is a common thread.
But mostly it tells more of a class system still in effect everywhere in the world. Reinforced poverty, poor education, drugs to change the bleakness of being. That is not to say that there aren’t well off junkies, but those habits usually form out of boredom and not as a means of escaping a hellworld; a land which when perceived is already too late to escape; a state of being that has only the slightest notion that there are other ways to live. Well done and even rather funny in its bleak way “Bring us a twenty?”
I bet she does.
Leila
LikeLike
Hi Leila,
Thanks so much for your continued interest in my work.
You are right, she probably did take him the money – It would have given them something else to fight about!
Thanks again!!
Hugh
LikeLike
Beneath all the hate and cursing, there are two people struggling to be as normal as they can. It’s not easy to be in shitty circumstances and act like a prince or princess with plenty of manners and civic sense. But the ending does give many men like him a bad name. This story is the sorry truth personified. It’s tough on the kids being yanked around like that.
Great story, Hugh! You’ve justified the language. 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Terveen,
Normal is relative.
It is a word that only applies to the values of a particular person and as everyone is different, normal is ever changing.
Regarding the language – You can only record what your characters would say and how they would say it.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment – It is much appreciated!!
Hugh
LikeLiked by 1 person
And just as I was starting to feel sorry for the guy. An excellent dialogue-driven story. Gritty and real.
LikeLike
Cheers Dave,
Any comment that has the word ‘real’ in it, I’m happy.
Thanks as always for your continual support – I’m always delighted to get a comment!!
All the very best my fine friend.
Hugh
LikeLike