Stuart by Hugh Cron – Adult Content.

Stuart died in prison.

That is wrong,

Stuart was killed in prison. He was stabbed with a blade between his ribs.

None of these sharpened toothbrushes or pieces of wood or shards of glass, an actual knife. The investigation is ongoing. Some poor dweeb will probably lose their pension over that.

Did Stuart deserve to be murdered? Opinions vary. Some would say he was a bad guy, others would say he did what he did to survive. I suppose it depends on their involvement with him.

The saying goes about certain people, ‘They sailed close to the wind’, that was probably Stuart. But maybe there was more to him than that. Not as a person, as a self-proclaimed Ned. (That always made him smile) He would steal, sell, supply and beat up folks for money. But that was why you didn’t need to worry about him. He would only do what he did for money. Stuart would never have sullied himself by getting into a fight, not if he wasn’t getting paid. He took throwing a punch as an affront if there was no money or self preservation involved. Many appreciated that about him. Or should I say, they were thankful for that.

Up until his mid thirties, he did what he did and was successful at it. He used the benefits system to be legal, played under the radar and had a successful career in doing what he did. Then the problem that arises to all those who should be happy with their lot. There came a chance of that one big score and he took it. He wasn’t successful and ended up pissing off a lot of folks who were a dam sight more scary than him.

He had a choice. He was relieved that he was given one. He could have had his back broken, there were no details on the specifics and he was told that fate would decide on what that entailed, whether it be death or wheelchair…Or he could do a favour.

Stuart chose the favour.

He had to deliver a package from Cairnryan to Glasgow. No questions could be asked and no questions were asked.

It wasn’t a surprise to Stuart that just outside of Ballantrae he was boxed in by three unmarked Police Cars. He was done bang to rights for the package. Stuart smiled as he was cuffed. He was happy as he believed that he had now paid back his fuck-up. He figured that he was a decoy and wasn’t expected to deliver.

He didn’t even waste the courts time. He was happy to say ‘Yes Sir’, ‘No Sir’ and ‘I’m guilty Sir’.

Stuart was amused when he received his seven years sentence. He had no idea how they came to that figure.

As he was led out after sentencing he saw a face that he knew, they gave him a very slight nod.

Stuart was now convinced that he had paid his debt for his fuck up.

It was six months into his sentence when he was stabbed. As he lay dying, he was heard saying one thing, ‘Shit, was I really meant to deliver that.’

Hugh Cron

Image: A road running beside a loch with green hills and blue sky.