Parly Road: The Glasgow Chronicles 1 Read Online Free Page A

oot laughing and wishing they wur oan their ain.
      “Whit? Wae him?” she’d asked, raising up wan eyebrow and ignoring Tony.
      “Aye, we’re looking fur Fatty Milne,” Tony hid said fae behind her.
      “Whit dae ye want wae him then?” Senga’s pal hid enquired.
      “Johnboy goat intae a wee bit ae bother wae him at school the day and we need tae talk tae him so they kin sort oot their side ae the story before they meet Batty Smith at school the morra,” Tony hid volunteered.
      Baith ae the lassies hid turned fae Tony tae Johnboy, looking fur confirmation oan whit Tony’d jist said.
      “Oh, aye…Ah wis supposed tae meet him efter school tae talk aboot it, bit Ah hid tae get a letter fae Batty,” he’d said, as convincingly as he could, withoot bursting oot laughing, as Tony hid started daeing his shagging dug routine behind their backs again.
      “We jist clocked him roond in McAslin Street a couple ae minutes ago,” Senga’s pal hid telt them helpfully.
      “Aw, that’s great, so it is. Thanks fur that. We widnae want tae miss him noo, wid we, Johnboy?” Tony hid said, gieing Johnboy his best Vincent Price stare, before cantering away towards McAslin Street.
      Johnboy hid jist stood there, looking at Senga. He wis sure she’d looked jist as shy as he’d felt.
      “Johnboy, ur ye coming?” Tony hid shouted fae ootside The Broons Bar oan the corner.
      “Right, Ah’ll hiv tae go.  It wis nice seeing ye, Senga.”
      “Johnboy?”
      “Aye?”
      “Thanks fur the offer ae the Maltesers and card this morning.  It wis really nice ae ye.”
      Wance again, he’d wanted tae go intae his bag, and gie her the box ae chocolates and card, bit Tony’s voice hid gone up a couple ae levels.
      “Johnboy, Ah kin see him!” he’d squealed, clearly excited.
      “Ye’re welcome,” Johnboy hid said tae her, as she and her pal turned and skipped aff, up the street.
      “Right, here’s whit we hiv tae dae.  See that close o’er there tae the left ae Scabby Annie’s?  He’s jist went in there,” Tony hid growled, efter Johnboy caught up wae him. 
      Johnboy hid looked across. There hid been a waft ae fish and chips floating across the road, bit nae sign ae a fat wobbling arse.
      “We’ll wait until he appears oot ae the close and goes up the next wan.  We’ll need tae be quick though,” Tony hid murmured, scanning the tenements opposite.
      Jist as Tony said that, Johnboy hid spotted Tarzan coming oot ae the close. He’d still been wearing his uniform and shiny shoes, wis whistling like Tweety Bird and hid two bags slung crisscross across his shoulders wae his Evening Times and Evening Citizens poking oot ae the tap ae them.
      “Follow me!” Tony hid hissed excitedly, as he hauf walked and hauf ran across the road tae the door ae the chip shoap. 
      Johnboy could hear and jist make oot the shape ae Scabby Annie through the steamed-up glass windae.  She’d been emptying a basket ae chips intae the sizzling fryer, when Tony hid shot aff again. Jist as they wur aboot tae reach the closemooth, the whistling hid goat louder and Johnny Weissmuller’s fat son hid appeared oot ae naewhere. Luckily fur them and unluckily fur him, he’d turned right when he came oot ae the close, heiding in the opposite direction, before disappearing up the next wan. They’d stood frozen fur a few seconds, before Johnboy hid trailed efter Tony intae the closemooth.  It hid been quite dark, and it hid taken a few seconds fur his eyes tae adjust. Tony hid been staunin at the far end, tae the left ae the main stairs, his white face and hauns ootlined in the middle ae the door that led doon tae the back court. He’d motioned wae his haun fur Johnboy tae move up beside him. There wis a couple ae doors facing each other wae nameplates oan them and Johnboy could hear people moving aboot inside.
      “Right, listen up, Johnboy…don’t mess aboot noo.  Dae whit Ah tell ye and it’ll