The Busconductor Hines (30 page)

Sammy sniffed; it became a sigh. Wiping the corners of his mouth he inhaled deeply on the cigarette, retaining the smoke in his lungs for a long period. Is that it final? He exhaled.

Hines shrugged.

You're refusing to take the line?

I'm no willing to go up to Head Office in my own time, aye.

Sammy nodded. He inhaled again and muttered, Right you are then. And he returned to the Deskclerks' room, chapped once on the door and entered immediately, shutting the door behind himself. Hines walked to the counter and raised the hatch. Before anybody could approach he held his hands palms upwards mouthing, No.

Paul came trotting up to him. Lifting him up Hines placed him on the counter. You been good?

Paul didnt answer; he was staring out into the Office area. Then Scott strolled over. What's happening Rab?

Nothing. I think they're giving me the bullet.

Fuck sake.

Hines nodded and turned from him, gazing in the same direction Paul was; and when the boy swivelled back to look at the faces in the group so did Hines. He caught the gaze of a conductress called Irene and grinned. The suspense is killing me!

An outbreak of mild laughter; and conversations began. A conductor offered cigarettes till his packet was empty. Scott stepped in with his own packet to the few who had been left
out, and got jeered. Hines ground out his own and took one from him and the laughter was quite loud.

When Sammy came from the Deskclerks' room he did so very deliberately; he crossed the floor in the way people do when there is only one goal to be reached and that goal by the one route. Scott moved to raise the hatch for him.

I'm calling a Meeting, he said generally. The bothy in 20 minutes. I want a couple of yous to go and see if you can drum up a few folk.

I'll try the
Vale
, laughed somebody.

So will I, said Barry and with a grin at Hines he added, This thing's cost me a drink so it has!

Sammy said, The more the merrier; we want a good turn out. He sniffed and glanced at Hines; Fancy a cup of tea?

Somebody had given Paul a cup of milk and he seemed content to sit next to Hines, listening to the voices of those at the table. Nothing was being said that could be linked directly to the cause of the bother. Sammy appeared to be saving it for the Meeting proper. More people gathered than Hines had seen in the bothy for a long time. Normally Branch Meetings took place in one of the rooms of the local Masonic Hall; attendances rarely numbered more than twenty. Two members of the Committee arrived and went to sit at a nearby table; they glanced at Hines and glanced away when they saw he had noticed. They were probably talking about him. They dont like him very much. He doesnt like them either. Well, he doesnt not like them,
he just thinks they're fucking idiots. A variety of animosities exists within the garage. Quite a few people, including Hines, find it impossible to talk to those who werent staunchly opposed to the introduction of one-man-operated buses. The issue disrupted, totally, garage life towards the end of his first spell in the job. It is the root cause of most of the present disharmony. And now that the poor old fucking conductor/conductress is becoming absent things can never be the same.

Why worry. Hines doesnt. He's given up the fucking ghost, it is too ridiculous, it is a joke. Most of the carry-ons in the garage are a joke. People who eat in the bothy consider themselves superior to those who eat in the canteen. They regard the latter as a bunch of ne'er-do-well fly-by-nights while the latter regard the former as a bunch of infirm pensioners whose one aim in life is to secure a gold watch. It stems from the simple fact that the longer a person remains in a job the more habits and possessions he or she will acquire. And since habits demand further possessions and all possessions require space, bearing in mind that the bothy has lockers and the canteen doesnt, the bothy becomes a home from home for those who remain attached to the job – but there again: a lot of folk like to drink tea or coffee whenever they are on the garage premises and they can only do so in the canteen between certain hours of the day such that they are forced into using the bothy outside of those hours even though they would prefer not to do so because when all is said and done it is much better sitting drinking tea in the bothy than standing doing nothing in the fucking corridor.

He stopped himself from rolling another cigarette. If this was a different occasion altogether he might have decided to stop forever. The atmosphere was thick with smoke, stifling. No windows open, the condensation dripping down the walls. Yet if anybody was in a position to get them opened surely he
was, the life and soul of the affair, the bone of contention, the one of whom it might be said etc., that the present dispute and so on.

Once upon a time he was ejected from a Branch Meeting for applying the term Shite to a Chairman's summing up. That kind of thing should be beyond belief. The incident occurred midway through his second stint in the job. What a shambles. It was his own fault for having allowed himself to be dragged along by Reilly. And very recently Colin Brown asked him to come back again because things were getting better. But Hines declined, he wont return till muffins are served. He doesnt have the time to spend. It may seem as if he is better than others by not doing so. Occasionally he does see himself as better while at other times he sees himself as worse. He simply doesnt have the time. He requires to move. Other people apparently do not require to move. Maybe it is hypocrisy alone keeps them from it. Other arguments arent good. Things that are wrong are seen to be wrong when eyes are not shut. And eyes cannot be shut when people are working otherwise buses would crash and conductors would trip over outstretched feet.

He stopped himself from rolling another cigarette. Heh Sammy! fancy a bit of air? hell of a smoky in here . . . He nodded at Paul.

The windows were raised a little.

Then moving his chair backwards Sammy rose and paused for the two Committee men to join him; they made their way to the rear where tables had been placed end to end, with a row of chairs immediately to their front. The Committee men stood on chairs to either side of the row while Sammy climbed up onto the centre table and clapped his hands for the chatter to cease. He began to speak but many of those seated had their view restricted and had to stand; the ensuing noise of furniture being banged about could have seemed deliberate. Hines
was aware of his heart thumping, his irritation – anger perhaps. What a time to collapse with a stroke. Yet Sammy took it all in his stride. Probably Reilly would manage this kind of thing in a similar manner; his temperament is right for it. Somebody next to Paul had hoisted him onto the table. Ta, muttered Hines and he took the boy's hand and continued to hold it.

Sammy had been given a cigarette. By the time he was smoking the racket died; he started to speak. Eh I've had to call this Extraordinary Meeting. A thing's just happened and it needs to be discussed. Most of yous'll already have heard about it by now. What it is: Rab Hines there, he had a Head Office line waiting for him when he collected his wages this morning. Campbell was on the desk. Anyway, Rab wouldnt take the line. He wouldnt take it because it means he would have to go up to Head Office this afternoon and he's no working. He told Campbell he wasnt going. The thing is: if he doesnt accept the line they're saying they'll sack him on the spot. It's a genuine threat. Fairlie. No messing with him as most of yous'll know. He's going right in to see McGilvaray. Now as far as I'm concerned he's went over the score, and I told him that. The point is but – let's no kid ourself – McGilvaray's going to be right behind him . . . Sammy dragged on the cigarette.

What're they wanting to sack him for? called somebody. Cause he'll no take the line, replied somebody from the crowd.

The brief chatter halted when Sammy raised his hand; he went on: Now as I say, this thing's got to be discussed. That's how I've called the Meeting.

What was the line for? called somebody.

Sammy raised his hand to stop anyone replying. We cant have the Meeting lasting all day, he said, for all we know Fairlie's in with McGilvaray right at this minute. So it's a possible strike situation; that's the kind of thing we've got to talk about.

Someone had passed Hines another tipped cigarette; his mouth tasted like burnt paper; smoking is bad for the health and requires immediate cessation.

Now as I'm saying, it's no a strike situation at the moment but let's no kid ourself, we might have to start thinking along these lines. The point is: Fairlie's out of order. He's threatening to sack Rab Hines on the spot if he doesnt take the line and go up to Head Office this afternoon. Now he's got no blooming right to carry on like that. What I'm saying is: if Mr McGilvaray backs him up then we should be prepared to withdraw our labour. And I think McGilvaray will back him up; he'll go the full road. So we've got to be ready to go the full road as well.

Sammy inhaled and gazed round at the faces, then turning to a Committee man he nodded and stepped down onto a chair. The Committee man got up onto the table. The Meeting's being thrown open, he called. Remember to speak through the Chair.

And just to remind yous, said Sammy. We'll need to keep it short.

Somebody tugged Hines by the sleeve. What's happening Rab?

Hines shook his head, indicating the Committee man on the table. Towards the rear someone had raised his right hand and called a question. Speak up! replied the Committee man.

Naw, said the man, I was just saying if Sammy wanted us to strike?

It's no a question of that.

Well what is it then? cried a voice nearby Hines. We've just come in off the street and we dont even know what the hell's going on!

Aye same with me. I just came in and somebody said we were striking!

An outbreak of chatter followed. A voice kept repeating: What did he get the Head Office line for? that's what I want to know.

The Committee man was frowning. Order! he called. Order!
Come on now, yous'll have to address your remarks through the Chair.

The chatter continued. Again he called for order. A person down from the tables asked a question but it wasnt acknowledged until eventually the chatter ceased. Both Sammy and the other Committee man had climbed onto the tables. When they stepped back down the person raised his hand: Eh brother, I think the members here want to know the score and that. Now from what eh the Shop Steward said Tom Fairlie's wanting to sack somebody on the spot. Is that right?

Aye, called Sammy.

But he's no sacked him yet?

Naw, I told you that.

What the hell's he wanting to sack him for? called the angry voice nearby Hines.

He refused a line off Campbell, replied somebody from the rear.

What for? cried another man and the chatter resumed.

Sammy moved quickly onto the table again. He called: I'll tell yous once more, for the benefit of those who've just come in. One of the conductors – Rab Hines – he had a Head Office line waiting for him this morning. He was supposed to go right away. But he objected, because he wasnt working . . .

Sammy paused for a drag on his cigarette. Immediately Hines raised his hand aloft, waved it. Just a wee word, he called; and when Sammy nodded he said: Just to get it clear, what I objected to. See I'm no working the day. If I took the line off Campbell it meant I'd have to go home and put on the uniform then go away up the town to see Head Office. I dont think I should be forced to do that. I mean I'm no objecting to getting a line – I'm just objecting to having to go up to Head Office in my own time. I think it's out of order that we've got to. I mean if they get paid to see us we should get paid to see them.

Muttered approval followed. Sammy was nodding.

That's all I'm saying, added Hines.

What was the line for? called somebody.

It doesnt matter what it was for, replied an irritated voice.

That's right. Sammy held up his hand to prevent further comments. And what really matters as well is the way Fairlie's wanting to sack Brother Hines on the spot I mean that's really out of order. And I really think we should lay it on the line for them.

D'you mean strike? called somebody.

Well aye Brother; if we have to. But that's up to yous to decide. That's how this Meeting's been called, so yous can discuss it and take a vote . . . He glanced about, looking for somewhere to stub out his cigarette dowp; eventually he dropped it to the floor and someone trod on it . . . What I want to know is if yous're backing me; cause then I'll know where I'm speaking from.

For a moment he glanced round the room then he stepped down onto one of the chairs. Okay, called a Committee man. If anybody wants to speak, now's the time. But mind and address yourself through the Chair.

Brother . . . the angry voice from behind Hines. I dont think there's any bloody need to take a vote. They're trying to bloody mess us about down there as usual. I mean if they bloody get away with this then . . .