Part 24 (Connor)
Although I knew I needed to change I was trapped in a cycle of my own addiction but also of that of Mikes and as he was the only person keeping me from being on the streets his needs were an important consideration. My earning power was further tested when Johnny arrived and as he was keeping his head down from the police he ended up staying 3 months, thankfully minus his skank who had apparently gone off to be dopey with someone else.
So I continued plying my trade around Pery Square in Limerick most nights from Thursday to Sunday hail, rain or shine. As there was not many people living around there I never really got much hassle from the locals the only slight issue coming when I was approached by a very nervous well spoken guy who explained that he lived at the top of the lane where I generally instructed my punters to drive down for the business and he asked was it at all possible that I could ask my friends not to just discard their used condoms in the lane when they were finished. Despite what I was doing I was still mortified by this and I assured him there would be no more, he thanked me for this and turned down my offer of a freebie and went on his way.
Limerick is known as a rough working class city and while some of my punters were undoubtedly rough, which I think was more to do with them being men rather than Limerick men, I generally found and still find Limerick people to be some of the warmest genuine people I have met. I regularly had an old lady who brought me tea on cold nights, there was the guy from the charity shop who appeared with a warm jacket one night and on more than one occasion people either bought me or offered to buy me food.
The Gardai also pretty much turned a blind eye and if they did get involved it was just to move you on a bit. That was until they got a complaint from my nervous lane guy about the mess. He must have made the complaint before he spoke to me as I had actually been keeping a little rubbish bag in my handbag for the used condoms and I had been to the lane in daylight and removed any others I found. Nevertheless one night I am down there with a client who is mid fuck when the blue flashing lights appear. Soon two Gardai are shining their torches in the window telling us to get out. Our names were taken and all sorts of threats about prosecution were made before the guy was told it was his lucky day and that he was to go and that they would not take it any further if he wasn't seen again. I cursed my luck as I was put in the back of the squad car protesting how unfair that I was getting done and he wasn't, but as it turned out the older of the two Gardai explained they were taking me home for my own protection as they reckoned that my man would be back to try and get his money back if they left me out there.
A few days later I am in the supermarket doing the shopping when I become aware of a young guy watching me, I catch his eye and give him a just fuck off look when he approaches and says "you probably don't recognise me without the uniform" I stand looking at him with a what are you talking about you fool look on my face when he goes on to explain he was the younger of the Guards that picked me up the other night. I nod and say OK as he continues to introduce himself as Connor, I shake his hand and say hi before moving off to continue my shopping, where he asks if I would have a coffee with him, I am like eh I am shopping can you not see, to which he responds - when you are finished, I shrug my shoulders and head off.
When I am finished he is waiting for me and offers to take my bags, I reluctantly agree to have a coffee with him at a nearby cafe. He explains that he is actually just a volunteer garda which he is doing to keep him out of the pub while he studies at college. As we chat I realise it is nice to chat to someone who is relatively normal and intelligent and after an hour or so chatting I agree to swap phone numbers with him.
So I continued plying my trade around Pery Square in Limerick most nights from Thursday to Sunday hail, rain or shine. As there was not many people living around there I never really got much hassle from the locals the only slight issue coming when I was approached by a very nervous well spoken guy who explained that he lived at the top of the lane where I generally instructed my punters to drive down for the business and he asked was it at all possible that I could ask my friends not to just discard their used condoms in the lane when they were finished. Despite what I was doing I was still mortified by this and I assured him there would be no more, he thanked me for this and turned down my offer of a freebie and went on his way.
Limerick is known as a rough working class city and while some of my punters were undoubtedly rough, which I think was more to do with them being men rather than Limerick men, I generally found and still find Limerick people to be some of the warmest genuine people I have met. I regularly had an old lady who brought me tea on cold nights, there was the guy from the charity shop who appeared with a warm jacket one night and on more than one occasion people either bought me or offered to buy me food.
The Gardai also pretty much turned a blind eye and if they did get involved it was just to move you on a bit. That was until they got a complaint from my nervous lane guy about the mess. He must have made the complaint before he spoke to me as I had actually been keeping a little rubbish bag in my handbag for the used condoms and I had been to the lane in daylight and removed any others I found. Nevertheless one night I am down there with a client who is mid fuck when the blue flashing lights appear. Soon two Gardai are shining their torches in the window telling us to get out. Our names were taken and all sorts of threats about prosecution were made before the guy was told it was his lucky day and that he was to go and that they would not take it any further if he wasn't seen again. I cursed my luck as I was put in the back of the squad car protesting how unfair that I was getting done and he wasn't, but as it turned out the older of the two Gardai explained they were taking me home for my own protection as they reckoned that my man would be back to try and get his money back if they left me out there.
A few days later I am in the supermarket doing the shopping when I become aware of a young guy watching me, I catch his eye and give him a just fuck off look when he approaches and says "you probably don't recognise me without the uniform" I stand looking at him with a what are you talking about you fool look on my face when he goes on to explain he was the younger of the Guards that picked me up the other night. I nod and say OK as he continues to introduce himself as Connor, I shake his hand and say hi before moving off to continue my shopping, where he asks if I would have a coffee with him, I am like eh I am shopping can you not see, to which he responds - when you are finished, I shrug my shoulders and head off.
When I am finished he is waiting for me and offers to take my bags, I reluctantly agree to have a coffee with him at a nearby cafe. He explains that he is actually just a volunteer garda which he is doing to keep him out of the pub while he studies at college. As we chat I realise it is nice to chat to someone who is relatively normal and intelligent and after an hour or so chatting I agree to swap phone numbers with him.
8 years ago
