One Thing Well

One thing.
That's all.
Just one thing - well.
One thing well.
That's all you need to do. Then the rest of life will settle into place
like birds on a wire. Birds, bir?

"Oi."

Rob's voice broke into his thoughts, sharp. Unwanted.

"It's right here. Turn right, here? ? here, by that post box? here?
HERE? HE.. Shit! You've missed it! You bloody moron! Can't you do
anything right?"

BIRD!

Rob's voice stabbed his left ear again as the car swerved to miss the
pigeon that had flapped onto the road in front of them.

"Now we're late for the pick-up you idiot. Honestly, you get one bloody
job to do, and you can't even get that bloody-well right."

A bead of sweat dotted the brow reflected in the driver's mirror. The
eyebrows twitched.

"We'll be in deep shit if that fuckwit thinks we're messing 'im about.
Shit, STOP will you! Turn round. We'll have to go back. This is just
bloody taking us out of town now going down 'ere ?. "

Rob muttered and stroked a hand through hair as limp and shiny as oily
lettuce.

Sam glanced nervously back in the mirror. It was okay, the bird was
safe, strutting and bobbing like a clockwork toy on the pavement. He
hated to think of killing anything - especially a bird. Once a starling
had flown by accident into the grill on the front of his car and he'd
had to stop and pick it out, still warm, but beaten and broken, neck
contorted and limp as a child's doll. He'd stood there with wet cheeks
slowly drying in the cold, wizened wind. Not knowing what to do with it
at first, he'd eventually lain the small body gently on the leaf-strewn
verge and pulled a branch carefully across. The image fluttered through
his mind.

Sam glanced in the mirror again.

As long as the bird was okay?

*

The car weaved left then right and after a few more turns, pulled up
and parked outside the pick-up place.

The drop-off was already there.

"Shit."

Rob got out of the car, lengthened his neck and tugged at his cuffs
anxiously, aware of the shift in his balance. Sam watched as the two
men met, facing each other like shadows. They both stood a little away,
intermittently talking, spitting and glancing warily from side to side.
He couldn't hear what they were saying.

He was listening to someone else.

Just one thing Sam ma boy.

Sam felt again the warmth of his mother's voice, and the soft smell of
something simmering on the stove, as she rocked back and forth in her
chair like an old prayer.

Don't worry about getting the whole of life all right.

Just one thing well, that's all you need.
.
Her soft tones slowly rocked him, and relaxing into the wait, he leant
back and closed his eyes.

Don't worry about the downs and the outs and 'all,

Just do one thing well? and keep on talkin' to God.

God forgives the sinner who, sinning all his life

Repents, and does one thing well. Remember that ma boy?

And she rocked and smiled back and forth, as Sam's fingers gripped the
wheel at feeling again the stab of Rob's words in his ears,

"You get one bloody job? and you can't get it right?"

The back of his neck swelled with heat. He became aware of a change in
sensation in his hands. Rather than firm rubber between his fingers, he
felt again soft feathers, soft and warm and dead.

One right thing ?

Slips into place,

Bird on a wire.

"Je-sus?"

This time he gripped the bird and crushed it with all his might, his
knuckles white on the wheel, and then?

BANG!

Rob, "Fuck?!"

The car
jolted        back

As Sam slammed in reverse,

Smashing glass.

"What the fuck?!"

Rob stood and stared. Stunned.

As Sam slammed into first    
forth

SMASH!

"Jesus Christ! What the fuck?!"

And he slammed back and forth -

Smash and bang!

Back and forth          
back and forth

"Jesus Christ?"

Smashing glass, bringing cop, flashing cop, flashing blue,

Boys in blue,

Copping Rob.

Slimey Rob.

Stupid Rob?

Well done Sam!

Now he'd done it.

Done it well

One thing well

One thing well?

Thanks to God!

Thanks to mam.

One Thing Well?

Sam sweated, and smiled, and rocked, as they slowly pulled him out of
the car.

Above, a seagull's shrill cry carried on the wind.