Love on the Dark Side of the City Read online

  His destination was a walk up to Rathmines and back. His daily constitutional. He wore a grey hat with a black band, a Crombie coat over his suit. Now a regular walker, Samuel could walk as well as, if a little slower than, the average forty year old.

  On the corner two small kids were struggling to carry a plastic shopping bag. The bag burst and their messages spread on the pavement. Two cartons of milk, biscuits and a sliced pan. Samuel said, “Hang on boys we'll sort this one out.”

  He got them to hold out their arms and he loaded them up with the messages, giving the milk to the older child.

  “Thanks mister,” and they were on their way.

  Samuel watched them go with a smile on his face. At his age all young things were beautiful, even these two urchins, with their snotty noses and raggedy clothes.

  Then with a spring in his step he carried on. The birds were singing in the clear fresh spring air and cherry blossoms were on the trees.

  Today was an egg and chips day and Samuels' destination was a Cafe in the Ranelagh road. To be reached on the way back after his walk.

  Samuel had a fancy for one of the waitresses. She was a full figured Russian woman in her thirties. She had a cross face when she was concentrating.

  To Samuel she had the look of someone who had loved and felt pain in her life. When she smiled it was warm and it overflowed, lighting up her face and making her eyes dance with mischief. Her laugh was so full of the pleasure and surprise of laughing that it could lift the spirits of all who heard it.

  The Cafe was warm and cosy. There were a few young students near the window and Samuel steered to his usual back corner. The Juke Box was louder than background, but not too loud.

  The Cafe always had young people and Juke Box music. This was what appealed to Samuel, aside from the good cup of tea. Youth was alive and gay and made a nice contrast to the sober delights of Sunnyside Homes.

  Sonia, the waitress steered a track between the tables with a tray of coffees for the students at the window. Samuel admired the way she wiggled her bottom in and out and around the tables and chairs.

  He wondered what it would be like to lay a hand on that moving figure.

  Samuel smiled and looked away, up to the ceiling. God, it was a long time since he had touched a woman.

  He smiled at the memory of Sophie his dear departed wife. A warm feeling came over him. Although he had little to do with them these days, his views on women were all warm and full of fond slushy softness. Not sentiment.

  He knew women were real. The expression ‘A thing of beauty is a joy for ever’ was to his mind a very apt way to describe womankind.

  “Good morning Samuel,” she said in a flat Russian accent.

  Funny he thought, sometimes a woman can shatter an illusion by opening her mouth and talking, but a Russian accent was always sexy in a woman.

  “Morning? It's noon Sonia. I thought I'd get a feed in before the lunchtime rush.”

  “The usual, is it? With tea, bread and butter.” She asked her tone friendly.

  “The usual, and don’t forget to bring the tomato sauce.”

  “You've got a saucy look about you today” she joked, “ What have you been up to?”

  “Ah, I was just thinking of you” he smiled “And wondering has any man been lucky enough to catch you yet.”

  “ Watch it, “ she chided. “I've had more men catch me than you've had egg and chips and I'll tell you, there’s not one of them I wasn’t glad to see the back of. Who needs men these days.”

  But her eyes were smiling.

  “Then there’s' hope for me yet.” He smiled as he said it.

  Her eyes narrowed and then she softened. Jesus, she thought, the old devil fancies me. Well I never.

  “How old are you? “ she demanded, her tone still warm, “you’re past having ideas.”

  “ The ideas are the easiest bit “ he quipped and she laughed. Then she was gone to fetch his order.

  “ Why don’t you get your wife to do you a fry up?” she asked when she returned with his order.

  “She liked health foods, and she’s' dead this past five years.”

  “ Oh I'm sorry,” Sonia replied, “you never can tell.”

  “Don't worry, its' past and I have all the memories. I'm good on my own.”

  She moved on and Samuel concentrated on enjoying his food. This was the top of his day. For her part Sonia became busier as the lunchtime crowds began to arrive. The students at the window greeted new arrivals and their circle continued to expand.

  It had taken Samuel a number of weeks of effort to draw Sonia out from being a perfunctory waitress to the present situation where she would pass the time of day with him. She was a part-timer; only working Wednesdays and she lived in a house in Morehampton road. That was all he knew of her. That and the fact that she loved football.

  And from their previous banter, he knew she was named Sonia and she knew he was Samuel.

  Samuel fingered the tickets he had in his breast pocket. Four tickets for the Ireland Poland match. This was a crucial match in the world cup and if Ireland won they would get through their division. Half the country would stop to watch the match on TV and all the country would be talking of it.

  One of the old codgers in Sunnyside Homes was an ex professional footballer. He and Samuel had great chats about the old days. His name was Jimmy and he was an ex goalkeeper. He still had a place on the roll of honour in his club and could get an allocation of tickets for the big matches.

  In the event Jimmy had pulled a few strings and got himself four tickets for the International match, but illness is no respecter of the international soccer timetable, and Jimmy was laid low at the moment, too many cigarettes according to the matron.

  When Samuel went to see him, Jimmy was sitting up in bed, coughing from the depths of his chest from time to time but otherwise as sound as a bell. They were too old to stand on much ceremony over illness and Samuel soon raised the question of an interesting bet.

  The bet was simple. Samuel told Jimmy of his fancy for Sonia the waitress and his belief that the tickets could swing things his way. Jimmy rose to the bait with a coughing cackle. If Samuel could get a date with her he could have the tickets. If not Samuel would supply Jimmy’s wee drop of whiskey for a month. Samuel could hold the tickets for one day, to be returned if the attempt at a date failed. On that basis they shook hands.

  Samuels’s excitement was immense. A chance to go to an International! A chance to date a young woman of his fancy! He assured himself that he was sane enough to know that the date with Sonia was his real hearts desire, not the football match. The tickets were a means to an end. Or so he told himself.

  It had always been the same for him. Asking a woman for a date or even making a pass would set his heart racing and make him feel scared but elated. He thought these things wore off with age, but apparently not.

  However Sonia was immersed in the lunch hour rush. Samuel was the furthest thing from her mind as she served from table to table. On one of her passes by his table Sonia smiled and deposited the bill between the salt and pepper and passed on without stopping.

  Samuel felt despair. How could he get talking to her without the whole Cafe listening in? He should have spoken to her immediately he came in. Samuel put a ten Euro note beside the bill.

  On another pass Sonia took the money and then came back with the change. He knew he should say 'Do you have a minute, there’s' something I want to ask you.' But two tables were near and were occupied. His nerve failed. The embarrassment, he could not do it.

  Leaving his usual tip Samuel got to his feet and headed for the door. His heart was still racing with excitement, but Sonia had disappeared into the kitchens to fetch another order.

  As he went past the students at the window, Samuel seemed to catch on a chair and he was propelled forward, scattering cups and sugar. He almost fell face down into the creamy bosom of a young student seated at the window. The youngster’s expression was full of co
ncern and worry.

  “ Are you all right? “ she asked. “It’s the old man who comes in regular,” she added to her friends. “Do you think he has had a turn?”

  Willing young hands straightened Samuel up onto his feet.

  “I'm all right, just a bit hot, let me catch my breath”

  Sonia arrived carrying a tray of food. “Samuel are you all right?” Her tone was alarmed. She set down the tray quickly and came to take a look at him.

  “Just need a breath of fresh air, could you help me outside Sonia?”

  “Tell these young ones to sit down, “ he added, “they’re embarrassing me”

  “Leave this to me “ Sonia instructed, took him by the elbow and led him to the door watched by all the diners.

  When he got outside Samuel gave her his best smile.

  “Not a bother on you “ said Sonia “do you want a doctor”?

  It came out in a rush… “ Sonia, I have these four tickets for the Ireland Poland match. I thought, you, me maybe you have a friend...” Samuel’s voice trailed off as his nerve failed again.

  “ You old Devil!” exclaimed Sonia with a laugh, “all that was just to get me outside. And I worried sick that you were on your way out with a heart attack.”

  “ Sorry “ Samuel began, smiling weakly, she had seen through him.

  Then she laughed. “ Credit where credit is due, but, but, are you sure you are up to it?”

  “I'd love the company, “ Samuel said. “ I got four tickets because a friend is sick. I thought of you as we have had chats about football. I know you are a fan. And I’m Polish. My friend John will come, he is Irish. Sonia, you are always so kind to me. “

  “When is the match?”

  “ Wednesday at two o'clock. We'd have to be there by one.”

  Sonia thought for a minute. She could take the afternoon off. She could bring a friend. It would be wonderful to have a treat, an outing. Then she squeezed Samuels’s hand.

  “ O.K. you’re on. I'll arrange it. Don't let me down.”

  “Would you like to hold the tickets? “ he asked.

  “ No, of course not. We'll meet you here at twelve. We can have a quick bite to eat in the Cafe and then take a Taxi. You supply the tickets I supply the Taxi. O.K.?”

  “ Done”

  Sonia gave Samuel a peck on the cheek. For a brief second her body was close to his. Closer than he ever dared imagine. Then with a wink and a smile she was gone back inside.

  Samuel waved to the students and the girl at the window laughingly threw him a kiss.

  As he set out for Sunnyside Homes the birds were still singing, and on the inside so was Samuel.

  Well, he thought, a date at my age? . I wonder will she ever let me give her a kiss. He squared his shoulders. They say a man is good 'till he is dead and I'm not dead yet, he decided. He walked on with jaunty step. It was great to be alive and still trying.

  Sophie returned to the Café. It was busy, but every now and then the though of Samuel came into her mind and she smiled inwardly. She enjoyed his thoughtful respectful attentions. Maybe it was the fact that he was Polish and a gentleman, but she felt comfortable with him. She hoped she had not made a mistake.

  Together they were crossing a boundary. From indulgent waitress and customer to two friends going out to a football match. She resolved to manage the relationship. No point in losing a good customer for the café. That could easy happen. She would have to ensure he got no ideas. He was too old for her and that was that. At least he was bringing a friend. Sonia knew whom she would bring; hopefully they would have a laugh.

  Chapter five

  Sonia worked part time on Wednesday mornings in the Café.

  Sonia had taken the café job as a part of a longer-term plan she had to finish with her job in Morehampton road.

  She hoped to get experience in the catering business and then maybe, with her savings, she would open a small franchise. Sonia also had Serge, her two-year-old son. Serge lived with his grandparents in Moscow and Sonia paid the bills. Serge had come by accident and Sonia had no idea who the father might be other than that he had been the customer of a club she had worked in London.

  “Call him burst condom,” her friend Sara had suggested, but Sonia loved Serge with all her heart.

  However her lifestyle made it impossible to keep him by her side. Soon, she would say to herself, soon I will quit this world and my Serge will join me forever. The hope kept her going and her plans were to bring him to Ireland where he could have a good upbringing in a small prosperous country that would ensure he was educated and cared for.

  By late afternoon she was into her normal role as house-manager for a house on the Morehampton road. The Morehampton Road house was large and would house up to ten girls at any one time. The girls were untidy and careless and she was the housemother. She had a cleaner, a cook and a doorman to help her.

  The Morehampton Road house was attached to a Gentlemen’s club in the city. The house was within fifteen minutes drive of the club. In the house the girls came and went.

  The girls were of all nationalities, and worked as lap dancers in the Gentleman’s club. They were part of an organized string of dancers through Europe. The girls would spend a number of months in one club and then be moved on to another either in Ireland or elsewhere in Europe.

  Sonia had herself been a lap dancer for nearly ten years.

  Recently, feeling that she was unable to be a proper mother to Serge, she had decided she would quit the life and become, as she would term it, a civilian.

  Solveig ran the operation on autocratic lines. Solveig was a tough Russian who took no nonsense from the girls. It appeared he was linked in some way to some part of the Russian Mafia underworld but other than the tough and dour men who helped him police his world, there was little else to indicate how he did his business.

  Solveig had connections in Eastern Europe and sourced his stable of dancers mainly through that route. In addition he also recruited locally where the clubs were, and provided suitable girls into the network.

  Solveig tried as a policy to have a number of Irish girls in his Irish club, and had a number of good Irish dancers who met the specifications. However, the girls were mainly Russian and east European, with some English girls from his London club.

  No male guests were allowed into the house in Morehampton road. Whatever would happen with men would happen in the club. The girls were ferried in and out and were discouraged from moving around the city. It was a tightly run operation carefully managed to ensure that there was no trouble with the law or licensing authority.

  None of the girls were prisoners. Solveig wanted happy troopers who would please his customers. But he insisted that they obeyed the house rules and kept a low profile. In return he made financial arrangements that compensated them well.

  Sonia’s job involved being able to talk to the girls and helping them solve personal problems. It was also necessary to arrange regular medical check ups and deal with passport and visa problems.

  When the Morehampton road job had become vacant, Solveig had offered the job to Sonia. They had agreed on a trial period of six months. It was four months now and there had been no trouble.

  For Sonia the job meant that she could think seriously about settling in Ireland, as she was able to get her papers in order on the basis of her employer requiring her skills for a longer- term administrative role.

  Her next step would be to seek residence. Her belief was that setting up her own business would pave the way for that final step. Then she could bring her son Sergie to Ireland and bring him up herself.

  The Morehampton Road house became very busy late in the afternoon but was quiet in the Mornings. Sonia worked until two in the café and then made her way to Morehampton road. She lived on the first floor of the house.

  Ivan Turgenev opened the door for her. “I was in what they call the butlers pantry and saw you coming up the driveway,” he said in Russian, sweeping the door open as she arr
ived.

  “And you make a fine house servant” Sonia replied with a laugh in Russian. Together they always spoke in their native tongue.

  Ivan was well built, about forty and Sonia always found him outwardly friendly and cheerful.

  The butler’s pantry was a long narrow room at the front of the house. It’s door opened onto the entrance hall. There was a large desk along the window and old-fashioned dresser type arrangement along the wall behind the desk with a multitude of drawers and storage niches. Ivan regarded the Pantry as his den and from there he provided security cover for the Morehampton Road house. He had a small bed along the back wall for overnights, but otherwise he lived in an apartment in town.

  As head of the Security Team, Ivan reported to Solveig. His duties included Security at night in the lap dance club where he was in charge of the Bouncers on the door.

  Ivan came on duty in Morehampton Road for a few hours in the afternoon. He would use this time to check the security reports from his team covering the house and the previous night at the lap dance club. Although he also made a security patrol around the grounds of the Morehampton Road house, it was a quiet posting and he also used the time to do any paperwork and to set the rosters for his security team, better known as Bouncers by the general public.

  He also provided a general security cover for the dancers and when the club opened he would drive the girls there in their mini bus. Then he would open up the club for the night and other staff would arrive shortly afterwards.