The Falling Man

Chapter 29

Tommy POV

Myself, Arthur and John currently sit in the Garrison snug. We are holding interviews for men to join the Peaky Blinders. With the expansion in London, I promised Alfie more men so that is what I am looking to find today. A goofy looking lanky fellow walks into the snug after we hear little Finn yell "Next!"

"All right, then. Name?" Arthur asks the man as I look the polka dotted bow tied man up and down while rolling my cigarette in between my thumb and pointer finger. "Digbeth Kid." The man responds. Arthur looks up from his paper looking to John who's puffing on a cigar in the corner, "The Dig?...What are you? A boxer?" He asks the man. "Digbeth Kid, like Billy the Kid." The man responds quietly as John stifles a laugh to himself. I look up at the man amused, "Spend a lot of time at the pictures, eh? Cowboy pictures? Tom Mix? Yeah?"

The man reaches for his pocket and my brothers act quickly, going to pull their guns out of their holsters, "What are you...?" "Wait! Wait!" The man states as Arthur and John point their cocked pistols at him. "It's not a real gun." He says holding his hand out. I stick my cigarette in my mouth standing up from my seat, "Let's have a look then, eh?" "It's made of wood." The man states as I pull it out of his holster that hangs on his hip. I examine the thing and chuckle before pointing the toy at my brothers, "Bang. Bang. Very nice." "Pew, pew!" Arthur quips back fake firing his real gun, while John puffs his cigar and throws his head back as if just being shot in the head.

"Where did you get the gun belt?" I ask the man taking a puff of my cigarette and sitting back down in my seat. "My sister made it, out of an old blacksmiths apron. My mum did most of the stitching. She's not my real mum, but..." The man states before I interrupt him, "She does what mothers do. So she made you a gun belt." I say smirking up at the man as he nods. "All right there, mothers boy. There's the door, on you go. We're looking..." Arthur starts going back to reading his paper before I hold up my hand to stop him still examining the man in front of me.

"Have you ever been arrested?" I ask him. "Yeah." "Yeah?" I question knowing he's probably lying. He takes a moment looking at my brothers before shaking his head, "No." "Good. You're the first bloke we've had in here today with no criminal record. Arthur, we can stand him up. Do you know what that means?" I ask the man who again shakes his head, looking somewhat worried. "The new Home Secretary wants something done about illegal gambling." I say ashing my cigarette. "Damn right." John quips banging his hand on the table. "About bloody time." Arthur jokes pointing at the man.

"So we help our coppers make their quota of convictions by having men stood up to be arrested. First offense, you'll get a week inside. We'll give you five quid for your trouble. How does that sound, Cowboy?" I ask the smiling man. He nods back enthusiastically, "Yeah." "Good. Write your address down for our Finn on your way out." I tell him before reaching for the paper in front of me, slapping it on my lap. "I can't write." The man replies. "That's all right, Finn can't read." John quips back. "Don't worry." Arthur says with a smile.

"Just tell him your address, and we'll send some one round." I tell the man. "If...the sheriff don't run you out of town first." John states pointing at the man as Arthur chuckles with a smirk on his face. "Good man." I smile at the wannabe peaky blinder as he turns to leave. "Oh, I don't know, Tom. Kids these days..." Arthur says looking back to his paper. I grumble turning my own paper around, "The young ones didn't fight, so they're different. They stay kids." I respond to my brother.

We hold a couple more interviews before we return home. John and Arthur playing around with their guns as if they are wooden. "Run for the hills! It's the Digbeth Kid!" Arthur hollers as he slams into the front door. "Get out of town kid or I will shoot your fucking head off!" John yells back as they head into the kitchen, pointing their guns at eachother. "Times up! Pew!" Arthur yells fake firing before continuing, "You're dead. Go down. John!" As I enter the house I see Michael standing with Polly.