'Have you an address for the man?' Mick replied with a question.
'Sure. Why would I,' Johnny said, 'I run a pub, that's all. If he shows he shows. However we don't
need his ilk, but we don't need any kind of polis' shenanigans either, sure that will only result in bad
publicity for us all. Can you get into me early?' he continued, 'and we'll see if we can sort this before
our Honda-cop creates a scene.'
#
Mick arrived in Mac's at 7PM with a photographer in tow.
'What do we want him for?' Johnny asked, pointing at the camera.
'We want him because we'll be putting the medal winner on our front page. Will ya calm down
man,' Mick replied, and he lifted the pint that Johnny poured for him off the table, and handed it to
his boy with camera, saying: 'You don't mind staying out of the way, Brian, we'll keep your glass full,'
and he nodded to a window seat which Brian promptly took.
Mick settled himself on the barstool, 'Anymore news from Fitzsimons?' he asked.
'Naw, he's not been back.'
'Well, how are you going to play this?' Mick asked.
'Well do you know if Fitzsimons is coming tonight?' Johnny enquired.
'I'm sure he is, but I'll give him a ring if ya like, I'll throw out a hint that I know something, and
that's sure to get him in.'
'Well you get him here, and did you bring that boy's photo with you?'
Mick handed it over.
'Right now. Yes. This photo looks like him. All right all right,' he said. 'Okay then, this is what we're
going to do.' And Mick sat back, listened, nodded at the appropriate moments and smiled. Then getting
up to leave, he called to Brian. 'Just keep that glass refilled, but for heaven's sake stay there and stay
sober. Keep me a seat, and I'll be back soon.
#
That night when the judges arrived they were all dressed as policemen.
The previous year the local variety show had staged 'The Laughing Policemen,' a skit based on the
old 'Charles Jolly' song. Six of them had preformed it, and Johnny had phoned them earlier to ask the
boys — his judges — to put the old line-up together and stage it that night. The only stipulation was that
they were to arrive in costume as he had no changing facilities, and he had also asked that they please
mix with the punters just for the fun of it. The boys were up for it, and for the evening added another
few members of the drama group to their line-up.
So with a full house and the final set-to-start Johnny took the mike from his MC, thanked everyone
for their business and said that, as the venture had been so successful he was putting a drink on the
house, and they could pick u F