1 00:00:05,069 --> 00:00:09,239 Hello and welcome to me this pod episode 17. I'm your host D 2 00:00:09,239 --> 00:00:14,399 Mitas. This episode story is driving Lauren Bacall. And it 3 00:00:14,399 --> 00:00:17,309 comes to us from Jackie McKarrick. And as told by Gordon 4 00:00:17,309 --> 00:00:21,599 Rockford the US alone and me. Jackie McKarrick is an award 5 00:00:21,599 --> 00:00:25,379 winning writer of plays poetry and fiction. Her debut short 6 00:00:25,379 --> 00:00:28,679 story collection, the scattering was published by sarin books and 7 00:00:28,679 --> 00:00:32,999 was shortlisted for the 2014 edge Hill prize. The collection 8 00:00:32,999 --> 00:00:36,659 includes her story the visit, which won the 2010 wasa theory 9 00:00:36,659 --> 00:00:39,959 of Short Fiction Prize, and was included in Best British short 10 00:00:39,959 --> 00:00:44,609 stories published by salt in 2012. On the basis of her debut 11 00:00:44,609 --> 00:00:47,969 collection, Jackie was long listed in the 2014 inaugural 12 00:00:47,969 --> 00:00:52,709 Irish fiction laureate, her play, Leopoldville won the 2010 13 00:00:52,769 --> 00:00:55,799 Papa Tango prize for new writing. And her play the 14 00:00:55,799 --> 00:00:59,459 naturalists premiered in 2018 in New York to rave reviews. 15 00:01:00,149 --> 00:01:03,719 Impeccable, a gift to its actors. So the New York Times 16 00:01:04,109 --> 00:01:08,279 beautifully performed Southern New Yorker. Her play Belfast 17 00:01:08,279 --> 00:01:11,429 girls, developed at the National Theatre studio, London was 18 00:01:11,429 --> 00:01:15,209 shortlisted for the 2010 Susan Smith Blackburn prize and the 19 00:01:15,209 --> 00:01:20,219 2014 BBC Tony Doyle award. It premiered in the US in Chicago 20 00:01:20,219 --> 00:01:23,579 in 2015. Too much critical acclaim has since been staged 21 00:01:23,579 --> 00:01:27,119 widely internationally with recent premieres in Australia 22 00:01:27,119 --> 00:01:31,889 and Sweden. In 2016, Jackie was selected for screen Ireland's 23 00:01:31,889 --> 00:01:35,159 Talent Development Initiative, and has recently completed the 24 00:01:35,159 --> 00:01:38,609 screen adaptation of Belfast girls. She is currently working 25 00:01:38,609 --> 00:01:41,039 on her second collection of short fiction and her first 26 00:01:41,039 --> 00:01:45,779 novel, the family wolves. Jackie also writes critical pieces for 27 00:01:45,779 --> 00:01:49,889 the Times Literary Supplement, Irish Examiner, poetry, Ireland 28 00:01:49,889 --> 00:01:54,599 review, and other publications. Needless to say, I'm thrilled to 29 00:01:54,599 --> 00:01:58,379 be producing this piece for Jackie. Jackie. Sorry it took so 30 00:01:58,379 --> 00:02:03,059 long performing the story are Gordon Rockford myself and the 31 00:02:03,059 --> 00:02:06,689 Salone worden Roquefort is the host of those conspiracy guys 32 00:02:06,689 --> 00:02:10,319 podcast. The US alone is a full time professional voice actress 33 00:02:10,319 --> 00:02:13,979 specializing in video games, animation, commercial elearning 34 00:02:14,009 --> 00:02:17,249 and the occasional audio book. The US started as a theater kid 35 00:02:17,249 --> 00:02:19,859 and has been studying acting in various formats for over a 36 00:02:19,859 --> 00:02:23,699 decade. She has since expanded her client base to more fan 37 00:02:23,699 --> 00:02:26,459 based projects. In addition to paid voice work for corporate 38 00:02:26,489 --> 00:02:29,459 and non union and university Thea majored in vocal 39 00:02:29,459 --> 00:02:33,299 performance received training as a classical opera singer, namely 40 00:02:33,299 --> 00:02:37,529 as a contralto and mezzo soprano. Since July 2020, Thea 41 00:02:37,529 --> 00:02:40,379 has acquired over 300 plus characters to her name on 42 00:02:40,379 --> 00:02:44,159 casting call club. That's where I founder and as cherished every 43 00:02:44,159 --> 00:02:48,779 moment, he is always grateful to the big dude, her clients, her 44 00:02:48,779 --> 00:02:52,349 team and her peers. For without them this would not be possible. 45 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:58,229 She looks forward to plenty more adventures to come. links to 46 00:02:58,229 --> 00:03:00,479 where you can find their work online will be in the show notes 47 00:03:00,479 --> 00:03:04,589 for this episode. Means pod now has chapter images and other 48 00:03:04,589 --> 00:03:07,529 podcasting 2.0 features that are not available on legacy apps 49 00:03:07,529 --> 00:03:11,339 like Apple, Google or Spotify. Get a new free podcast app at 50 00:03:11,339 --> 00:03:15,569 new podcast apps.com. That was not an ad read. We don't do ads 51 00:03:15,569 --> 00:03:18,629 here at metus media. I just put a lot of work into the show and 52 00:03:18,629 --> 00:03:22,439 want my listeners to get the full experience. Without further 53 00:03:22,439 --> 00:03:26,939 ado, driving Lauren Bacall my Jackie McKarrick 54 00:03:36,690 --> 00:03:40,650 Jimmy Feeny wasn't my best friend in London. The man who 55 00:03:40,650 --> 00:03:45,360 had that honor was Pat McCarthy from Cork. Nor did Jimmy keep in 56 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,660 touch once I followed my wife back to Ireland. We promised he 57 00:03:48,660 --> 00:03:53,280 would. But he was the most memorable of my London friends. 58 00:03:55,170 --> 00:03:57,630 I imagine because of what he and his family have gone through. 59 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:03,060 Course, for all I know, he made the move to himself since I left 60 00:04:03,060 --> 00:04:08,610 the city. But I did it somehow. Jimmy had never anything good to 61 00:04:08,610 --> 00:04:13,140 say about Ireland wasn't difficult in the end for me to 62 00:04:13,140 --> 00:04:18,420 go home. My wife had inherited the house with the four kids and 63 00:04:18,840 --> 00:04:23,640 what was I had in London. Mostly fucking her in Shepherds Bush. 64 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:28,740 That's what so I had to move back really. In time the 65 00:04:28,740 --> 00:04:32,190 children did well at school. My wife became less pensive than 66 00:04:32,190 --> 00:04:35,700 she'd been in England. I didn't put up a fight about the move. 67 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,750 Though I do still have a fondness for my London days. 68 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:46,590 Even the worst of them the most lonely and desperate. They were 69 00:04:46,590 --> 00:04:48,870 a lot more interesting than those I've had in the dark or 70 00:04:48,870 --> 00:04:50,250 small town. I ended up in 71 00:04:51,990 --> 00:04:57,870 the canteen, which is all No, that's for sure. Jimmy and I met 72 00:04:57,870 --> 00:05:02,790 the dogs in White City. He was from Limerick, a city he left 73 00:05:02,790 --> 00:05:05,310 when he was 14. So you wouldn't have guessed it from the 74 00:05:05,310 --> 00:05:06,300 freshness of exactly 75 00:05:07,950 --> 00:05:10,920 an emerging star in the world of building contracting in London. 76 00:05:11,490 --> 00:05:14,010 He was known for two things besides his building skills, 77 00:05:14,580 --> 00:05:20,340 which were considerable. These were his towering presence. And 78 00:05:20,340 --> 00:05:22,770 the fact he had every one of his siblings living within walking 79 00:05:22,770 --> 00:05:27,060 distance from his house and Cricklewood. In fact, one of 80 00:05:27,060 --> 00:05:32,790 them I believe, lived in the same street. No need to go home 81 00:05:32,790 --> 00:05:35,880 Connie would say to me, not want a whole lot of them are here 82 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:41,490 with me now. It was a remarkable thing about Jimmy, that when so 83 00:05:41,490 --> 00:05:44,310 many Irish in London had failed to help each other, whether in 84 00:05:44,310 --> 00:05:48,420 terms of money or legs up the ladder, so to speak, unlike most 85 00:05:48,420 --> 00:05:52,320 other ethnic groups of the city. Jimmy's love for his family was 86 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:56,340 such, he said all his family members up with jobs and places 87 00:05:56,340 --> 00:05:59,640 to stay upon arrival in London. So there wasn't a day that they 88 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:04,050 had to struggle, not at first anyway. His love for each of his 89 00:06:04,050 --> 00:06:08,280 siblings was immense, and impressive. And there were six 90 00:06:08,280 --> 00:06:12,600 or seven of them, I think. Anyway, when I first met him, I 91 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:15,150 knew he was unlike me and the rest of the lads, we hung out 92 00:06:15,150 --> 00:06:19,260 with the rest of us, we're not all settled. It was the usual 93 00:06:19,260 --> 00:06:23,550 problem of the Irish in London, the pull of home. Of course, 94 00:06:23,580 --> 00:06:26,070 when I did return to Ireland wanted to go straight back to 95 00:06:26,070 --> 00:06:31,710 London, to immigration works, it seems to me. But Jimmy was 96 00:06:31,710 --> 00:06:36,780 determined and steady and very settled. His family was close by 97 00:06:36,810 --> 00:06:41,190 or near enough and he loved London, he wasted no time with 98 00:06:41,370 --> 00:06:46,950 useless dreams of leaving it. However, everything changed 99 00:06:46,950 --> 00:06:50,730 after I knew the mind five or six years. His sister, Carmen's 100 00:06:50,760 --> 00:06:55,020 eight year old son Joseph, went missing. And after a month 101 00:06:55,020 --> 00:06:59,280 looking for the boy, I went out myself on trips with Jimmy to 102 00:06:59,280 --> 00:07:03,120 parks all over the Capitol. The child's body was found in a 103 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:04,680 canal by Kings Cross. 104 00:07:06,300 --> 00:07:11,880 Let's just say he'd not fallen in the bastard who did it was 105 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:13,710 eventually God and sent the president. 106 00:07:15,030 --> 00:07:18,720 The whole business cast a shadow over Jimmy for many years, as it 107 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:22,590 did everyone in the Finney family. He lost his business and 108 00:07:22,950 --> 00:07:27,090 soon left construction altogether. At some point, that 109 00:07:27,090 --> 00:07:31,290 kind of acceptance came over Jimmy so that those who met him 110 00:07:31,290 --> 00:07:33,390 years later could not believe that there was this horrible 111 00:07:33,390 --> 00:07:37,470 story in his background. So they will express the shock to me or 112 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:43,680 others in our circle, but rarely to Jimmy himself. In the years 113 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:47,040 that followed, he would look out for my own children, sensitive 114 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:50,730 as he was, I suppose, to their fragile presence in this world. 115 00:07:51,780 --> 00:07:56,310 All his sweets and toys he bought them. And as a cab driver 116 00:07:56,310 --> 00:07:59,130 for many actors performing in the West End, he would often be 117 00:07:59,130 --> 00:08:02,730 given free tickets to shoes and once he personally brought my 118 00:08:02,730 --> 00:08:07,080 eldest, Aladdin on ice, she was never to forget his kindness. 119 00:08:08,970 --> 00:08:12,780 Then 12 or so years after the arrest of little Joseph killer, 120 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:16,950 I began to see another change in my friend. He became this time 121 00:08:16,950 --> 00:08:21,570 markedly sullen, withdrawn. I told him I had been the 122 00:08:21,570 --> 00:08:26,520 nightshift he was working in his cab. What's up I said, it's 123 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:27,060 McHugh. 124 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:29,670 He's getting out in the summer. Jimmy Feeny 125 00:08:29,670 --> 00:08:36,000 said, his face, Ashen. Fuck said, I put my hand on the man's 126 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,600 shoulder. The power of his strong frame was palpable 127 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:43,860 beneath my fingers. For months, then whenever I go meet him at 128 00:08:43,860 --> 00:08:48,690 the dogs or in the Blackstar the bar I worked in Kilburn, he 129 00:08:48,690 --> 00:08:51,630 would have had the same depressed look as if Joseph 130 00:08:51,630 --> 00:08:56,160 disappearance was happening all over again. He was not just 131 00:08:56,160 --> 00:09:00,360 morose but distracted when he talked. He became precise in 132 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:05,460 these habits. He drank steadily. Only one point when in the past 133 00:09:05,460 --> 00:09:10,110 he might have had three or more. He looked firmer in his body to 134 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:14,640 wiry as if he'd been working out. I began to think that this 135 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:17,970 mild mannered giant for he was over six foot six inches tall, 136 00:09:18,210 --> 00:09:23,190 was planning something I went straight for the jugular you're 137 00:09:23,190 --> 00:09:26,490 not thinking of doing that without McHugh Are you? And you 138 00:09:26,490 --> 00:09:28,650 by him that he understood perfectly what I meant. 139 00:09:29,189 --> 00:09:32,339 I can't talk about it calm, the less you know, the better. 140 00:09:33,510 --> 00:09:36,450 Which as far as I was concerned meant he will always planning 141 00:09:36,450 --> 00:09:40,770 something possibly in cahoots with members of his own family. 142 00:09:41,250 --> 00:09:45,750 His brothers maybe I can't say I blame them at all. I would join 143 00:09:45,750 --> 00:09:46,650 them if they'd asked me. 144 00:09:48,870 --> 00:09:53,700 They will be watching you. I said the police. They'll know 145 00:09:53,700 --> 00:09:55,620 you'll be wanting to do things to the bastard. 146 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,220 Don't be stupid. Say no more. 147 00:10:00,359 --> 00:10:03,179 are in June then just before McCune is released, Jimmy came 148 00:10:03,179 --> 00:10:06,179 in to see me again at the Blackstar he stood up on his 149 00:10:06,179 --> 00:10:10,019 usual barstool. This time he was more vivacious, the color 150 00:10:10,019 --> 00:10:13,949 returned to his fat dimpled cheeks. It was a joy to see him 151 00:10:13,949 --> 00:10:16,469 this way. After all the pain had gone through, especially of 152 00:10:16,469 --> 00:10:21,569 late. No doubt having to revisit in his mind, the time of his 153 00:10:21,569 --> 00:10:27,209 nephews disappearance and vile demise. I thought perhaps he 154 00:10:27,209 --> 00:10:30,239 made some kind of peace with the news of Macuser imminent 155 00:10:30,239 --> 00:10:34,049 release. What's the matter, Jimmy? I said, 156 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:35,729 You won't believe me. 157 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:40,590 Come on. Hope it's not the duty. You know who? Jimmy shook his 158 00:10:40,590 --> 00:10:40,980 head. 159 00:10:41,130 --> 00:10:44,460 No, con, nothing to do with that. I'm driving a Hollywood 160 00:10:44,460 --> 00:10:47,700 star on the police for the next few weeks. She asked especially 161 00:10:47,700 --> 00:10:51,390 for me as a hetero niqab once before and we hit it off that 162 00:10:51,390 --> 00:10:51,780 time. 163 00:10:53,159 --> 00:10:58,619 Who is he asked Racquel Welsh. Jimmy licked his lips and pulled 164 00:10:58,619 --> 00:10:59,789 forward across the bar. 165 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:05,730 No, actually, is Lauren Bacall. And she's working on film in 166 00:11:05,730 --> 00:11:08,460 London. And I'm her driver. 167 00:11:10,409 --> 00:11:13,889 I can be the jealous type. Always better about my wholesale 168 00:11:13,889 --> 00:11:17,489 failure in that wonderful city. I've long since left. But it was 169 00:11:17,489 --> 00:11:22,859 not bitter but are jealous of Jimmy's news. He had often 170 00:11:22,859 --> 00:11:26,399 celebrities in his cab, though. I did not remember him telling 171 00:11:26,399 --> 00:11:29,639 me about his earlier stint with Bacall. I would have remembered 172 00:11:29,639 --> 00:11:35,609 that. To this was good news. Indeed. Some excitement and 173 00:11:35,609 --> 00:11:41,549 glamour, if only reflected for the man at last. find anyone to 174 00:11:41,549 --> 00:11:46,499 serve to boost it was he? I've often thought since I had 175 00:11:46,499 --> 00:11:49,469 circumstances been different. Jimmy himself might have done 176 00:11:49,469 --> 00:11:53,699 well in Hollywood. A handsome enough man. He was drawn to 177 00:11:53,699 --> 00:11:57,149 theater musicals and loved and had great knowledge of the old 178 00:11:57,149 --> 00:12:01,199 black and white films, the movie stars of all. So this kid was 179 00:12:01,199 --> 00:12:05,099 right up the street. What's she like? I said, 180 00:12:05,250 --> 00:12:08,970 so far she's a sassy one. Gives me the lowdown on all the actors 181 00:12:08,970 --> 00:12:13,620 she's working with. Vanessa Redgrave Albert Finney. On doors 182 00:12:13,620 --> 00:12:18,060 the director wants to film that she say some Agatha Christie 183 00:12:18,060 --> 00:12:21,270 story. Murder on the Orient Express. I think it is. 184 00:12:22,260 --> 00:12:26,100 The She asked you about your life. She does. Did you tell her 185 00:12:26,100 --> 00:12:26,250 but 186 00:12:26,250 --> 00:12:30,630 Joseph I did. And she went all quiet. When I told her 187 00:12:32,190 --> 00:12:36,390 a real life murder. That's why the celebrities are shielded 188 00:12:36,390 --> 00:12:42,360 from that, you know, real life. I said I Jimmy said returning to 189 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:46,230 start. I suppose you didn't tell her with a certain plan. You 190 00:12:46,230 --> 00:12:47,640 seem to be cooking up back there. 191 00:12:48,030 --> 00:12:49,470 Of course I fucking didn't. 192 00:12:50,670 --> 00:12:53,220 Over the next few weeks. Whenever he came into the pub, 193 00:12:53,250 --> 00:12:57,090 he'd been glowing. He tell me about what new star he'd met at 194 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:00,600 Ealing studios. Who else had been in the cab with Lauren 195 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:05,880 Bacall, who he said, had booked him to show for her to shoots 196 00:13:06,030 --> 00:13:09,030 interviews in restaurants for the period of three weeks around 197 00:13:09,030 --> 00:13:13,470 London. He said she had a great sense of humor and talked 198 00:13:13,470 --> 00:13:17,970 politics with a non stop and that Vanessa Redgrave and she 199 00:13:17,970 --> 00:13:24,210 had hit it off. We're both rebels. two peas in a pod. Boat 200 00:13:24,210 --> 00:13:27,450 he said had a compelling sense of justice. 201 00:13:27,750 --> 00:13:32,280 A lot of smoke in the car to marine says I reek. And you 202 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:34,410 know, you're right Khan. 203 00:13:35,039 --> 00:13:37,199 I looked at him quizzically. I did 204 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:41,940 tell her Lauren Bacall what we're planning to do to McHugh. 205 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:47,400 Jimmy seemed unfazed by the revelation. So he's are doing 206 00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:49,620 something. What'd she say that? 207 00:13:50,370 --> 00:13:54,810 She said, I don't blame you. But it isn't smart. Yeah. Yeah. 208 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:59,160 Well, she's right. Prepare she has. She's Lauren Bacall. 209 00:13:59,850 --> 00:14:04,230 Jimmy smiled. Then dove his lips into the black of his paint. 210 00:14:05,730 --> 00:14:08,220 Somewhere in the back of my mind, I suspected there was 211 00:14:08,220 --> 00:14:14,160 still some plan afoot. But I let it go. Stupidly, perhaps. I 212 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:18,270 don't know why I suspected except that Jimmy seem so 213 00:14:18,270 --> 00:14:22,680 particularly unraveled. More caulk shortens usually quietly 214 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:28,290 confident self. The specter of McHugh no longer haunting him as 215 00:14:28,290 --> 00:14:33,540 plainly as it had. When I originally envisaged the Finney 216 00:14:33,540 --> 00:14:36,990 family taking revenge, I thought it might be a case of roughing 217 00:14:36,990 --> 00:14:42,720 McHugh up but the Finis were neither fighters or killers. So 218 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:45,690 I decided not to fret on Julia but my friends and tensions 219 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:51,450 which he insisted he no longer had. One night around about this 220 00:14:51,450 --> 00:14:55,350 time. He offered to give me a ride home to my gaff once my 221 00:14:55,350 --> 00:14:57,240 shift was finished for your charge 222 00:15:04,409 --> 00:15:05,309 Do you want to meet her? 223 00:15:05,789 --> 00:15:10,409 He said, As we drove north along the Kilburn high road, who I 224 00:15:10,409 --> 00:15:11,639 said, Oh, 225 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:12,540 do you bloody think? 226 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:16,980 I laughed? We took a ride onto me Grove Road and drove into 227 00:15:16,980 --> 00:15:20,070 West Hampstead and from there to Hampstead, robocall stain. 228 00:15:20,190 --> 00:15:22,500 She's got to shoot tonight she won't mind I've already 229 00:15:22,500 --> 00:15:23,070 mentioned yet. 230 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:25,860 What could he possibly have to say about media a Hollywood 231 00:15:25,860 --> 00:15:34,080 star? I have no idea. And I did not ask. We pulled up outside 232 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,590 her house a tall Victorian red brick property on leafy Street. 233 00:15:38,730 --> 00:15:43,050 An old oak tree hovered over the house, sheltering it sort of. In 234 00:15:43,050 --> 00:15:45,390 many other parts of London this would have been chopped down. 235 00:15:45,690 --> 00:15:48,750 But here in Hampstead there were so many tall blowsy Trees 236 00:15:48,750 --> 00:15:54,570 leaning into houses that the oak seemed right at home. Jimmy said 237 00:15:54,570 --> 00:15:56,670 I should go with him to the front door of the house and 238 00:15:56,670 --> 00:16:01,440 canceling surprises passenger once he got in the cab. I exit 239 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:05,310 the car and immediately heard the hood of an hour. Jimmy and I 240 00:16:05,310 --> 00:16:08,400 both looked up at the Open Solar round Farrell head of the bird 241 00:16:08,580 --> 00:16:12,180 staring straight at us. It was moments like this that my wife 242 00:16:12,180 --> 00:16:15,930 had said she missed most about Ireland. Her time with nature 243 00:16:15,930 --> 00:16:20,130 and wildlife. And you hear was in London right in front of me. 244 00:16:21,870 --> 00:16:24,360 As we approach the door of the host Lauren Bacall appeared on 245 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:25,170 the porch. 246 00:16:25,260 --> 00:16:28,890 This is Khan. I'm dropping them off on the way the tall, 247 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:32,400 neatly curved woman standing regally before me offered her 248 00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:35,820 hand and I shook it a real pleasure to meet you, Miss 249 00:16:35,820 --> 00:16:40,740 McCall. I said Kim I'd like it was a bottler or some class of 250 00:16:40,740 --> 00:16:42,270 kept hoping fool anyway. 251 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:43,920 Call me Betty. 252 00:16:50,429 --> 00:16:53,489 I sat in the front of Jimmy's cab and his more dazzling 253 00:16:53,489 --> 00:16:58,919 passenger sat in the back. She was mesmerizing. Her neck like a 254 00:16:58,919 --> 00:17:04,409 swans, her eyes pale and hooded. And of course, there was that 255 00:17:04,409 --> 00:17:06,839 voice smokey direct. 256 00:17:07,439 --> 00:17:09,179 I've heard a lot about UConn. 257 00:17:10,140 --> 00:17:12,630 I watched her in the mirror. She sat back to light up a 258 00:17:12,630 --> 00:17:18,630 cigarette. She hauled furiously on it and exhaled. I tell you, I 259 00:17:18,630 --> 00:17:22,920 was quite happy that entailed a thick minty smoke and willingly 260 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:30,240 let her expanded breath warm my lungs. Hope it was all good. I 261 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:31,200 said how it 262 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:36,060 was. He says you're thinking of going back to Ireland. He will 263 00:17:36,060 --> 00:17:37,620 miss you. I think a Jimmy. 264 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:42,450 Jimmy laughed. And I could see he was blushing. I couldn't 265 00:17:42,450 --> 00:17:45,810 imagine he'd have anything nice to say about me to anyone, let 266 00:17:45,810 --> 00:17:52,050 alone Hollywood royalty. adds the wife Betty. She misses the 267 00:17:52,050 --> 00:17:55,710 place. And as it looks like she'd be inheriting a house 268 00:17:55,710 --> 00:18:00,660 there soon I might have a little bottle on my hands. Lauren 269 00:18:00,660 --> 00:18:05,040 Bacall smiled and turn to look at the window. The night was 270 00:18:05,040 --> 00:18:08,610 clear and the streets were full of people coming home from pubs 271 00:18:08,610 --> 00:18:09,420 and nightclubs. 272 00:18:10,140 --> 00:18:14,340 My daughter is the most liked Bogey, my first husband. They 273 00:18:14,340 --> 00:18:18,060 both believe or believed I should say in the case of bogey. 274 00:18:18,570 --> 00:18:22,110 Where do you do the thing where you can give the most be of 275 00:18:22,110 --> 00:18:27,960 service for everyone's good, sort of like an act of love that 276 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:31,890 has stood us all in good stead I think so keep that in mind calm. 277 00:18:32,430 --> 00:18:35,280 No need to battle with your dear wife. A file 278 00:18:35,280 --> 00:18:39,090 of smoke no hovered in the middle of the car. I wanted to 279 00:18:39,090 --> 00:18:43,260 cough but I suppressed the urge with all my might. Mainly 280 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:47,010 because I felt so enormously lucky to be receiving advice 281 00:18:47,010 --> 00:18:50,130 from such a woman. Though I did not know precisely what she 282 00:18:50,130 --> 00:18:54,930 meant. I do remember looking over at Jimmy then he was 283 00:18:54,930 --> 00:18:58,290 clearly turning her words over in his mind making his own sense 284 00:18:58,290 --> 00:19:03,060 of them. He led me on Boscombe road. By now it was past 285 00:19:03,060 --> 00:19:08,280 midnight and Shepherds Bush was quiet. I walked to the house all 286 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:11,490 dark inside apart from the low glow of a lamp in the living 287 00:19:11,490 --> 00:19:15,540 room where I knew my wife will be waiting for me. I couldn't 288 00:19:15,540 --> 00:19:21,690 wait to tell her of my encounter with Lauren Bacall. By the end 289 00:19:21,690 --> 00:19:26,160 of the month, McHugh was dead. He had been hit at high speed by 290 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:30,330 a car which had driven over his body several times and with such 291 00:19:30,360 --> 00:19:35,790 brutal force, the man had been decapitated. It had happened at 292 00:19:35,790 --> 00:19:40,530 night on a street in Muswell Hill, and the car was not seen 293 00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:46,230 are reported. The police went to see Jimmy immediately knowing he 294 00:19:46,230 --> 00:19:49,620 was a cabbie, knowing he and the other men and women of the Feeny 295 00:19:49,620 --> 00:19:55,110 family had a serious score to settle with McHugh. But Jimmy 296 00:19:55,110 --> 00:20:00,330 had a cast iron alibi, which the police had double check More 297 00:20:00,330 --> 00:20:04,440 times than was needed. No doubt the glimpse again the smoky 298 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:07,290 voice goddess of the film's they've grown up with Lauren 299 00:20:07,290 --> 00:20:10,230 Bacall confirmed that at the time the hit and run was 300 00:20:10,230 --> 00:20:14,040 supposed to have happened. Jimmy Feeney had been driving her from 301 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:17,310 a late night cigarette and whiskey run. He was her driver 302 00:20:17,310 --> 00:20:23,340 after all. Before I left London, finally, to go back to Ireland, 303 00:20:24,060 --> 00:20:26,970 the greatest regret of my life I must say I met with Jimmy one 304 00:20:26,970 --> 00:20:31,800 last time. We shared a pot of tea and Venus cafe in the north 305 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:37,890 end of Kilburn. Jimmy seemed aloof. He looked at constantly 306 00:20:37,890 --> 00:20:40,980 at the new row and saplings been planted on the verge of the high 307 00:20:40,980 --> 00:20:44,670 road. When I told him the details about my wife's 308 00:20:44,670 --> 00:20:49,320 inheritance, he passed no remarks. I didn't feel easy 309 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:53,550 enough for them to mention the dead McHugh. I tried to give him 310 00:20:53,550 --> 00:20:57,570 money. I told him buddy wouldn't accept it. Jimmy said you'd 311 00:20:57,570 --> 00:21:01,560 visit me in Ireland but he like Pat from Cork and most of my 312 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:06,720 London pals. They never did. Though he did tell me he'd quit 313 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:09,930 capping. That after driving Lauren Bacall around for three 314 00:21:09,930 --> 00:21:13,320 weeks he could hardly go back to teenagers vomiting in the back 315 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:18,330 of his Mercedes on Saturday nights. I've since heard he did 316 00:21:18,330 --> 00:21:21,210 eventually go back to it. I believe he was hired again by 317 00:21:21,210 --> 00:21:28,560 Miss McCall or Betty, as she was known to her friends. Jimmy and 318 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:32,250 I shook hands when we left each other. And I realized that it 319 00:21:32,250 --> 00:21:35,610 was the first time we've ever done that touched each other 320 00:21:35,610 --> 00:21:41,850 skins on. His hands were gentle and soft. I noticed his shake, 321 00:21:41,970 --> 00:21:46,140 limp, which I remember thinking from a powerful big bone man 322 00:21:46,140 --> 00:21:51,210 like him was surprising. Everyone I knew during my own 323 00:21:51,210 --> 00:21:55,410 wife thought it was Jimmy who plowed over McHugh. But once I 324 00:21:55,410 --> 00:22:02,130 chickened the man's hand, I was not so sure. Though, over time, 325 00:22:02,130 --> 00:22:04,650 I've come to understand that there are people in his life who 326 00:22:04,650 --> 00:22:08,820 are capable of turning against their own nature, good or bad 327 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:14,670 for something they perceive as more important, such as love our 328 00:22:14,670 --> 00:22:15,750 family perhaps 329 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:27,210 all of the stories told on me as pawn are properties of their 330 00:22:27,210 --> 00:22:30,960 authors mean as part of the production of metus media all 331 00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:35,040 rights reserved unless otherwise stated. Our theme music comes to 332 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:38,220 us from odd Sprite. You can hear more of their music and odd 333 00:22:38,220 --> 00:22:43,080 sprite.com We'll see you next time folks. Have a good one.