Hello and welcome to me this pod episode 17. I'm your host D
Mitas. This episode story is driving Lauren Bacall. And it
comes to us from Jackie McKarrick. And as told by Gordon
Rockford the US alone and me. Jackie McKarrick is an award
winning writer of plays poetry and fiction. Her debut short
story collection, the scattering was published by sarin books and
was shortlisted for the 2014 edge Hill prize. The collection
includes her story the visit, which won the 2010 wasa theory
of Short Fiction Prize, and was included in Best British short
stories published by salt in 2012. On the basis of her debut
collection, Jackie was long listed in the 2014 inaugural
Irish fiction laureate, her play, Leopoldville won the 2010
Papa Tango prize for new writing. And her play the
naturalists premiered in 2018 in New York to rave reviews.
Impeccable, a gift to its actors. So the New York Times
beautifully performed Southern New Yorker. Her play Belfast
girls, developed at the National Theatre studio, London was
shortlisted for the 2010 Susan Smith Blackburn prize and the
2014 BBC Tony Doyle award. It premiered in the US in Chicago
in 2015. Too much critical acclaim has since been staged
widely internationally with recent premieres in Australia
and Sweden. In 2016, Jackie was selected for screen Ireland's
Talent Development Initiative, and has recently completed the
screen adaptation of Belfast girls. She is currently working
on her second collection of short fiction and her first
novel, the family wolves. Jackie also writes critical pieces for
the Times Literary Supplement, Irish Examiner, poetry, Ireland
review, and other publications. Needless to say, I'm thrilled to
be producing this piece for Jackie. Jackie. Sorry it took so
long performing the story are Gordon Rockford myself and the
Salone worden Roquefort is the host of those conspiracy guys
podcast. The US alone is a full time professional voice actress
specializing in video games, animation, commercial elearning
and the occasional audio book. The US started as a theater kid
and has been studying acting in various formats for over a
decade. She has since expanded her client base to more fan
based projects. In addition to paid voice work for corporate
and non union and university Thea majored in vocal
performance received training as a classical opera singer, namely
as a contralto and mezzo soprano. Since July 2020, Thea
has acquired over 300 plus characters to her name on
casting call club. That's where I founder and as cherished every
moment, he is always grateful to the big dude, her clients, her
team and her peers. For without them this would not be possible.
She looks forward to plenty more adventures to come. links to
where you can find their work online will be in the show notes
for this episode. Means pod now has chapter images and other
podcasting 2.0 features that are not available on legacy apps
like Apple, Google or Spotify. Get a new free podcast app at
new podcast apps.com. That was not an ad read. We don't do ads
here at metus media. I just put a lot of work into the show and
want my listeners to get the full experience. Without further
ado, driving Lauren Bacall my Jackie McKarrick
Jimmy Feeny wasn't my best friend in London. The man who
had that honor was Pat McCarthy from Cork. Nor did Jimmy keep in
touch once I followed my wife back to Ireland. We promised he
would. But he was the most memorable of my London friends.
I imagine because of what he and his family have gone through.
Course, for all I know, he made the move to himself since I left
the city. But I did it somehow. Jimmy had never anything good to
say about Ireland wasn't difficult in the end for me to
go home. My wife had inherited the house with the four kids and
what was I had in London. Mostly fucking her in Shepherds Bush.
That's what so I had to move back really. In time the
children did well at school. My wife became less pensive than
she'd been in England. I didn't put up a fight about the move.
Though I do still have a fondness for my London days.
Even the worst of them the most lonely and desperate. They were
a lot more interesting than those I've had in the dark or
small town. I ended up in
the canteen, which is all No, that's for sure. Jimmy and I met
the dogs in White City. He was from Limerick, a city he left
when he was 14. So you wouldn't have guessed it from the
freshness of exactly
an emerging star in the world of building contracting in London.
He was known for two things besides his building skills,
which were considerable. These were his towering presence. And
the fact he had every one of his siblings living within walking
distance from his house and Cricklewood. In fact, one of
them I believe, lived in the same street. No need to go home
Connie would say to me, not want a whole lot of them are here
with me now. It was a remarkable thing about Jimmy, that when so
many Irish in London had failed to help each other, whether in
terms of money or legs up the ladder, so to speak, unlike most
other ethnic groups of the city. Jimmy's love for his family was
such, he said all his family members up with jobs and places
to stay upon arrival in London. So there wasn't a day that they
had to struggle, not at first anyway. His love for each of his
siblings was immense, and impressive. And there were six
or seven of them, I think. Anyway, when I first met him, I
knew he was unlike me and the rest of the lads, we hung out
with the rest of us, we're not all settled. It was the usual
problem of the Irish in London, the pull of home. Of course,
when I did return to Ireland wanted to go straight back to
London, to immigration works, it seems to me. But Jimmy was
determined and steady and very settled. His family was close by
or near enough and he loved London, he wasted no time with
useless dreams of leaving it. However, everything changed
after I knew the mind five or six years. His sister, Carmen's
eight year old son Joseph, went missing. And after a month
looking for the boy, I went out myself on trips with Jimmy to
parks all over the Capitol. The child's body was found in a
canal by Kings Cross.
Let's just say he'd not fallen in the bastard who did it was
eventually God and sent the president.
The whole business cast a shadow over Jimmy for many years, as it
did everyone in the Finney family. He lost his business and
soon left construction altogether. At some point, that
kind of acceptance came over Jimmy so that those who met him
years later could not believe that there was this horrible
story in his background. So they will express the shock to me or
others in our circle, but rarely to Jimmy himself. In the years
that followed, he would look out for my own children, sensitive
as he was, I suppose, to their fragile presence in this world.
All his sweets and toys he bought them. And as a cab driver
for many actors performing in the West End, he would often be
given free tickets to shoes and once he personally brought my
eldest, Aladdin on ice, she was never to forget his kindness.
Then 12 or so years after the arrest of little Joseph killer,
I began to see another change in my friend. He became this time
markedly sullen, withdrawn. I told him I had been the
nightshift he was working in his cab. What's up I said, it's
McHugh.
He's getting out in the summer. Jimmy Feeny
said, his face, Ashen. Fuck said, I put my hand on the man's
shoulder. The power of his strong frame was palpable
beneath my fingers. For months, then whenever I go meet him at
the dogs or in the Blackstar the bar I worked in Kilburn, he
would have had the same depressed look as if Joseph
disappearance was happening all over again. He was not just
morose but distracted when he talked. He became precise in
these habits. He drank steadily. Only one point when in the past
he might have had three or more. He looked firmer in his body to
wiry as if he'd been working out. I began to think that this
mild mannered giant for he was over six foot six inches tall,
was planning something I went straight for the jugular you're
not thinking of doing that without McHugh Are you? And you
by him that he understood perfectly what I meant.
I can't talk about it calm, the less you know, the better.
Which as far as I was concerned meant he will always planning
something possibly in cahoots with members of his own family.
His brothers maybe I can't say I blame them at all. I would join
them if they'd asked me.
They will be watching you. I said the police. They'll know
you'll be wanting to do things to the bastard.
Don't be stupid. Say no more.
are in June then just before McCune is released, Jimmy came
in to see me again at the Blackstar he stood up on his
usual barstool. This time he was more vivacious, the color
returned to his fat dimpled cheeks. It was a joy to see him
this way. After all the pain had gone through, especially of
late. No doubt having to revisit in his mind, the time of his
nephews disappearance and vile demise. I thought perhaps he
made some kind of peace with the news of Macuser imminent
release. What's the matter, Jimmy? I said,
You won't believe me.
Come on. Hope it's not the duty. You know who? Jimmy shook his
head.
No, con, nothing to do with that. I'm driving a Hollywood
star on the police for the next few weeks. She asked especially
for me as a hetero niqab once before and we hit it off that
time.
Who is he asked Racquel Welsh. Jimmy licked his lips and pulled
forward across the bar.
No, actually, is Lauren Bacall. And she's working on film in
London. And I'm her driver.
I can be the jealous type. Always better about my wholesale
failure in that wonderful city. I've long since left. But it was
not bitter but are jealous of Jimmy's news. He had often
celebrities in his cab, though. I did not remember him telling
me about his earlier stint with Bacall. I would have remembered
that. To this was good news. Indeed. Some excitement and
glamour, if only reflected for the man at last. find anyone to
serve to boost it was he? I've often thought since I had
circumstances been different. Jimmy himself might have done
well in Hollywood. A handsome enough man. He was drawn to
theater musicals and loved and had great knowledge of the old
black and white films, the movie stars of all. So this kid was
right up the street. What's she like? I said,
so far she's a sassy one. Gives me the lowdown on all the actors
she's working with. Vanessa Redgrave Albert Finney. On doors
the director wants to film that she say some Agatha Christie
story. Murder on the Orient Express. I think it is.
The She asked you about your life. She does. Did you tell her
but
Joseph I did. And she went all quiet. When I told her
a real life murder. That's why the celebrities are shielded
from that, you know, real life. I said I Jimmy said returning to
start. I suppose you didn't tell her with a certain plan. You
seem to be cooking up back there.
Of course I fucking didn't.
Over the next few weeks. Whenever he came into the pub,
he'd been glowing. He tell me about what new star he'd met at
Ealing studios. Who else had been in the cab with Lauren
Bacall, who he said, had booked him to show for her to shoots
interviews in restaurants for the period of three weeks around
London. He said she had a great sense of humor and talked
politics with a non stop and that Vanessa Redgrave and she
had hit it off. We're both rebels. two peas in a pod. Boat
he said had a compelling sense of justice.
A lot of smoke in the car to marine says I reek. And you
know, you're right Khan.
I looked at him quizzically. I did
tell her Lauren Bacall what we're planning to do to McHugh.
Jimmy seemed unfazed by the revelation. So he's are doing
something. What'd she say that?
She said, I don't blame you. But it isn't smart. Yeah. Yeah.
Well, she's right. Prepare she has. She's Lauren Bacall.
Jimmy smiled. Then dove his lips into the black of his paint.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I suspected there was
still some plan afoot. But I let it go. Stupidly, perhaps. I
don't know why I suspected except that Jimmy seem so
particularly unraveled. More caulk shortens usually quietly
confident self. The specter of McHugh no longer haunting him as
plainly as it had. When I originally envisaged the Finney
family taking revenge, I thought it might be a case of roughing
McHugh up but the Finis were neither fighters or killers. So
I decided not to fret on Julia but my friends and tensions
which he insisted he no longer had. One night around about this
time. He offered to give me a ride home to my gaff once my
shift was finished for your charge
Do you want to meet her?
He said, As we drove north along the Kilburn high road, who I
said, Oh,
do you bloody think?
I laughed? We took a ride onto me Grove Road and drove into
West Hampstead and from there to Hampstead, robocall stain.
She's got to shoot tonight she won't mind I've already
mentioned yet.
What could he possibly have to say about media a Hollywood
star? I have no idea. And I did not ask. We pulled up outside
her house a tall Victorian red brick property on leafy Street.
An old oak tree hovered over the house, sheltering it sort of. In
many other parts of London this would have been chopped down.
But here in Hampstead there were so many tall blowsy Trees
leaning into houses that the oak seemed right at home. Jimmy said
I should go with him to the front door of the house and
canceling surprises passenger once he got in the cab. I exit
the car and immediately heard the hood of an hour. Jimmy and I
both looked up at the Open Solar round Farrell head of the bird
staring straight at us. It was moments like this that my wife
had said she missed most about Ireland. Her time with nature
and wildlife. And you hear was in London right in front of me.
As we approach the door of the host Lauren Bacall appeared on
the porch.
This is Khan. I'm dropping them off on the way the tall,
neatly curved woman standing regally before me offered her
hand and I shook it a real pleasure to meet you, Miss
McCall. I said Kim I'd like it was a bottler or some class of
kept hoping fool anyway.
Call me Betty.
I sat in the front of Jimmy's cab and his more dazzling
passenger sat in the back. She was mesmerizing. Her neck like a
swans, her eyes pale and hooded. And of course, there was that
voice smokey direct.
I've heard a lot about UConn.
I watched her in the mirror. She sat back to light up a
cigarette. She hauled furiously on it and exhaled. I tell you, I
was quite happy that entailed a thick minty smoke and willingly
let her expanded breath warm my lungs. Hope it was all good. I
said how it
was. He says you're thinking of going back to Ireland. He will
miss you. I think a Jimmy.
Jimmy laughed. And I could see he was blushing. I couldn't
imagine he'd have anything nice to say about me to anyone, let
alone Hollywood royalty. adds the wife Betty. She misses the
place. And as it looks like she'd be inheriting a house
there soon I might have a little bottle on my hands. Lauren
Bacall smiled and turn to look at the window. The night was
clear and the streets were full of people coming home from pubs
and nightclubs.
My daughter is the most liked Bogey, my first husband. They
both believe or believed I should say in the case of bogey.
Where do you do the thing where you can give the most be of
service for everyone's good, sort of like an act of love that
has stood us all in good stead I think so keep that in mind calm.
No need to battle with your dear wife. A file
of smoke no hovered in the middle of the car. I wanted to
cough but I suppressed the urge with all my might. Mainly
because I felt so enormously lucky to be receiving advice
from such a woman. Though I did not know precisely what she
meant. I do remember looking over at Jimmy then he was
clearly turning her words over in his mind making his own sense
of them. He led me on Boscombe road. By now it was past
midnight and Shepherds Bush was quiet. I walked to the house all
dark inside apart from the low glow of a lamp in the living
room where I knew my wife will be waiting for me. I couldn't
wait to tell her of my encounter with Lauren Bacall. By the end
of the month, McHugh was dead. He had been hit at high speed by
a car which had driven over his body several times and with such
brutal force, the man had been decapitated. It had happened at
night on a street in Muswell Hill, and the car was not seen
are reported. The police went to see Jimmy immediately knowing he
was a cabbie, knowing he and the other men and women of the Feeny
family had a serious score to settle with McHugh. But Jimmy
had a cast iron alibi, which the police had double check More
times than was needed. No doubt the glimpse again the smoky
voice goddess of the film's they've grown up with Lauren
Bacall confirmed that at the time the hit and run was
supposed to have happened. Jimmy Feeney had been driving her from
a late night cigarette and whiskey run. He was her driver
after all. Before I left London, finally, to go back to Ireland,
the greatest regret of my life I must say I met with Jimmy one
last time. We shared a pot of tea and Venus cafe in the north
end of Kilburn. Jimmy seemed aloof. He looked at constantly
at the new row and saplings been planted on the verge of the high
road. When I told him the details about my wife's
inheritance, he passed no remarks. I didn't feel easy
enough for them to mention the dead McHugh. I tried to give him
money. I told him buddy wouldn't accept it. Jimmy said you'd
visit me in Ireland but he like Pat from Cork and most of my
London pals. They never did. Though he did tell me he'd quit
capping. That after driving Lauren Bacall around for three
weeks he could hardly go back to teenagers vomiting in the back
of his Mercedes on Saturday nights. I've since heard he did
eventually go back to it. I believe he was hired again by
Miss McCall or Betty, as she was known to her friends. Jimmy and
I shook hands when we left each other. And I realized that it
was the first time we've ever done that touched each other
skins on. His hands were gentle and soft. I noticed his shake,
limp, which I remember thinking from a powerful big bone man
like him was surprising. Everyone I knew during my own
wife thought it was Jimmy who plowed over McHugh. But once I
chickened the man's hand, I was not so sure. Though, over time,
I've come to understand that there are people in his life who
are capable of turning against their own nature, good or bad
for something they perceive as more important, such as love our
family perhaps
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