Free Mo said she was quirky by James Kelman

But only what she knew and what did she know? nothing. Did he tell her everything? Of course not. He didnt know himself. Nobody did. Nobody could. Because people didnt know everything. There were matters and events his parents and uncles and aunts wouldnt speak about, especially if the memories werebad. If you went back two generations it became more complicated. It was the same with all families, unless you were rich, there were things you didnt want to know and not if it was Pakistan and India and these places where it was killings and all that, people starving to death. Mo was going to go. His parents hadnt been back for years but were saving to go again – one last time, and Mo was going with them.
    Helen wasnt. It was assumed she wasnt. She might have liked to go, if it was only her, although not with Sophie. Even the slightest risk. It would have been fine for herself but not a little girl. If Mo had asked, but he hadnt. She still hadnt met his parents. Oh well.
    But the way it was portrayed, it could never have been as bad as that: wars and bombs, suicides and assassinations and the poverty and disease; religious fanatics everywhere all waving their fists at you; people just so angry, they were angry all the time, why were they so angry? everybody was just so angry it made you shudder seeing them and all millions of them; it was America did it with their policies and how they didnt care about people starving and dying but only their own wealth and taking other people’s resources, just stealing them really. It was true. They stole everything and then were annoyed if you told them to stop like how children behave. But Mo was prejudiced too because it was America so it had to be bad, him and his mates, but if it was religion and men’s attitudes my God even walking down the street if it was over there, Pakistan or wherever, what did he know about that? If you were a white woman and just dressed ordinary then you were evil and no better than a prostitute, men all looking at you and all their hypocrisy, oh yes, they wanted you for sex and then called you a prostitute, wanting to punish you and cover you up, it was so shocking, they would put you in a sack, if you were a woman my God if ever you did go there you would just be angry all thetime and if you went into the country and got lost, without any roads, not proper ones, or even in the city, a crowded street with market stalls and you could hardly move between people, all claustrophobic and you got separated. And if you were snatched. It happened. What if it was a little girl?
    It would never have happened because Helen would never have taken her. That was the one thing. If Helen ever was to go it wouldnt be until Sophie had grown. Even then. Perhaps she would never take her at all.
    Helen closed her eyes and rested back on the chair. She couldnt even sleep properly.
    Then Mo’s family too, what about them? Caught by a white woman. His mother said that, apparently. English woman was white woman. English woman with her own baby. They hadnt expected Mo to get
caught
by an English woman with her own baby which meant white woman with her own baby. ‘Own baby’. Of course ‘own baby’. Whose did they expect? It made you laugh if you didnt cry. Mo laughed. Helen didnt. She didnt cry either. It was just nothing. At one time it would have upset her. Now it didnt. Really, it didnt.
    There was so much else. People’s fights and feuds. It was silly nonsense. English woman. What did it matter? Scottish and English. Prejudice was everywhere. In casinos you met all nationalities under the sun but prejudice was there too, and hate, you saw hate. Then if you were white they expected you to be the same. You were prejudiced too. That was expected. They even winked at you when the person couldnt see. It was so so cowardly, and making you a coward too! Why bring you into it? If they want to be racist cowards they can be but why bring in other people? Just because you are white