Free Mo said she was quirky by James Kelman Page A

doesnt mean you are prejudiced. And the violence, always violence, wanting to hurt and kill. They were supposed to be Christians but didnt act like Christians.
    That was the big joke for Mo because Christians, how do they act? meaning not good, meaning prejudiced; meaning that was the way they did act, in real life, them and the Jews, it was them that were prejudiced, even the Pope, if you heard what he said. Prejudice was everywhere and not under the surface. Every time you got on a bus; everywhere. But Mo’s friends too. One time in the house she heard them about black people. She was in the company so what did it say about her? what they thought about her, to say it with her sitting there? It was so unforgivable. Helen couldnt believe her ears; a football match on television and the comments they made that were just like racist and horrible. Mo said it was a joke but it wasnt a joke, how could it be a joke it could not be a joke. If they were good men and went to the Mosque, what did it matter? and didnt smoke or drink, who cared about that? smoking or drinking, it was like eating fish, just silly, and then they abused people, other human beings. If that was Muslims and religion, my God, it was all just the same, Catholics and Protestants, it didnt stop the prejudice, they were all as bad, and her ex, just the same as him, hating people. She wanted away from it all, everything, from everything that was remotely like that, where you could bring up your children and be free from all of it; and the lies, she hated the lies; lies and falsity; pretending to be something they werent. That was people. It didnt matter where it came from, not if that was how they were and they hurt people; why did they hurt people? All the killings and murders and even babies, they didnt care if it was babies, and children, little boys and girls, you saw their smile, such innocence and like trust, trust, just believing what they would believe, little girls.
    Oh God, where did her head go? Where did it not go. And Dad too, poor old Dad.
    Why was she thinking of Dad? except if it was him and Brian, what went on with them. It was a mystery.
    But she was glad Sophie was white. She had to say that because if she wasnt, if she was not white. It made things easier. She felt sorry for foreign people; immigrants and asylum seekers. Even before knowing Mo. At the same time it was an education. What if she hadnt met him? She was so lucky. He was different from the macho stuff, so different. He was gentle! He would hate her saying it but he was.
    Oh why could she not sleep if she could only sleep! She couldnt. It didnt matter nights off and days off the only time she could sleep was when she wasnt supposed to, watching television or sitting down someplace, she did it in the cinema and in a restaurant too one time she nodded off and in company someone talking to her and trying to concentrate oh what was the woman saying what was she saying just trying to concentrate and losing it and her eyelids, drooping, drooping eyelids and you could not let them touch together and if they did they could not stay closed for long or you would be asleep and you could not it was so not polite and just not funny and she was trying so hard but only maybe a moment longer if she could only, her eyelids together and touching and that was her and she was oh then the voice breaking in Are you sleeping? Surely you arent sleeping!
    And the person had been so annoyed my God instead of worrying if Helen was okay they took it personally, that they had been slighted; their conversation was so boring you fell asleep during it. Well perhaps it was. But no, it wasnt that and Helen had to say sorry. It was funny though. But bad manners, it was like bad manners. Dad wouldnt have minded her falling asleep, not like if she was tired and so so exhausted, he would have worried about her and how was she and how was her health, he would have worried about that, so if anything happened to her. Things