2.21.2017

THE SYNOPSIS FOR JERUSALEM

‘ There was a time when I used to believe in this country. A time when writers poets and artists waxed lyrical about this green and pleasant land. A time of childish innocence when I believed in the tooth fairy, Scrooge and Christmas past, Santa Claus and his Reindeers trotting around the galaxy dropping off presents for all the kids in the world and that every little girl was made of the sweetest tasting sugar and spice. Of course that was all before the shit hit the fan. ‘  

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Seen through the eyes and actions of the stories main protagonist – ageing lifelong skinhead Johnny Hodges – Jerusalem is a dark violent journey through the slashed and torn social fabric of contemporary Britain. After involving himself in an incident in which an Asian homeboy Johnny assaulted stabbed and sentenced to six years in Strangeways where he is sent to D wing which is full of honest decent solid English criminals and seasoned football hooligans where he shares a cell with the inimitable Mickey Fuller who is also a lifelong skinhead.   But that’s where the similarity ends with Micky unable to accept that Johnny only attacked the three Asians only because they were bullies and nothing to do with the colour of their skin. Micky is a hard as nails heavyweight east end vehement Nazi skinhead ever since he was big enough to wear a pair of Doc Martens harbouring a deeply rooted psychotic hatred for anyone who isn’t white and English and a diehard fan the late great Ian Donaldson of the right wing white power skinhead band Skrewdriver who Micky was a roadie for back in the day. Micky drives Johnny metal with his relentless racist indoctrination hoping he’ll eventually see the light, and especially his unswerving hatred of ‘ all these fucking Muslim cunts invading our country and no fucker seems willing to do anything about it. Well I’ll show the oily rag headed fuckers what happens when you fuck about with the English. You just wait Johnny mate. ‘

‘ Me and a couple of my ex – army mates have been planning this for fucking ages making sure we’ve got every angle covered so there’s going to be no fuck ups. I don’t know if you know this Johnny but London Birmingham and Leeds have the biggest Mosques in the country always packed with the fuckers praying to Allah so we’re going to give them something to pray for, give them a taste of their own medicine. We’re going in dressed in fucking Burkas loaded up with Semtex high explosive connected to my mobile phone. As soon as the three of us are in place, two rings from my phone and BOOM! Hundreds of the fuckers to bits in seconds We’re calling ourselves the Patriots of the Cross and our sacrifice will provide the kick start needed for all decent honest Englishmen to rise up against these Muslim fuckers so why don’t join us and do the Mosque in Manchester the same time to show how much you care about the country we love and are prepared to die for just like all the brave unselfish lads in the first and second world wars did to save England from the Krauts. We’re all soldiers in the fucking war   so have a good think about it Johnny mate because me and my mates going out in one fucking great big blaze of glory with or without you so it’s your shout mate. ‘

A question Johnny is still thinking about the day he is realised two years after Micky got his parole vowing to keep in contact with each other. Finally after four long frustrating years in prison, Johnny is back in charge of what remains of his life once again as his old mates Geoff and Tel screech to a stop as Johnny jumps in the Jag for the drive back to Blackpool demolishing several lines of Charlie with a bottle of Jack Daniels en route with northern soul on full blast all the way home. The following morning Johnny wakes up in bed suffering a hangover when the loneliness of his life hits him harder than ever before and what hurts him more is that he’s now too old to even begin to redress the balance.

Even the one person he hoped would be waiting for him has moved on. Debbie who he’s known for years who lives on the floor below him who he could call on whenever he was feeling low and horny for some company and tender loving care when the goodbye letter from their partner turns up with the bad news that she can’t hang around any longer wasting her life waiting for him and that she’s found a new man to satisfy her needs. And if that isn’t bad enough he finds himself at the mercy of the probation service and social security on a strict licence as his probation officer Mike Jackson explains the score. ‘ I’m afraid that’s how the early release system for ex-offenders works Mister Hodges. You report to me once a week during which you must keep on the straight and narrow. If not then I’m afraid you’ll be sent straight back to prison to serve out the remainder of your time plus any added time given to you which is the last thing you need especially at your age. ‘

To rub even more salt into ever deepening wounds, there’s more bad news for Johnny after being summoned to the Jobcentre for an interview with his employment advisor Mister Alex Lassiter who explains the rules he has to abide by to qualify for rent assistance and unemployment benefit of fifty eight pounds a week. ‘ Mister Hodges. I know things aren’t easy for you since you were released from prison but you haven’t bothered to telephone the people I gave you for an interview which leaves me in the awkward position of having to suspend your unemployment benefit if you don’t make a serious effort to find work before our next meeting. ‘ Johnny sits there feeling his temper boiling listening to this wanker talking to him like he was some retard as Mister Lassiter who is adjusting the computer screen to allow Johnny to see the jobs on offer. ‘ I can’t fucking believe what I’m hearing. I was born and bred in England and my old man died as a result of him fighting for this country and you’re giving me all this shit for sixty quid a fucking week. Something’s gone seriously fucking wrong with this country when shit like this is allowed to happen don’t you think? ‘ ‘ Believe me I do understand and sympathise with you but every case we deal with is different so please try to calm down ‘ Mister Lassiter pleads as two burly security personnel suddenly appear wondering what all the shouting is about as Johnny sits there shaking his head in despair as suddenly the thought of joining Micky Fuller on his apocalyptic crusade doesn’t seem too bad an idea.

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