THESE FEW WORDS are written so that we might understand why Pat McNab, the main character in this book, behaved in the way he did. What they definitely are not is an attempt to excuse him, for Pat is guilty and everybody knows it, but at least, with a bit of luck, they will go some way towards explaining why he grew up with the reputation of being a complete 'loo-la' and a 'headbin of the highest order' as Timmy Sullivan, the proprietor of Sullivan's Select Bar, described him one night. You see, for as far back as he could remember, Pat had always wanted to be in a 'pop' or 'show' band but his mother wouldn't countenance it.

THESE FEW WORDS are written so that we might understand why Pat McNab, the main character in this book, behaved in the way he did. What they definitely are not is an attempt to excuse him, for Pat is guilty and everybody knows it, but at least, with a bit of luck, they will go some way towards explaining why he grew up with the reputation of being a complete "loo-la" and a "headbin of the highest order" as Timmy Sullivan, the proprietor of Sullivan"s Select Bar, described him one night. You see, for as far back as he could remember, Pat had always wanted to be in a "pop" or "show" band but his mother wouldn"t countenance it. Almost losing her mind, in fact, if it was even so much as mentioned! "Band!" she would snap, glowering at her son, "I"ll give you band! Think you"re going to end up like that other lug, do you, that father of yours, disporting himself in his great big Captain"s uniform for every trollop and painted hussy that went walking the road, and ne"er so much as a copper sent home to buy a crust of bread! Band! Pshaw! Get down on your knees this very instant and scrub them tiles before I put this brush across your back and don"t think for a second I wouldn"t!"