How Late It Was, How Late

“He was hell of a weary but; drained, ye know. He was due to be mind you; the battering he had took. Plus sometimes ye just feel like drawing the curtains. Getting the blankets ower the head. That was the way Sammy felt. It wasnay the first doing he had had and sure as fuck it wouldnay be the last.”

James Kelman employs several literary elements and devices to convey Sammy’s physical and emotional exhaustion. The repetition of the third person at the beginning of sentences creates a sense of weariness and emphasizes Sammy’s distance from himself. The image of drawing the curtains and getting under the blankets serves as a metaphor for wanting to retreat from the world.

“Fuck it. Sammy had nay regrets. Ye try to work things out. When ye go wrong; ye get yourself the gether; ye give it another go; ye hope it works out. But if it doesnay it fucking doesnay. What can ye do. Same auld fucking process. It can be damaging for the nut but that’s the fucking problem. Plus the physical side of things man the disintegrating process, ye have to face up to it, ye dont need the fucking sodjers to give yer body a battering, ye perform the job yerself.”

Kelman employs raw and unfiltered language to depict Sammy’s gritty outlook on life. The use of profanity reflects Sammy’s working-class background and adds realism to his character. The use of repetition lends force to a certain thought, in this case that of resilience and determination.

“Take it easy. It’s okay man ye take it easy. Big breaths. Take it easy. Ye get on top of the problem, know what I’m talking about, that’s what ye do, that is it, that’s the whack. Ye look around and ye see if it’s this way or that way or what the fuck, so it gets worked out.”

Sammy’s inner voice is at times aggravated and at other times calm. Sammy often speaks to himself in second person, as to someone different from himself. This voice acts as a super-ego that is in control and helps Sammy find his ground.

“So he needed to clear the brains, to think; think, he needed to fucking think. It was just a new problem. He had to cope with it, that’s all, that was all it was. Every day was a fucking problem. And this was a new yin. So ye thought it out and then ye coped.”

Sammy grapples with his sight loss and is determined to keep moving forward. He greatly trusts his mind’s ability to find solutions for the direst situations. His insistence on thinking gives him a sense of security, as opposed to his physical situation, which is often disorienting and chaotic.

“It seemed a flash yet he knew it wasnay, it was through the night. And that’s a funny thing. How do ye know it’s through the night? It’s nothing to do with being blind. Just for anybody. In fact it’s easy, cause not only is it as quiet as the grave but ye’ve a sixth sense tells ye. These things get a bit creepy. Ye seem to wake up acclimatised to everything ye’ve done at the most recent point in yer life.”

Sammy’s realization of the way one’s body works provides an existentialist moment. He realizes that his body’s instincts and ability to get used to different situations is not controlled by his mind.

“That’s what it is man the killer instinct, they’re sodjers, trained to kill; so much so they have to get reined back in—all their fucking manuals and all their guidelines and procedures, page after page of when-no-to’s, all the exceptional circumstances for when ye dont do it, that first command, when ye’ve no to obey it.”

Sammy’s dehumanizing description of the policemen reflects their treatment of him. Their relationship is unequal, as Sammy is much more vulnerable than the police agents. Sammy also shows an understanding of how violence gets taught and perpetuated within some institutions, such as the police.

“He was doing fine. The money was in the pocket and here he was. It was no that he was special. He didnay even want to be special. He didnay. All he wanted was to do as good as. As good as. If jobs needed doing then ye went ahead and done them, blind or no blind. That was one thing Sammy had learned, yer man, the bold yin.”

Having cashed in his social benefit money, Sammy reflects on how he feels. He acknowledges that he doesn’t aspire to be special or extraordinarily successful; he merely wants to do as well as others. Sammy’s perspective reflects an ethos of perseverance and resilience. Despite his sight loss and challenging circumstances, Sammy’s determination to carry on and make a living resonates with the tone of resilience in the face of adversity that runs through the novel.

“Sammy sniffed. So is that my claim for Dysfunctional Benefit scrubbed now?

Well I’m afraid not, it is withdrawn though.

How d’ye mean like it stays on the computer?

Yes, but it’s filed as a withdrawn claim.

See if I change my mind…

What about Mister Samuels?

Well I dont know yet, but if I do I mean if I do change my mind… What happens then?

That depends, on what ye were changing yer mind about. These situations are particular.

Right.

Do ye have anything in mind?

Naw no really.”

This quote depicts the absurd conversations that Sammy has with the officers at the Department of Social Services. This Kafkaesque fragment shows the endless robotic conversations that do not have a clear resolution. The fragment uses circular reasoning and contrast between Sammy’s use of a Glaswegian dialect of Scots and the officer’s use of standardized English.

“[A]fter twenty years of marriage

It’s the first time you havent made the bed

And the reason we’re not talking

there’s so little to say we havent said.”

Kelman uses such verses as interludes in Sammy’s stream of consciousness. The lyrics reflect a sense of loss and nostalgia, which often finds an object in his relationship with his absent girlfriend, Helen. These verses in particular reflect on a rupture in a long normal relationship and the closeness that becomes emotional distance.

“The incredible lives being led elsewhere in this poxy country, like a fucking fairy story. Ye couldnay believe yer ears at some of the stuff ye heard. Ye go about yer business, eating yer dinner and all that, washing the dishes; and ye listen to these voices. Ye think fucking christ almighty what the fuck’s going on. Sammy couldnay even see. He couldnay even fucking see man know what I’m talking about, and he still had to listen to them, these fucking bampot bastards.”

Sammy’s frustration and disbelief at the stark inequalities he perceives emphasize his sense of marginalization and powerlessness. His inability to see intensifies his feelings of frustration, as he can only listen to what he considers the absurd narratives of the privileged, making him acutely aware of his own social and economic position.

“This being blind, one thing he was gony miss; how the fuck can ye wander? Cause ye dont go out unless ye’re going someplace, someplace in particular. Plus there’s nay point wandering if ye cannay see fuck all and Sammy liked looking about, watching the office lassies and the shop lassies, these yins that worked in the style-shops; fucking beautiful man no kidding ye christ almighty see once summer starts!”

Sammy laments the loss of his ability to wander aimlessly and enjoy the sights around him, particularly admiring the women he used to observe. Sammy’s description of the beauty of the women he encountered demonstrates his appreciation for parts of life that are now inaccessible to him due to his disability. This reflection highlights the contrast between his current state of sight loss and the visual richness that he once experienced, highlighting the impact of his disability on his perception of the world.

“Fucking auld man again for christ sake how come he was thinking about him all of a sudden? these moves to watch the dough, which included no putting cold water into hot because ye had paid for the heat. It used to drive Sammy’s maw crackers. Ye spent half an hour waiting for the fucking water to cool down. It didnay even save money! It was just how the auld man hated giving cunts anything, especially the fucking capitalists. Ye pay for hot water, he said, so ye’ve got hot water, so ye dont fucking turn it into cold. Dont give them the satisfaction, fucking fat bastards.”

Sammy remembers his father’s manner of defying the capitalist system by practicing an extreme form of personal austerity: not adding cold water to boiling hot water, as it is considered a waste of energy. Sammy shows that his father has influenced him, as he has the same tendency of putting himself in uncomfortable or difficult situations in order to not contribute to the current economic and political system. The comparison suggests that marginalized people bear the burdens of austerity.

“Sammy was gony have to think, he was gony have to think. What had that cunt Charlie been up to? Fucking hell. Ye wonder about him man at his age still fucking throwing bombs ye have to wonder. Forty years auld for christ sake. It’s no even as if they were asking much, just for him to say he had met him, it wouldnay be much more than that, just saying he had met him. Wanting to confirm some fucking bullshit.”

This quote refers to Charlie Barr, Sammy’s friend who is allegedly involved in illegal political activities. The reference to “throwing bombs” is ambiguous, as it can refer to actual bombs or violent activities in general. Sammy shows that he is not aware of Charlie’s current activities. However, he also does not betray his friend during the interrogation, reflecting the deliberate ambiguity of his thoughts about Charlie.

“[H]appening to him it was happening to him, oh christ man it was happening to him and he started breathing deep and his shoulders rocking, he couldnay stop them, now scratching at his chin and neck, clawing, like there was wee creepy-crawlies under the surface, clawing at his face round the cheekbones pulling the flesh down below the eye sockets, okay, okay, the breathing, just the breathing just the breathing, unscrew yer eyes and get rid of it, rid of it.”

This quote depicts an anxiety attack from inside of Sammy’s mind. The sensations are highly unpleasant and Sammy only has control of his breathing, which he always returns to in moments of anxiety. The syntax reflects his feeling of panic and attempts to regain control as the sentence contains brief pauses—“okay, okay”—as Sammy attempts to collect himself. In this case, the panic attack is prompted by being interrogated by the police, handcuffed, and kept in a prison cell in a highly uncomfortable situation.

“Ye saying ye dont think I’m blind?

Of course not.

Well what are ye saying?

I told you a minute ago.

Could ye repeat it please?

In respect of the visual stimuli presented you appeared unable to respond.”

The quote contains Sammy’s interaction with the doctor. Sammy is hoping to obtain an assessment regarding his sight loss. The doctor, however, uses ambiguous language to turn down Sammy’s request of acknowledging his sight loss. The doctor’s language contrasts that of Sammy, showing the stark power imbalance between the worlds that each represents.

“When he had gone Sammy took out the prescription and the referral and crumpled them up. But he didnay fling them away; he was about to but he stopped and stuck them back in his pocket. Ally might have been watching from along the street. No that it mattered cause he had nay intention of going anywhere the morrow morning. He had nay intention of using a rep either. He had nay intention of doing fuck all except what he felt like. Ye just had to keep yer nerve. Nay cunt was gony get him out of trouble; nay cunt except himself.”

Sammy’s response to Ally’s insistence to represent him in court is ambiguous. He agrees to have Ally represent him, though as soon as Ally leaves, he tells himself he won’t allow Ally to do so. Sammy’s distrust of authorities extends to Ally, though throughout their interactions, Sammy does play along and gives Ally space to convince him. This reflects the cyclical nature of Sammy’s thoughts throughout the novel: He frequently considers Ally and then returns to his previous state of mind.

“Naw but it was something to do, go up Buchanan Street and find out the score. Sammy just wantit to get on a bus and then get off it. Get on in Glasgow and get off at the seaside. It would be Saturday morning. Saturday morning at half-past eight. The weather would be mild and summery, even in the middle of winter, it wouldnay rain for a fucking month; if it did it would be through the night and ye would be indoors with the little woman, all snug, like a couple of fucking bunny rabbits.”

Sammy uses images of peaceful, faraway places such as the seaside to escape his reality. The use of a utopian model, where all his troubles—including the oppressing weather of Glasgow—go away emphasizes Sammy’s sense of alienation from his own life.

“He went through to the bedroom. Just too much; too much. He was on the bed now on his front and his face was buried into the pillow. Jesus christ but ye just get so fucking angry, ye just get so fucking angry, fucking hell man fucking hell; he was greeting.”

This quote represents the only moment when Sammy allows himself to break down and cry (“greeting” means crying in Scots), while listening to a country song. The moment of vulnerability is in contrast with his usual inner dialogue, where Sammy appears angry, tough, and resilient.

“But even that was wrong cause he couldnay sit about waiting I mean if he was fucking waiting what was he waiting for, it was here right now man know what I’m saying, if ye wait, it’s got to be for something. Naybody waits to get surrounded. He wasnay gony wait for that christ almighty if ye know ye’re gony get captured then ye get to fuck, ye get fucking out man know what I mean ye get to fuck, ye dont fucking wait; that’s the last thing. Ye get to fuck. Cause nothing went back to normal.”

Sammy’s inner monologue turns to the idea of leaving Glasgow in order to escape the troubles he has with the authorities. He considers waiting for the policemen to return and arrest him again an absurd, defeatist gesture. He recognizes that something has changed in the way the policemen are treating him, and it probably has to do with political activities in which he or his friends have been involved. His refrain of “ye get to fuck”—meaning “you get out”—highlights his sense of alienation from himself, as he addresses himself as though by an outsider wanting him gone.

“So ye see this guy walk in the door and ye’ve heard he’s went blind. That’s the rumour going about. But you know him. You know him as a guy that isnay blind, no usually, no for all the time you’ve known him, usually he’s a guy that can see the same as the next man. Then as well ye’ve heard he’s in a bit of bother with the sodjers. So much so ye’re no especially wanting to be seen in his company, no from what ye hear. At the same time ye’re no wanting to upset the guy, for whatever reason, it doesnay matter. Okay now, you know that he doesnay know that you’re here, that ye’re in the pub; no if he’s really blind—cause he cannay fucking see ye. Still and all but ye cannay be sure, ye cannay take the chance; so ye send him ower a drink.”

One of Sammy’s friends sends Sammy a drink while he is at the bar without coming to chat with him. The paragraph above, in second person, portrays what Sammy thinks regarding the gesture of his friend. Sammy contextualizes the gesture, which explains the friend’s motives, while also suggesting how absurd it is to not welcome a friend in person when he walks into the bar for the first time after experiencing sight loss. This section conveys the social struggles that Sammy experiences when Becoming Accustomed to Sight Loss.

“But maybe chess would be alright. Cause it was only the future moves ye worried about, the past yins were all there and above board and it didnay matter, just what was there and what was to come. So it wasnay just a thing for the memory.”

In this quote, chess represents moving forward, as Sammy wishes to do in his life. Instead of relying on memory and his past, Sammy wants to rely on his reason and common sense while worrying only about the future. Sammy makes numerous attempts to break with his past, including his attempt to move at the end of the novel.

“[C]ause the way things are here ye know what I mean there’s fuck all, fuck all, that’s how, know what I mean ye’ve got fucking, ye’ve got to head ye know, that’s all I mean son ye’ve got to head, ye dont always…What can ye do ye know? Ye cannay always do what ye want. So that’s how the now I’ve got to head.”

In this quote, Sammy tells his son, Peter, that he needs to leave because he is forced to by his circumstances. Sammy uses this argument as an apology toward his son for abandoning him by leaving to England. However, the apology is confused, as Sammy is not used to communicating clearly, especially to those close to him.

“He crumpled it up and wrote the second yin: Dear Helen, I’m heading to England for a wee while. A few things I need to get sorted. I’ll write to you very soon. I’m really sorry about that that happened last week. You didnt have to go away. It was my fault and I was stupid. I’ll write to you very soon. Love from Sammy.”

Sammy’s letter to Helen as he departs shows that he has not given up hope of reviving their relationship. What happened between them remains ambiguous to the end of the novel; Kelman does not clarify what Sammy is “really sorry” about. While he portrays Sammy’s tenderness, this section exemplifies Sammy as an unreliable narrator.