It was the first, real charity event of the Shelbys: maybe a little to save their faces after all that hustle and betting and everything... Who knows what. You didn’t even want to be there, but all Small Heath was gathered together like a street party: nobody gave a shit about any orphanage, but everyone was dressed up. And oh yes, everyone was competing to "kiss Tommy's ass". By the way, not knowing who he was, you bumped into him in the crowd...