by S G Read
'Your mum is good to allow them out there together!' Jenny replied.
'We need all of them to play a game of football when they come, we grew close when we were in the jungle.' Stuart explained. 'You know, all for one and all that.'
'But after a struggle!' Stevey added.
'I thought it was one long struggle!' Stuart replied. 'But worth it though.'
'It’s a shame about Si’s dad!' Stevey added. 'Do you think he is still alive?'
'Well let me think, he got sucked out of an aeroplane at ten thousand feet-' Stuart started.
'We weren’t that high by then, we hit the mountain soon after!' Stevey retorted, interrupting.
'That’s true. I suppose if he landed in a tree and it cushioned his fall he might just have broken most of his bones but lived to tell the tale.' Stuart declared.
'It would make Si happy, if he did come back.' Stevey said remembering how many times Simon had cried on their journey through the jungle.
'And his mum.' Stuart added.
'Remember me?' Jenny said from her bed. 'I thought you came to see me, not to reminisce!'
'Sorry, want to play hangman.' Stuart offered.
'Okay.' Jenny replied, as it was what they usually played.
Jenny knew some good words for a girl her age and background. She explained. ‘When you have no telly and very few books, you read what you have and my favourite is a dictionary.’
‘How can you read a dictionary?’ Stuart asked.
‘That’s easy, you just look through it and read about any words that stand out.’ Jenny answered.
They found out what she meant when they played hangman, they chose all the vowels and it only had one E in the middle of the word. They guessed letters and tried to work it out until their stick man was well and truly hanged. Normally Jenny would not tell anyone what the word was, so that she could use it again but this time she filled it in. The word was phlegm! The decided to find some good words for when they played next time, for now they could only use words they could spell.
The next morning Stuart rescued the bones from the freezer and left them out to defrost. He hid them behind the garage out of sight, to make sure his parents did not see them. The he ate his breakfast slowly, to give them time to defrost. Stevey did the same, which made Wendy look at them several times, trying to work out what they were up to but she said nothing, apart from discussing the visit to Jenny the previous night. After breakfast they played on the computer until they thought the bones might have defrosted but when they checked the bones had done more than defrosted, they were gone! Stuart looked round for the culprit but there was no one, or no animals visible.
'Now what?' Stevey asked.
Stuart did not answer straight away. He stood watching the area, thinking. He needed something for the dog to eat but what? The answer came to him in a flash. His mother was very careful with food and what they were going to have last night, a bit of pork would be in the bin or on its way there! To save delving in the big bin he walked into the kitchen nonchalantly, thinking he might look in that one first.
'What are you up to?' Wendy asked suspiciously. 'I’ve seen that, I’m not really here mode, before!'
'Just thought I’d help, anything you want done?' Stuart answered too innocently.
'The bin needs emptying.' Wendy replied, expecting an excuse as to why he could not do it.
'Okay.' Stuart replied. He lifted the lid, pulled out the bag and took it outside. Once out of sight, he stood it on the big bin and pulled out the piece of pork. 'Good old mum.'
Stevey was left to tie the bag up and put it in the big bin but if Wendy expected Stuart back to put a new bag in the little bin, she was way off! With the rest of the rubbish in the big bin, they were on their way across the field to the raft and a rendezvous with a ferocious dog.
They were soon poling the raft across to the other side, before they were half way across the dog appeared but did not bark, it just stood waiting. When they were it range Stuart threw a piece of the pork over to the dog. It caught it in mid air and after making sure it was worth eating, he devoured it. They poled closer and closer, each time throwing the pork. When the raft hit the beach the dog was close enough to take it from Stuart’s hand and Stuart gave the dog the piece of meat while Stevey stood at the back of the raft, ready to push of if need be. The dog took it carefully and ate it. The next time he gave the dog the meat, he took the chance and stroked him. The dog accepted it and then the last piece of meat. They did not stay there when there was no meat left, just in case. The poled back, causing the dog to bark but it was a different bark. They waved and headed home.
'We need more meat, something with bones to make it last longer!' Stuart complained. 'That dog is like waste disposal chute!'
'Maybe it’s hungry!" Stevey declared.
'Well if it is, we’ll soon be friends!' Stuart replied.
In the kitchen the bin lid was still open and there was no bag in it. Stuart saw that and put a bag in it.
'Sorry mum, I got otherwise detained.'
His chore done, they went upstairs to play on the computer.
Pat Brown came home earlier than usual she had a cake to make. It was Stevey’s birthday, up until now, it did not even rate a card, as they was a waste of money. As she was rarely home, it was usually the evening before she wished him happy birthday. As he was with Stuart and she had the time, she was baking a birthday cake to take out there. Wendy was going to collect her later but she still needed all the time she had. The door bell ringing annoyed her. She expected a neighbour, or someone for Stevey not a red faced man puffing, as though he had just finished the marathon.
'Yes, how can I help?' She asked.
The red faced man pointed to a tall square shaped package which leant against the wall next to him. 'Is there a Stephen Brown living here?' He asked.
'Yes but he is out at the moment.' She replied then the penny dropped. 'Is that from Devon?'
'No from round the corner but the order was from Devon!' The man replied.
'What has she sent this time?' She asked eyeing the package.
'It is a snooker table. Quarter size with a slate bed! Does that lift ever work?' The man complained.
'Rarely, I never try it myself, just in case I get stuck inside.'
'I’ll just bring up the rest of the gear!'
'Such as?'
'The balls, cues, score board, triangle and chalk.' He walked off.
Pat watched him go but when she tried to lift the package inside, it was too heavy for her. She waited for him to come back and asked him to lift it inside for her and he did so. As soon as he was gone, she phoned Wendy.
'Wendy it’s Pat, the cow from Devon has struck again!'
'What has she sent this time?' Wendy asked, expecting the worst.
'A snooker table!'
'What full size?'
'No quarter size but it has a slate bad and I can’t even move it!'
'I’ll get David.'
Pat waited until David picked up the phone.
'Must be the slate bed which makes it so heavy.' He said. 'We have room to put it up here and they can use it. If I come over now and get Sherman and C.J to help me, we can collect it and set it up but first we need to get rid of them for a while, before any of the others arrive. It will be a good birthday for him and the table will be out of your way.'
'You think you and the two boys can manage it? I thought the man who brought it up here was going to have a heart attack!' Pat asked.
'I could do it myself if that lift ever worked,' David replied, 'but the three of us should cope.'
'I’ll take them shopping just before you get back, don’t let the others arrive for the party until I’ve gone!' Wendy said from beside him.
'Sounds good to me.' David replied. 'I’m on my way Pat.'
David telephoned Sherman before he left but as his father was bringing him to the party he agreed to help him, and he had a van! David arrived and found the others waiti
ng, they found the lift working but when they reached it with the table it would not fit inside.
'What a titchy lift!' Sherman said in dismay.
They struggled down the stairs with it and slid it gratefully into Mr. Sherrington’s van.
'I’ll see you over there David.' He said as he climbed in. 'No point in you hanging back, this thing don’t go fast when it has any weight in it.'
'I’ll hang on and bring Pat, the cake is almost cooked now. It will save Wendy coming over, after the shopping and save us trying to keep the rest of them quiet, until Pat is there with the cake!' David replied. 'If you beat me there make sure Wendy has taken them shopping. There is a key under the wheelie bin round the back.'
'Okay, I’m picking up C.J on the way but his dad is coming over later.' Mr Sherrington said and climbed into his van.
'Thanks tom, I’ll see you over there.' David said and pushed for the lift, nothing happened. In the end he had to walk up the stairs.
Wendy called the two boys from their room and made them go shopping with her, much to their annoyance. She did not hurry and looked round the shop a long time. Stuart grew more and more annoyed but tried not to show it, as Stevey was enjoying himself. Finally she reached the till and they could unload onto the belt. She paid and chatted with the girl for a few seconds, then they were on their way. When they reached home they still had to unload before they could head upstairs again, to play on the computer. When they passed the spare room the door opened and David walked out.
'You’re back then?' He asked as Wendy slid up the stairs behind them. 'Look in there Stevey.'
He pointed inside and they looked where he pointed. Inside was a snooker table, set up and ready to play. The rest of the team were in there as well and a lot of parents with them.
They all shouted 'Happy birthday Stevey.' and surged forward.
Stevey was swept inside to open the presents they thrust into his hand.
'Wow, is it ready to use?' Stuart asked from where he stood next to his father.
'It is but be careful and no drinks in this room from now on! Got it?' David replied and waited for an answer.
‘No drinks or food in there on pain of death.’ Stuart agreed.
'Good, tell the rest! I can take it down as fast as I put it up! It is Stephens his great, great aunt sent it to him. There was no room in his flat so we brought it here' He walked off to let them play, he could join in later.
'I wish I had a great, great aunt like her!' He heard Stuart say as he walked away.
On Friday morning Stevey found Stuart trying to straighten the wheel he had buckled but it was obvious that it had had it as a wheel unless a miracle occurred.
'Why are you up so early?' Stevey asked. 'I thought I was the only one to get up this early.'
'If I can’t fix this, I will have to run to the shops and get some more bones!' Stuart replied.
'I’d better come then, he might not bother us if there are two of us!'
As they were both in shorts and football shirts Stuart said. 'Okay let’s go then!'
They paused long enough to make sure Wendy knew where they were going, then ran off looking as fit as they could. The bully was probably still in bed and they left the road without incident and jogged to the butchers. Armed with another bag of bones they jogged back. There was still no sign of the bully but when they passed his house they could hear a woman shouting, probably trying to get him out of bed.
Willie heard a horn toot at the closed gate and called the dog.
'Marmalade!' He called, then repeated the call until the dog appeared. He chained the dog up and walked to the gates. When he was sure it was Silas, he opened the gates and closed them again after his boss had driven through. When he walked up to the house Marmalade was straining at his chain, trying to get at Silas but the chain was stronger than he was. Marmalade did not like Silas. The two men walked inside. After a quick look round to make sure no one was watching, Willie twisted one of the banisters uprights near the bottom of the stairs. To his left a door clicked open and they walked inside, and down into the cellar.
'You set that up?' Silas asked.
'Yes boss and I made sure you can’t find the door, even if you were looking for it!'
'How’s the printing going? You are printing now?'
'It’s all going well boss. I got the parts yesterday and tried it last night.'
Silas examined the finished product, a near perfect £20 pound note. 'Looks okay to me, I got the packaging in the boot. As soon as they are dry, you pack them up and stack them, I’ll collect them next Friday.'
'Okay boss.'
'Well get printing, we haven’t got all day!'
Willie turned on the press and started printing the notes while Silas watched. Every time the printer produced a note, he was richer and he liked being richer!
Stuart hid the bones out of sight and under enough junk to keep the strongest of animals away from it, then they walked in for breakfast. Wendy pointed upstairs and they knew she meant a shower and there was no arguing with Wendy. They took turns in having a shower as David was soaking in the bath. When they walked back down there was a hearty breakfast waiting for them. Wendy was still trying to overfill Stevey but he was used to it by now. When they went to walk off after breakfast Wendy called them back.
'The hospital rang, we can go and get Jenny today!' She announced.
Stuart looked at Stevey, then back to Wendy. 'We’ll be ready in half an hour, is that all right?'
'Yes, but make sure it is no longer!'
'Okay mum.'
They ran to the garage, rescued the bones from their hiding place and ran for the raft. They poled across and waited, they called and waited but there was no dog.
'Typical!' Stuart complained and to Stevey’s horror, he stepped on to the other bank. But Stuart was not being exceptionally brave, he stayed just long enough to lay one of the bones on the only patch of grass there, then legged it back on to the raft. 'Time to get Jenny, I was hoping to have tamed the hound of the Baskervilles, before she came but we will have to do it later.'
Back at the house David had just finished his breakfast when the boys returned. Wendy looked at her watch.
'Early, now that is unusual, no in fact remarkable.' She declared. 'Get changed, you can’t go like that, either of you!'
They knew better than to argue and hurried up to change and to play a quick game of snooker, much to the annoyance of David and Wendy.
David parked in the hospital car park and paid for an hour, the shortest time available but still costing more than a pound. He was still complaining about it, when they walked into the hospital, threatening to write a letter about it. He thought they should have a free dropping off and picking up zone! They all knew the way to the ward jenny was on and were soon gathered round her in the day room. She was all packed and ready to go. Her bed already had another patient in it, as if to make sure she did go.
'Hi.' She said as though she was unperturbed but there was an obvious look of relief on her face, when she saw them.
'Did you think we weren’t coming?' Stuart asked, seeing the look on her face.
'Of course not, I just thought you’d be here earlier is all!'
'We were playing snooker on our new table, I’ll teach you when we get home.' Stuart declared with pride.
'I’ll teach you more like.' Jenny replied. 'I play snooker with my dad a lot when we are in the club.'
Stuart picked up Jenny’s case and carried it for a little way, before he let David take over. They walked in a little group, with Jenny saying goodbye to several of the children they passed, then they reached the nurse who was on duty. Jenny stopped to say goodbye to her, before they moved on. They walked down the slope toward the car park and made it to the start of the car park. Suddenly Jenny yelled in pain and collapsed holding her stomach and curled up into a ball. Stuart was down on his knees next to her in a flash.
'Is it your stomach?' He asked.
Jenny man
aged to nod.
'Do you fill sick?' He asked.
Jenny was violently sick, some of it over him.
'It’s appendicitis I think.' Stuart said, trying to comfort Jenny and ignoring the vomit on his clothes.
David ran for a wheel chair and came charging back with one and a couple of doctors, who just happened to be going in at the time. Jenny was helped into the wheel chair and rushed back to the emergency room, she was wheeled through to the examining rooms by the doctors leaving the rest of them to wait in the waiting room. Stuart went into the wash room to clean up and when he returned Wendy put her arms round him despite his wetness.
'So Doctor Sellars, what would you have done if you were in the jungle?' She asked proudly.
'An overdose of feverfew and operate I think, it depends if it was before or after I got a hole shot through my book! After that it was mostly guesswork.' Stuart replied. 'I’m glad were right outside a hospital though.'
They sat and waited, after fifteen minutes Jenny’s dad walked in.
'She has appendicitis, I just signed the consent form and she has been wheeled into theatre.' He declared. 'Thank you for looking after her but we will have to delay her visit for a while.'
'We’ll pop back and see her when she is awake Brian.' David replied. 'There’s no point in you staying, do you want a lift home?'
'No thanks, I’ll hang around until she is out of theatre. I know it’s a waste of time but she is all I have and I haven’t been able to help her a lot since she has been ill.'
'Okay. I’d probably do the same anyway.' David replied.
They parted and when they were far enough away, Stuart overtook them and stood in front of David. 'What if he can’t afford a taxi?'
'That is a possibility Stu but not the sort of thing you ask when there is a crowd of you. Men have their pride you know!'
'Sorry dad.' Stuart replied, his head dropping just a little. Then the head raised back up. 'You will go back and make sure though?'
'I will. I’ll take him some coffee or something and ask discreetly, is that okay?' David asked.