by Terry Minett
Chapter 24
Wind and Rain
The wind is really picking up now, I must get to the pit and back before any storm starts. I cross the courtyard, everything is quiet, no girls. Opening the door I go inside, the light is not working. I edge my way forward until I think I am in range, unzipping I unleash my best friend. My urine is hitting the concrete so I edge a little closer, now that's the correct sound. I hear a noise in the corner, a man and a woman are having sex, maybe they can't afford a room. Finished I zip myself back up and leave the loving couple to get on with what they are doing.
Back in my seat I see the fires are producing the firework displays. The wind blows, a shower of orange and red sparks fly into the air. This is happening all the way down the street with the various fires that are burning, it makes for a very impressive display.
Who is this pretty woman walking towards me, ah it's Lucy. “Good evening Ben how is your evening?” “hello Lucy, the evening is good, but the rain is coming.” She takes a seat next to me, “would you like drink?” “a soda please Ben.” I look around for Brenda; she appears from inside the bar, “Brenda, a soda for Lucy,” she waves her hand in acknowledgement. “So what are you doing here tonight Lucy?” “come to see you Ben,” “then I am a lucky man.” “It's football tonight, are you interested?” “no not really Ben, I just wanted to get away from my parents for a while.” Maybe things are a little strained in her parent's house, I am not sure how many adults are living there. “You don't need a live in domestic do you Ben?” “sorry Lucy, I haven't the finances to pay you a salary,” “what about a room with a bed?” Shit I would like to help her, I do have a spare room. “Lucy, I will have chat with you tomorrow about this. I do have a room but I need to think a little first. Tonight is not the right time; I have too much alcohol in my body.” “Ok Ben, I will see you tomorrow and we will talk.” Brenda arrives with Lucy's soda, the looks Brenda gives me are that of a jealous girlfriend or wife. Lucy tells me about her time spent in the city, from the way she is talking she enjoyed it but missed home. “Thanks for the drink Ben, I am going back home before the storms arrive, see you tomorrow.” “Ok Lucy, I will be in the bar so you will know where to find me.” Lucy takes her leave, heading in the direction of her parents house. No sooner had Lucy gone, Brenda appears at my side. “So your old girlfriend is back with you,” “Lucy has never been my girlfriend Brenda,” “you slept with her,” “you have slept with a lot of men but they were not your boyfriends.” Brenda picks up the soda bottle and walks off in a huff.
Looking up into the sky the clouds are becoming more ominous. Whenever the storms are bad the electricity fails, this puts a real dampener on the evening. If it doesn't fail the clouds cause the satellite signal to disappear. That's everyone's enjoyment for the evening finished, well those who like the football anyway.
I notice a few people are carrying umbrellas, it must be raining a little. The frontage of the bar has a canopy, which is good shelter unless the wind is blowing in the wrong direction. Right now everything is good, I am dry.
“Hello Ben,” “John, how are you? here for the football I am sure.” John is a lovely man, he runs a youth club and a local football team for the kids. When I was teaching I was involved with fundraising with him. He is such a devoted man, helping other people comes naturally to him. “So how are things going?” “it's always tough Ben, trying to find sponsors is never easy.” “I am trying to get football boots, second-hand or new, so if you hear of anyone who might be interested.” If I had money in my pocket I would go out and buy the boots now. One thing that is certain, the money will go to the intended cause, not in the back pocket. “Of course I will John,” “thanks Ben, see you later.” John walks off, he chats to a few other people before disappearing into the bar.
The rain is starting to become heavy, people are trying to protect their fires. In the distance the sky is lighting up with a fantastic electrical storm. A streak of lightening makes its way to the ground, followed by a rumble of thunder, more lightening and thunder follow. I love watching electrical storms, so much unharnessed power, such a waste. The rain gets heavier, the street becomes deserted, everyone is taking shelter. Suddenly there is a big bang, everything around me seems to shake. The storm is almost overhead now, it will definitely get worse.
Looking down the street about three hundred metres away, I see sparks coming from the connections on an electricity pole. We will lose power soon. There's another big bang, louder than the one before. The rain is now pouring out of the sky, like a giant tap has been turned on. The electricity has been cut, total darkness makes the lightening strikes look even more effective. The glows from the fires leave an eerie feeling, I sit waiting for nature to decide what to do.
Slowly people get up and go inside the bar, I wait, I am still in the dry. “Ben are you ok there?” I turn to see Brenda by my side. “Yes I am fine Brenda, I love this weather, can you get me another beer?” One lone soul comes walking up the street. This person is using an umbrella that would shelter you from the sun when sat at a table, it is huge. The wind is making it difficult to keep under control. It gets closer and closer, finally it passes me. To see a giant umbrella with two small stick like legs moving along is a sight to behold. Brenda returns with my drink, “aren't you cold Ben?” looking at her she must be, a jacket complete with hood covering her body. “No, I feel good Brenda,” “you are a mad old man,” with that she turns and walks away. I think she still has a huff because of Lucy.
I sit here looking out into an empty world, every now and then the lightening lights everything up. The thunder follows, warning everyone that it is the boss. The rain is still falling in large amounts and the wind is now blowing much stronger and into the canopy. For the first time I feel rain drops hitting me, I pick up my beer and retreat inside.
~~~~~
Chapter 25
Cosy and Snug
Inside the place is full, not with customers just people sheltering from the storm. I take a seat in the corner, dropping into the chair I listen to the rain hitting the steel roof above. The rain makes music when it hits the windows, like someone tapping a tune out on empty bottles. No electricity, everyone seems to be using the torches on their mobile phones. The few candles on the bar flicker, giving a cosy feel to the evening. The wind blows into the bar and the candles are extinguished, Joseph puts a match to them and the place glows again.
Into the bar walks a very wet young lady, it's Maria. She looks around in the dim light and spots me, a wave and she starts to approach. “Hi Ben,” “hello Maria, you are wet,” “yes that bastard man would not bring me back.” She will have worse things happen to her doing the career she has chosen. “He took me out of town, about twenty minutes drive, had what he wanted then disappeared, left me in the room.” She is a novice, she has a lot to learn, wait until one of these men give her a beating. “You are doing a wet tee shirt tonight,” her tee shirt is soaking wet and clinging to her body. She is not wearing a bra, so her breasts show through. “I know Ben, I forgot to put my bra on, it's in my bag. Why, do you like what you see?” “of course,” “then it is yours.” A few years ago I might have said yes, but she could be my daughter. “Sorry Maria, you look very beautiful, but I am too old for that type of thing.” She looks at me and smiles, nothing comes from her mouth. She turns towards the bar and calls Brenda, turning back to me she asks me if I would like drink. “No thank you Maria, I have to pace myself, the evening is still young.” Brenda comes over and takes Maria's order, “what about you Ben, another?” “no thank you Brenda.” For the next ten minutes I find out more about this girl's life, some of it is good, some of it is bad. Finally she takes her leave, I think she wants to go hunting again.
Talking to Maria I hadn't realised how heavy the rain is. The noise in the bar is becoming deafening with the rain hitting the metal roof. Every now and then the bar is lit up from the lightening strikes outside. I look around the bar, or at least try to in this dim light. Even the
dogs have come inside to shelter from the rain. I am sure if Joseph spots them he will get the piece of wood out. Sam is behind the bar, he's not working just getting in Joseph's way. I suppose it's his bar, he is the king. People are shouting at each other to make themselves heard above the noise of the rain. The place is so noisy.
I notice Godfrey has returned, I hope he is not looking for something to steal. People leave their mobiles and wallets on the tables and bar, with the dim light it could be easy to lift something. He looks over and waves, I nod my head.
The rain starts to slow, the noise diminishes, I think the storm is passing. People who had been sheltering start to leave, including the dogs. The only thing we need now is for the electricity to be restored.
Something is flying around in here, I think it's a bat. Perhaps it also came in to shelter. I watch what looks like a shadow flitting back and forth, then there is nothing, it's gone.
Brenda comes over and asks me if I want a drink, I tell her I am ok. She tells me that she needs to go back outside and dry the tables and chairs. She looks a little despondent, now the rain has stopped she will have to work outside again. I suppose doing this job day in day out with little money to show for your hard work would make you feel down. That's in all sorts of life, wherever you live or work you will at sometime wish you had another life. I remember feeling the same at different times in my life.
The first beggar of the night appears, a blind woman being led by a young child. The child looks to be seven years old, maybe the woman is the mother of the child. They make their way around the bar, everyone ignores them. They arrive at my table, I get a few loose coins out of my pocket and put in the little container the child is carrying. A muffled thank you from the child, she guides the woman back out into the night.
There is a big flash inside the bar, this is followed by a very loud bang which makes everyone jump. I must admit it frightened me, it came from nowhere. The whole place shook, everyone thought the storm had passed. Mother Nature will get her own back on us for what we have done to this planet.
The lights flicker on, everyone in the bar cheers. Within seconds they are off again, this time everyone boos. A few more minutes pass and the lights return, this time they stay on. The ceiling fan starts to rotate, picking up speed until someone shouts that it is too cold. The television is turned on, it starts to look for a signal. After a short wait there is a picture, maybe football will be on tonight.
I think now would be a good time for me to go to the pit, there maybe more rain to come. I walk across the courtyard which is now under a few inches of water. The rain seems to have stirred up the contents of the pit, the smell is awful. I finish what I had come to do, not sure that it went into the pit, but with this amount of water around I don't think it matters. I wade back through the courtyard to the bar, it's starting to fill up now, football is coming soon. Before I go back to my seat I look at my watch, it's time to start on the scotch. “Joseph, a whiskey please.” While waiting for my drink Sam pulls me close to him, “what is this I hear about you going back to England?" “Who told you that Sam?” “Brenda told me earlier.” “Oh, yes I told the Pastor that to see how long it would be before he told someone.” “So is it true?” “no Sam this is my home, I will die here one day.” There is a look of relieve on Sam's face, “I am very happy about that Ben, you can not leave us.” Joseph brings my drink and I walk back to my table. On the way I feel a hand squeeze my manhood, it's Barbara. “Mr Ben I think it is awake,” “I know it isn't my girl.” She laughs, I just keep walking.
Back in my seat I watch many people, some are good, some are bad. Some I have taught, some I have not. Some I have slept with, some I have not. My whole life I can see before me. I have watched some of these people grow from children into adults. I always knew that their lives would be difficult but not impossible. They will always survive one way or the other. This is making me think about my life, it has been a wonderful life. I was so lucky with the path that I chose in my younger days, so very lucky.
~~~~~
Chapter 26
Ben's Story
My childhood was pretty normal I think. I grew up in the beautiful countryside of Gloucestershire. My parents gave my sister, brother and I everything possible, finances allowing. My parents were not rich, but they tried their best to make sure we had everything.
I remember my friends and I would go to the local woods and collect branches from the trees. We would make bows and arrows. The arrows we would sharpen to a point and wrap wire around the end to give some weight. They were dangerous projectiles really, but that did not stop us shooting at each other. We also made throwing arrows, these were slightly different. We would make the arrow the same way except we would put fletchings made from cardboard. Then using a piece of string the arrow was propelled by a throwing motion.
Football was a big part of our lives, whatever the weather. When it snowed we were able to mark out a pitch in the snow. I remember being in goal one day, I had a nice new football shirt my parents had bought me. One of my friends was coming towards the goal, I went out and dived at his feet. He swung his foot, missing the ball he kicked me straight on the nose. Blood was everywhere, my new shirt was covered. I went home to get myself cleaned up, my mothers first words were “what have you done? look at your new shirt.” Before I could answer she hit me around the head, never did explain what had happened.
When November 5th was approaching we all played with fireworks. You could purchase them at any age, so weeks before bonfire night we would be doing stupid things. Opening bangers to get the powder out then lighting it, often this meant singed eyebrows. Lighting a banger and holding it in your hand proved how tough you were, sometimes it bloody hurt your fingers.
Petrol was another experimental part of one's childhood. We would put petrol into a jar and light it. Boring, it just burnt a small flame. Someone picked up a large stone and through at the jar, the whole thing exploded into a fireball, it was great. On one occasion we were too close to a shed, the ground around the shed caught fire. We stamped on the flames trying to put them out, one of my friends kicked a brick while doing this. Needless to say he ended up in the casualty department of the local hospital, he need stitches in a nasty cut.
We would put on performances in the one boy's garage, making a small stage we would sing and dance. The children nearby would come to watch for a small entrance fee. I don't know if we were any good, we were only ten or eleven years old, so we thought we were good.
Climbing was another pastime, trees, fences, pillars, anything really. If we found something high enough then we had to jump off. When you hit the ground the shudder would go right up through your body. One day we got the youngest of our group to climb out of the first floor bedroom window. The plan was for him to slide down a rope we had attached to a fixing on the window frame. He came out of the window and hung down by his hands, he clasped the rope but unfortunately he managed to unhook it from its fixing. The rope fell to the ground and he was left hanging from the window. Two of us stayed underneath him to catch him if he fell, others went up into the bedroom to pull him back through the window. The poor little lad managed to hang on and was rescued.
Scrumping or stealing apples was great fun, looking around seeing no one we would go into the orchard. Picking apples from the tree we would make our getaway. Finding somewhere to sit we would eat one apple after another, usually ending up with stomach pains. Sometimes the owner of the orchard would come out and chase us, but we always escaped.
When we became teenagers we hung around the streets. The houses where we lived had nicely trimmed privet hedges, when it was dark we would dive over them leaving a big hole. Another favourite was to tie cotton to the door knocker on someone's door. Unrolling the cotton from the reel until we were out of sight we would then pull making the door knocker rap the door. We would keep doing this until someone answered the door, when the door opened we would pull on the cotton hard so that it broke away from the knocker. Th
e people would come out and look around; you could hear them say “bloody kids.” We would be a short distance away trying to keep quiet.
School was a necessity, but I hated it, which is why I can never understand why I wanted to become a teacher. The two most worthless subjects were music and religious education. In music we were made to play stupid instruments, in my case it was either the cymbals or the triangle. Religious education was over my head, I was just not interested. Why make children do something they hate, it's cruel, but then in those days teachers were cruel. I remember having the blackboard rubber thrown at me several times, and usually it made contact. This was a lump of wood, it bloody hurt when it hit you. Making a catapult with your two fingers and an elastic band was another pastime if you didn't like the lesson. Firing a folded piece of paper at your friends while the teacher was writing on the blackboard was great fun. It was also dangerous if the paper hit you in the eye. The cane was a big thing, it was never instant. You would have to report to the deputy head later in the day. You would spend a long period waiting for your punishment, finally you were taken to the gymnasium. This was always done at break time, the reason I think was to let the other pupils watch. The gymnasium separated the boy's playground from the girl's playground. Stood in the gymnasium you had an audience looking through the windows, one side the girls, the other side the boys. Towards the end of my schooling I really got to hate it, I didn't want to be there. Even sport which I loved I didn't want anymore. One day I stayed at the back while the teacher picked the teams for football, there were five of us left out. The teacher told us we would play in the second half, but I didn't want to. Slowly I made my way towards the park gates, when the teacher was looking away I bolted. I ran out of those gates looking back to see if the teacher was looking. Suddenly I came to a stop, I ran straight into a tree. My eye closed with the swelling, it was also grazed, it was a long afternoon sitting through the other lessons, the pain was excruciating. Time finally arrived, I was able to leave school and go to college, I was so happy.