The Boy and the Battleship

by Christopher Cummings

  Graham did so with no difficulty. The doctor made a note and then said, “Now, cover your right eye and read the next line up.”

  Graham covered his right eye and looked at the chart. To his dismay he found most of the letters on it fuzzy. Biting his lip with anxiety he read the line. Only after he had finished and could use both eyes did Graham see that he had got a couple wrong.

  The doctor made a note and frowned. “That wasn’t too good. You might need to have your eyes checked by an optometrist.”

  “Are they good enough?” Graham asked anxiously.

  “For the navy cadets, yes. But I recommend that you have them checked by an eye specialist.”

  Graham bit his lip and felt his stomach lurch. It was something he did not want to think about. After the doctor was finished and Graham was dressed the doctor called Graham’s mother in. “He’s in excellent shape mostly, just a bit of a problem with his left eye. I recommend that you get him checked by a specialist.”

  Hearing that again sent a chill of dread through Graham. His mother nodded and they booked an appointment. Because the eye specialist was in such demand this was not for another six weeks. Graham was then handed his ANC Medical Form with the doctor’s stamp and signature.

  As they walked out to the car Graham’s mother put her hand on his shoulder. “It will be all right Graham,” she said.

  Graham could only nod. I hope so, he thought.

  At home there were the usual comics and chocolates before Graham lay down to read his book on battleships. Feeling happier now that the ordeal of the doctor was over he relaxed. In the evening he went to Scouts. That was good fun, except that it made Graham remember what his mother had said about probably having to choose between them and the navy cadets. In Graham’s own mind this was no choice at all; and he was confident he would somehow manage both.

  Chapter 24

  NAVY CADETS

  On Saturday morning Graham was awake early. As soon as he woke up he tingled with excitement. Today was the great day. First he was going to join the navy cadets, then he had his party. Vivid pictures of what the party was going to be like crowded his brain, to be pushed aside by nagging worries over whether people would come, or, more specifically, whether Glenys would come.

  And Cindy, he thought. That was a whole new level of concern. He hoped she wouldn’t, just to save any embarrassment. Yet, perversely he itched to see her and was then ashamed by the series of lustful and arousing thoughts which followed.

  Straight after breakfast he went down to the Ship Room. As usual when at home he wore only a pair of old shorts. After a few moments thought he began picking up the model sailing ships and moving them onto an old table in the corner or onto the shelves in the small storeroom. This was a slow process as he looked carefully at each one, noting many things requiring cleaning or repair.

  Once all the ships were picked up he went around with plastic butter boxes and picked up all the plasticine soldiers. Each box was labelled using a waterproof felt pen to show the contents.

  While Graham worked his mother looked in from time to time. “You will have to sweep this place out, then hose it and scrub it,” she said.

  Then Alex put his head in while Graham was sweeping and made rude comments and told him to get on with it.

  “Help me Alex,” Graham asked.

  “Pig’s bum! It’s your party. See you later,” Alex replied as he left hurriedly. Kylie was no better. She said she had important shopping to do and also departed at speed. Graham finished the sweeping feeling quite grumpy. Then he hosed the concrete and ran a bass broom over it. That seemed to make it worse so he hosed it again. Lacking a squeegee he mopped up the worst of the water and was quite pleased with the result. The concrete felt smooth and clean to his bare feet.

  Next he set up the step ladder and began pinning up streamers and party balloons. As he worked he remembered being there with Cindy and that got him fantasizing. As a result he became very aroused. He was in the midst of this when Margaret suddenly walked in.

  “Hello Graham. Can I help?” Margaret asked.

  “If you like,” Graham replied. “You can blow up these balloons and pass them to me.”

  Margaret nodded and moved to the box of balloons. Graham’s heart pounded and he hoped his aroused state was not obvious. He waited till Margaret seemed to be busy, then stepped down and moved the ladder along, hotly aware of his physical condition. His heart hammered and he licked dry lips. Taking the end of another streamer and a pin he climbed up the step ladder, keeping his back to Margaret. He then reached up to pin the streamer to the overhead beam.

  As he pushed in the pin Margaret walked over to stand beside him. “Here’s a balloon Graham,” she said, holding it up for him. Graham took it, all the while willing his body to relax.

  Margaret met his eyes with an anxious little smile and said, “You blow up the balloons and I will pin them up. You’ve got bigger lungs than me.”

  Graham did not like blowing up balloons as he had an unreasonable fear of them bursting and of his eyes being damaged but he agreed. Margaret took his place on the ladder and he moved to the bench. After a while the effort of blowing the balloons up helped his body to return to normal. Margaret chattered happily away as they worked. Graham found her company enjoyable and he was able to relax mentally as well.

  By lunch time the two of them had transformed the Ship Room into a party setting. Chairs and small tables were arranged in groups around the sides. Streamers, balloons and ferns festooned the place giving it a cheery, festive atmosphere.

  “There! That is a marked improvement. It was a gloomy, dirty place before,” Margaret said as they surveyed their handiwork.

  Graham had to agree. “It looks great Marg. Thanks very much. You’ve been a big help.”

  “What will we do now?” Margaret asked.

  “I’m going to have a bath, then lunch,” Graham replied, indicating his grimy arms and legs.

  “That’s a good idea. Can I have a bath too?” Margaret asked.

  “If you like,” Graham replied. Turning he led the way upstairs. He pushed open the bathroom door and was surprised when Margaret followed him in. “I’m going to have a bath,” he reminded her.

  “I know, you said so. So am I,” Margaret replied.

  Graham’s mind raced. “With me?”

  “Yes, if you don’t mind.”

  Graham could barely believe his ears. “But… but I’m a boy.”

  At that Margaret smiled and went red. “I know. I’ve seen you before.”

  “But I don’t want to offend you or be rude.”

  “We’ve had baths together before,” Margaret reminded him. That was true. When they were younger he had often had a bath with Kylie and Margaret both in the tub with him. They had even bathed together a few months earlier. The memory made Graham flame with a mixture of embarrassment and desire. The embarrassment was because his mother had found them and both had been scolded for being naughty.

  “But I’m a big boy now,” Graham said, struggling with various urges, not least the desire to be nude with a girl.

  “I know. I saw,” Margaret said.

  Graham went red and felt blood surging in his veins. He gave up the struggle, thinking that if he did what he liked then she might stop chasing him. He put in the plug and turned on the taps. While he did this Margaret peeled off her clothes. She stood watching him, nude and apparently relaxed.

  Graham felt the blood pounding in his ears. To him she appeared as a creature of wonder but he could not help comparing her to Cindy. And thinking of Cindy did not help as that just got him even more aroused. He swallowed and unbuttoned his shirt. Her eyes followed his every move, making him feel very self-conscious.

  “Don’t watch me,” he said. “I’m shy.”

  Her face dimpled into a grin and she stepped into the bath and began splashing the water around and mixing the hot and cold to the right temperature. Graham hesitated then took off his shorts and underpants.
Burning with desire and excitement he stepped into the bath behind her and sat down. He began splashing water over himself, feeling as though he was on fire. Margaret looked over her shoulder and said, “Scrub my back please.”

  Graham did as he was bidden. He found the feel of her skin very arousing and he had to restrain himself. Again he compared her to Cindy and that got him even more aroused and confused. Guilt began to bother him. She is too young! he thought. But it was very nice! To further confuse him he sensed that he could do anything he liked and Margaret would let him. But he also knew that he actually cared for her so much there was no way he would do anything to harm her.

  After a while Margaret said, “Your go. Turn around.” Graham did so and Margaret knelt behind him and rubbed his back. It felt very nice and he would have been happy if she had kept doing it all afternoon.

  At that moment the bathroom door opened behind them. It was Graham’s mother. Graham hastily covered himself and fierce embarrassment coursed through him. His mother stopped at the door and said, “I wondered where you two were. You’d better hop out Margaret. You are getting too old to be taking baths together now.”

  Margaret blushed bright pink and nodded. “Yes Mrs Kirk,” she replied in a croaky whisper. Tears started and she went on, “I’m sorry Mrs Kirk. Don’t go mad at Graham. It was my idea.”

  Mrs Kirk pursed her lips into a wry smile. “Hmm! I doubt that. But come out and we will talk about it. Now, both you children hop out and come and have lunch,” she said. Then she closed the door and went away.

  Margaret climbed out of the bath. “I’m sorry,” she sobbed. “Will you be in trouble?”

  “I don’t know,” Graham replied. “I don’t think so. But mum is right. I’m a big boy now and you are too young.”

  Margaret grabbed a towel and began drying herself. Graham crouched in the bath and found he was torn between lust and shame. “You’d better go,” he said.

  Margaret quickly dried herself, sobbing quietly all the while. Graham stayed in the bath, his eyes averted and his heart pounding with desire and anxiety.

  “I am so ashamed!” Margaret said. “I just want to run away.”

  “Mum said to go and talk to her,” Graham reminded.

  “Do you think I should?” Margaret asked.

  “Yes,” croaked Graham. He was dry in the throat and his heart pumped furiously. The sight of her distress was upsetting him and he began to fear that she would get into terrible trouble from her own parents. Oh, what have I done? he thought unhappily.

  After Margaret had dressed and stepped fearfully out of the room Graham climbed out of the bath and slowly towelled himself dry. By this time he had lost all desire and was feeling sick with anxiety and guilt. Margaret is too nice—and too young! I should not have done that with her. I deserve all I get but I must try to save her, he told himself.

  Sick at heart but determined to do what he could to retrieve the situation, he dressed. For a minute he studied himself in the mirror, feeling very much like how he imagined a condemned man might feel. Then he took a deep breath and left the bathroom.

  To his relief he found Margaret and his mother sitting quietly talking in the kitchen. He saw that Margaret was still red-eyed but she did not look too unhappy. His mother called him to join them, then said, “This applies to you too Graham. Now, I know you two are good friends but you are both reaching an age where you could get each other into real trouble. Do you understand?”

  Graham nodded and blushed fiercely. His mother went on: “I want you both to promise me you won’t do the wrong thing please.”

  “Yes mum. Sorry mum. I promise,” Graham said.

  “It was my fault Mrs Kirk,” Margaret sobbed. Tears started coursing down her cheeks. “I won’t do it again.”

  Mrs Kirk reached forward and hugged Margaret. “It’s all right. What you did was entirely natural. You are just too young, that’s all. I think you are a good girl. Besides, if Graham is going to play those sorts of games I would rather it was with someone like you that he loves and cares about than some cheap tart. I want you to be his friend. OK?”

  Margaret nodded and wiped her eyes. Graham was gripped by even stronger guilt as visions of Cindy filled his mind.

  Then his mother looked over Margaret’s head while she stroked her hair. “And you, young man, remember what your father said to you about the age of consent. Don’t you start playing around with girls who are under age or you will find yourself in trouble with the police. Now go and get changed ready to go to cadets. Margaret, would you help me ice some cup cakes please?”

  So Margaret stayed for lunch. The two of them were both embarrassed, but to Graham’s relief his mother said nothing more about the incident. By then he felt heartily ashamed of himself and he made a vow to behave in future. But it was wonderful, he thought, conscious that being with Margaret was much less stressful than being with other girls.

  Alex joined them, then Kylie but by then Graham was distracted by clock watching. As the minutes ticked over bringing his attendance at the navy cadets closer he became more and more tense and excited. He barely heard what Kylie had to say about her shopping trip and found he was biting his nails with anxiety.

  Mrs Kirk also looked at the clock. “Hurry up and finish eating your lunch Graham,” she said. “I have your enrolment forms here.” She pointed to the top of the fridge.

  “Thanks mum.” Graham sprang up to collect the enrolment documents. For a moment he stood looking from Margaret to his mother, his emotions all in turmoil. Then he said to Margaret, “It will be all right Margaret.”

  Margaret nodded, smiled and burst into tears. His mother smiled and said, “She will be fine, now you get going.”

  Graham felt his eyes prickle and fearing tears he fled. He was both scared and relieved. And confused. Who did he really love? When he had been with Margaret he had felt quite natural and happy. So what about Thelma? Cindy he discounted. That wasn’t love, he thought. Even at his age he could tell pure lust. He shrugged. It was all very difficult.

  He got out his bike and set off for the navy cadet depot.

  ***

  When he arrived at the navy cadet’s depot Graham felt very shy. He placed his bike against the fence and looked nervously around, hoping to see one of the cadets he knew so he could go in with him. There was no-one he knew. Several other navy cadets arrived, either dropped by parents from cars, or riding bikes. They wore uniforms and looked very smart and superior. Some glanced at Graham, making him even more self-conscious.

  A bugle tune suddenly blared out from a loudspeaker and cadets came running out of a doorway onto the parade ground. A large cadet with very shiny boots and a peaked cap marched out and started calling orders. Two other cadets took up a position in front of him and about 20 paces apart and also began to bellow orders. The ordinary cadets quickly formed up in ranks in front of the two cadets.

  I’m late! Graham thought. That made him even more nervous. He watched as a bearded man wearing white shirt and shorts and a peaked cap strode around growling corrections to minor faults of drill. Graham could tell by the rank badges on his sleeves that he was a Chief Petty Officer and his tough appearance gave Graham considerable misgivings about ever meeting him.

  To his dismay the bearded CPO cast a glance at him, then turned and marched over. Graham swallowed and felt like running away.

  “Can I help you lad?” the CPO asked.

  “I… I’ve come to join sir,” Graham replied.

  “Ah! Good! Got an enrolment form have you?”

  “Yes sir. I got it last week.”

  “Excellent. Follow me then. Petty Officer Pike, get your watch dressed by the right!” this last directed at a bellow to one of the two cadets standing in front of the uniformed groups. Graham walked in through the entrance and followed the CPO, very aware that all the cadets were watching his progress. It made him even more nervous and he broke into a cold sweat.

  He was led into the office where several adult
staff and a couple of cadets were working. One of the adults was Lt Ryan, the bearded XO (Executive Officer or 2ic). Another was a cheerful looking tubby lady wearing Sub Lieutenant’s rank. Next to her was Sub Lt Sheldon. The sight of him made Graham relax a little.

  The CPO saluted the XO. “Excuse me sir, lad here to enrol,” he said.

  Lt Ryan looked up and nodded. “Thank you CPO. Ah yes, young Kirk. Have a seat there and I’ll look after you in a minute.”

  Feeling very nervous and not wanting to do the wrong thing Graham sat down. The tubby female Sub Lt gave him a friendly smile, then went on with her paperwork.

  Sub Lt Sheldon finished writing and sent a cadet out with a message, then saw Graham. “We’ve met. You are the lad who rescued my model from under the wharf on Sunday. Sorry, I can’t remember your name,” he said.

  “Graham Kirk sir.”

  “Ah. That’s right. Your dad is captain of the Malita.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “And you are here to join?” Sub Lt Sheldon asked.

  “Yes sir.”

  “Good lad. Excuse me. Cadet Midshipman Wainwright!” this last directed at the top of his voice.

  “Sir!” A lad of about seventeen, dressed in whites with a single white bar on each black epaulet appeared from another office.

  “This training program you gave me,” Sub Lt Sheldon said, waving a paper at the youth. The two began a detailed discussion which Graham could not follow. He was left sitting there and felt conspicuous and embarrassed. It did, however, give him time to look around. He noted the two doors on the other side of the office, one marked ‘Commanding Officer’ and the other ‘Wardroom’. To the left were other offices and some sort of corridor which must have led through to the rear of the building as several cadets came and went, as well as a very shapely lady Petty Officer in her twenties. Around the walls were various nautical pictures, ships’ crests, lifebuoys and charts. There were two models, one of the World War 2 cruiser HMAS Hobart, and one of an aircraft carrier. Graham could not identify it and was too nervous to walk over and look.