The Boy and the Battleship

by Christopher Cummings

  Then he had to greet his father and talk normally. This time it was easier as he was able to use details from the trip on the LCH. As he had his shower he contemplated his options, then realized that he just had to go to Janet’s that evening. No matter how much it hurts I have to know, he thought. The decision made, he cheered up somewhat and settled down to read his book on battleships.

  To get to Janet’s Graham was allowed to ride his bike as it was not into the city. He set out after tea feeling so tense he was almost ill. He was dressed in shorts and a good shirt and hoped it would be suitable for the occasion.

  It was. Most of the other people there were just in jeans and T-shirt, or shorts and T-shirt. Graham had never been to Janet’s. Her home was on the lower slopes of Mt Whitfield at Edge Hill, a pretty suburb with lush gardens and many trees. He had been past the house but never really noticed it. It was a renovated ‘Old Queenslander’ with a terraced garden lush with ferns, tropical palms and flower beds.

  Feeling very scared Graham placed his bike inside the gate and walked up the steps. The sound of laughter and loud music drifted out of the front door. Graham gave a hesitant knock which drew no response so he had to nerve himself and knock louder. Danelle Ozgood appeared, wearing some sort of wrap-around caftan thing.

  “Hi! Are you the boy Thelma invited; the navy cadet?” she asked.

  “Yes,” croaked Graham. He was regretting he had come and regretted it even more when he followed her through to a back room. There a dozen people sat around the table or against the walls. Most were years older than him and looked about twenty. Graham saw Jerry Denham, Pinky and the young man who had been on the yacht that afternoon. Edmonson sat in a corner talking to several people and he met his eye and started to scowl before looking away. There were also several girls, including the other big girl who had been topless. She was almost in that state now, wearing a thin cotton blouse that barely restrained her large bosom. She was smoking and held a stubby of beer in her hand. Graham now learned that her name was Sonja, and that she was Dr Metcalf’s daughter. She was in Year 12 at a private school.

  To Graham’s relief he saw Thelma sitting over to one side with Janet. She waved and beckoned him over. Feeling very self-conscious and out of place he made his way over to her, noting as he did that Janet was also smoking. There was no sign of any board games, only lots of beer bottles and wine casks. That made Graham feel even more worried and sicker than ever. For a moment he contemplated leaving. What bothered him most was the puzzle over how Thelma and Janet could be at a party like this, as no older adults were to be seen.

  Thelma smiled. “Hi Graham. Have a good day?” she asked. “Yes thanks, most of the time,” he replied, his mind racing. Should I mention the LCH? he wondered. What will I say if they asked me what I did? To his own shame he decided to say nothing. Janet smiled and pointed to the fridge.

  “There is beer in the fridge,” she said.

  Graham’s mind raced. Beer? If I drink beer mum will be able to smell it, he thought. His father drank plenty of it but Graham did not like the taste very much. He shook his head.

  Janet shrugged and said, “Suit yourself. There are softdrinks in there as well. Do you want a smoke?”

  “No thanks,” Graham replied hastily.

  Thelma gave a wry smile. “Wise boy. Get a drink and join us.”

  Graham selected a can of lemonade. Thelma moved along on the sofa and indicated he should sit beside her. He did so, finding it a squeeze so that he ended up pressed against her. She did not seem to mind and began to chatter happily away.

  “We went sailing today,” she said. “What did you do?”

  “Went to navy cadets,” Graham replied.

  “Oh yeah,” she replied. She was not really interested. “What did you do there?”

  Graham gulped some softdrink before answering. “We went out on a landing craft for the day. We saw you.”

  Thelma’s cheeks tinged red. “Saw us?”

  Graham nodded, feeling utterly miserable. “Yes. When you were on that yacht coming back into harbour.”

  “Oh!”

  Janet leaned across and smirked. “Were you one of those sailors leering at us from that navy barge?”

  Graham nodded. He was too upset to answer. Thelma’s facial expression appeared a bit strained but Janet just shrugged. “Lucky them! I’ll bet they had a good look.”

  At that moment, more people came in. Graham looked up and started with surprise. It was the black-bearded demonstrator and his girlfriend. Graham now learned that his name was Sean O’Malley, and that hers was Paula. Paula wore a very loose, flowing wrap-around which was so thin he could see through it. From some angles she may as well have been naked. Their arrival made Graham even more uncomfortable. He felt as though he had inadvertently stumbled into the enemy camp.

  Introductions were made and Sean and Paula were handed beers and what Graham guessed were marijuana joints. Pinky turned to the four youngsters and said, “You kids piss off outside for a while. We want to talk business. Go for a walk in the garden or something.”

  “Or something!” giggled Janet. She took Denham’s hand and he hauled her to her feet. Edmonson also stood up and helped another girl to her feet, giving Graham a vaguely hostile look as he did. They then left the room arm in arm. Graham blushed fiercely but was glad of the opportunity to stand up. It was an enormous relief to get out of that room, now rapidly filling with marijuana smoke. Thelma stood and followed Janet and Denham. Feeling very flustered and mixed up, Graham followed. He had half a mind to make an excuse and say goodnight but once they were outside Thelma took his hand. Instantly his emotions went into overdrive and he was lost.

  Edmonson and his girl went off towards the back of the house and Janet and Jerry wandered off along a path in the garden. Thelma stopped in the front garden and whispered to Graham: “Let’s sit here. They won’t want us with them.”

  That set Graham’s imagination racing, wondering what Janet and Denham might be heading off to do. Thelma indicated a seat in a nice dark nook amongst the shrubs. Before Graham knew what was happening she had embraced him and started kissing. His already stunned senses reeled. She tasted, smelt and felt wonderful. All he could do was respond, uncomfortably aware that he was fast becoming aroused. That she must be able to feel it was obvious, but she pressed firmly against him and did not seem to mind.

  Perhaps if she goes topless at times she is not as innocent as I thought? he pondered. It came to him that his goddess had developed more than just feet of clay and he was immensely saddened. But he was also a hot-blooded lad and she seemed willing. He responded.

  After a few minutes Thelma eased them apart and sat on the seat. Graham sat beside her and she leaned on him. Feeling very daring he put his arm around her shoulders. She murmured and snuggled closer, her hand coming to rest on his thigh.

  That hand seemed to burn through his skin, to heat his blood. His heart pounded and he became aroused even more. She turned up her face and they kissed again. To Graham it seemed that his dearest wishes had come true. He was actually kissing Thelma! Graham’s blood pounded in his skull. He had an urgent desire to go further but did not dare, even though he could feel her right breast firmly pressed against him. It was obvious she was not wearing a bra and that got his imagination flaring as well. His mind was filled with the remembered images of her breasts from that afternoon and that, combined with her touch, helped fire his blood.

  After another bout of kissing Graham summoned up the courage to try for more. He edged his right hand up her side until it was close to her breast. She immediately reached up and firmly moved it away. Graham flushed at the rebuff, but as she didn’t stop kissing he decided that perhaps he was trying too soon. After a few minutes they stopped kissing and sat together in silence. To Graham that was wonderful.

  Then, to his annoyance, he heard men’s voices nearby. He wondered if he should stop but Thelma reached up and held his head firmly and kept on kissing. The men had come o
ut of the house and strolled along the garden path, stopping just the other side of the large shrub.

  One of them was Sean, the demo leader. He said to his companions, who turned out to be Pinky and a man named Frank, “I brought you two out here because I don’t want all those guys inside to hear this. I don’t trust them all and we don’t want the coppers to get to hear of our plans.”

  At that Graham’s mind went into racing speed. The demonstrators are going to discuss their secret plans and I can hear them! he thought. That aroused his interest enormously, but also his fears. I don’t want to get into trouble for eavesdropping. Maybe I should let them know we are here?

  Easing back a few centimetres he whispered to Thelma: “We’d better move away.”

  Thelma shook her head. “No. Don’t move. They don’t care about us,” she replied. With that she resumed kissing, her tongue now probing his lips.

  Graham could only acquiesce. The men stopped nearby and leaned on the fence. One burped and grunted. Sean said, “Are you drunk Frank? I’m not going to waste time briefing you if you are.”

  “I’m not drunk,” Frank answered grumpily. “Just get on with it so we can get back inside.”

  Frank? Graham wondered. Who is he? He was also appalled that Thelma was hearing their crude language. He didn’t want her to be subjected to that. But what could he do? Once again he considered letting the men know they were there. To his surprise and enormous delight, Thelma took his right hand and placed it gently on her left breast. Graham felt the blood pounding in his skull and he responded to his instincts, gently caressing and fondling. Thelma sighed and moved to allow him more room, then kissed him fiercely and urgently and he was set on fire and responded.

  Sean continued. “Now listen to me, it’s like this. On Friday afternoon those two Yankee warships are coming in and we are going to give them a reception that will grab us world headlines. This will be the best demo we have ever done.”

  By now Graham’s mouth had gone dry from desire and fear. He was intensely interested, as well as intensely aroused. Thelma added to this by nibbling his ear lobe while she kissed him. His mind bubbled with the sheer pleasure of it. That made it enormously difficult for him to concentrate on what the men were saying, particularly as he had to pretend he wasn’t interested.

  Sean said, “That mob inside think that only one thing is going to happen, the demo on the wharf. But they haven’t been told the whole plan. The real plan is this: at 4pm the two warships enter the channel and head for the wharves. The police and security people will establish a no go zone around them for half a kilometre—no boats of any sort allowed into that. At that time I form up the main demo crowd at the City Library buildings and we start marching towards the wharf. That will attract the attention of most of the coppers and we will have the media people with us and give them a good show. Then, at about 4:30, Frank, your two Zodiacs will start their decoy job, just when the first ship is passing the Yacht Club. You will come out from behind the small craft moored along the other side of the inlet at full speed and head for the ship. You know where I mean?”

  “Yeah. I had a look today,” Frank replied.

  “Good. Have flags up, and placards. Lead the police launches a real run around and try to get right over to throw paint bombs on the sides of the ship.”

  “That will be very risky,” Frank said. “The Yanks might open fire on us. They are very touchy about small boats going near their ships ever since that terrorist attack on the USS Cole at Aden. I don’t want to get shot.”

  Sean grunted and went on: “You will be all right. Just angle slowly in and don’t do an obvious charge at them. Give them time to see the placards. Now, remember you are the decoys. Your job is to attract the attention of the police boats. Once they are worrying about you we send in our third group. This is another bit I have kept secret from the mob inside. Pinky, this is your part of the operation.”

  Pinky grunted something Graham could not hear. Sean went on: “You are to have your six canoes and your people at the Yacht Club. Move there early in the morning and pretend to be working on them. Then, at my call on the radio, launch your boats and slip out. The first warship should just be easing into the wharf at that point, and the second one getting close. You are to get between them and the wharf so they can’t berth. Throw paint and use your spray cans to paint our logo on their side. You can withdraw in under the wharf if you have to. Go and do a recon in your canoe in the next couple of days but don’t attract any attention.”

  Pinky assured him that he would not. The conspirators went on to discuss details of numbers of people, and things like radio channels and codes. All the while Graham was gently stroking Thelma’s back and she had begun to caress his face and neck.

  Sean then said, “Any questions? No? Good! OK, let’s go back in. I need another beer. And remember, keep all this secret. It is most important the cops don’t get to hear of it.”

  With that the three made their way back to the house; leaving Graham in the throes of utter turmoil. He was so aroused he wanted to do things to Thelma; and he was torn up over what he had just overheard. I know their secret plans. What should I do? Should I tell? In his heart he knew he should, but who?

  There was also the dilemma of what to do with Thelma. What does she want? he wondered. And how far would she let him go?

  Suddenly, Thelma released him and sat up. She murmured, “We’d better be getting back to the others before they come looking for us.”

  To Graham’s relief and regret she disentangled herself. They had only just done this when there were voices and footsteps and Janet and Denham appeared out of the darkness at the back of the garden.

  “Where are you two?” Janet giggled. “Is it all right if we join you?”

  “Yes,” Thelma replied. Graham was engulfed by waves of hot shame and repressed urges. Thelma stood up and he had to stand up as well. Releasing his hand, Thelma said, “We’d better go back inside.”

  Graham did not want to do that. “I’d rather stay out here with you,” he managed to say, his heart beating frantically.

  Thelma hugged him and murmured, “All right.”

  Janet overheard this. She smirked and said, “You two behave; and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” With that she shrilled with laughter and led Denham on towards the house.

  After they had gone, Thelma said, “I don’t want to sit down. Let’s walk for a bit.”

  That wasn’t really what Graham wanted, but he was relieved all the same. So he walked with her to the front gate and out along the footpath. They held hands and she chatted about her pets while Graham cooled down. They didn’t go far, just down to Collins Avenue and along to the nearest shops and back, allowing Graham to return to something like normal. When they returned to the house they did not go inside but stayed sitting on the front steps talking. Thelma seemed to have gone cold and kept her distance, but Graham didn’t mind. He needed a break too.

  She is probably regretting she let me go so far, he surmised.

  Janet and Denham came out and joined them. Several of the older people left. There was much laughter and singing inside. Then Thelma’s father arrived in his car to pick her up. Thelma smiled and gave Graham a warm goodnight kiss and said, “See you on Monday.” He had been hoping to see her the next day but had to accept this.

  After she had gone, Graham hastily made his goodbyes to Janet, who was as stand-offish as ever. Then he jumped on his bike and pedalled away, his emotions and thoughts in great confusion. Once his body had calmed down, his mind concentrated on one thing: what to do about the secret plans he had overheard?

  Chapter 31

  TORN

  All the way home Graham was in a fever of emotion. He had achieved Stage 2 of his heart’s desire: he had kissed Thelma! But he had also overheard the demonstrator’s plans and was torn over what to do about them. Out of loyalty to Thelma he thought he should keep it to himself. After all, nobody will know, he rationalized. But that did not sit eas
ily on his conscience. His sense of duty, and his liking for navies, even foreign ones, caused him to consider telling the authorities.

  But who? And how? And will they believe me anyway? he worried. It all seemed very difficult and threatened to spoil his memories of those moments of ecstasy in the garden. I will make up my mind what to do tomorrow, he decided. Anyway, they aren’t Australian ships, only Yanks; and they get demonstrated against all the time. They must be used to it.

  When he got home Graham was thankful in not having to face an inquisition from Kylie as she was at the ballet with Margaret and his mother was only pleasantly interested and did not ask any awkward questions. She just smiled at his apparent happiness.

  Later, in bed, Graham relived every moment, brushing aside the intrusive problem of what he had overheard. Harder to push out were thoughts that told him, against his will, that Thelma had been kissed before. That unleashed a storm of jealousy and gnawing doubt that left him feeling quite sick. The images of her topless on the yacht floated up to haunt him. How often had she done that before? And who with? And who was that good-looking bloke? Graham had not found out his name. It was all very upsetting.

  The next morning he felt wrung out and tired. Dreams had tormented his restless sleep; taunting, erotic dreams. He was in no mood to go to church and face Margaret’s hurt little smile. The thought that he was causing her pain bothered him and he tried to brush that uncomfortable thought aside.

  It is Thelma I love, he told himself. And she must like me, or she wouldn’t have kissed me. He lay in bed and had daydreams about Thelma, but which now had a sharper, more sexual edge to them. She was no longer a distant cold Goddess, but a warm memory.

  After a shower and leisurely breakfast Graham finally stirred himself. The day had been given over to playing Battleships. He finished a few details on his new model of the battleship Nelson, adding small paper flags drawn with coloured pens to indicate she was British, and that she had an Admiral on board. He then carried her downstairs and placed her in the Naval Base.