by Griff Hosker
“It was only cross country and we don’t do cross country every lesson do we Sir?”
“I can see that, while you have been given a clean start, you are not doing the same for Wayne so I will ask the rest of you the same question”
“He’s a good runner Sir.”
“He’s alright Sir.”
“I wished I hadn’t hit him Sir,” Chunk looked over to Michael who had flashed him a look of pure hatred, “well it’s true. So he’s a cockney. If Mr Lancaster hadn’t mentioned it we wouldn’t have known would we? He’s alright.”
“Okay lads you can go and thank you for your honesty. Michael stay where you are.”
“You can’t keep me back. I have my rights.”
“Oh and I thought I was having a discussion with my team captain. Well in that case I will take the captaincy off you and you can go.”
“You can’t do that. I’ll tell me mam!
“That’s fine because unless you mam is the teacher in charge of boy’s football you can’t do anything about it. And one more thing Michael. If anything bad happens to Wayne Johnson then you will be off the football team as well.”
Angrily he jumped to his feet. “You can’t do that it’s not fair.”
Miss Welsh came through the changing room door. “The thing is Michael life isn’t fair.”
“But I am a good footballer.”
“True but you are a lousy sportsman and until you realise that to be good you have to have both attributes you’ll get nowhere.” Miss Welsh emphasised each ‘you’ with a pointed finger.
“I could go to another school. I am in the town team. Any of them would be glad to have me.”
Mr Jennings nodded. “True Michael very true.”
“In fact that is an excellent idea Mr Jennings isn’t it? I am sure the head would facilitate your move.”
“I didn’t say I would move. Just that I could.” Michael was aware he was backing himself in a corner.
“No you have made an excellent suggestion Michael. Tell you what. Why don’t you go home and sleep on it and consider your options. Then in the morning you can tell Mr Jennings here what your decision is. Play in the team and forget your vendetta or ask the head for a transfer.” Just nodding the, almost tearful boy, rushed out of the door.
“What do you think Sue?”
“I think that Michael will realise that it is in his best interests to stay here and cooperate.”
“I didn’t know that boy could run as fast and as well as he did.”
“I know and think about what he could do with a bit of training. You know I have been thinking that we are a bit narrow here with our sports programme.”
“But I like football.”
“I know and Jane likes hockey and I like running. Gary likes basketball. I was thinking about this while the kids were getting changed. Why do we have to have boys and girls taught separately? There are girls who like football and boys who like hockey. At the next departmental meeting let’s see how we could give the children the best range of sports and play to our strengths.”
Smiling, for Andrew knew he could still teach football. “Great idea. I am sold already!”
Wayne almost bounced into Mrs Woodward’s he was so happy. He sniffed the air. “Mrs Woodward what is that gorgeous smell.”
“Bread. I felt the urge to make fresh bread. Great for getting rid of spare energy and a wonderful smell.”
“It is. When can I eat some?”
“It should be cool enough now. Do you like jam?”
“Love it.”
“I have some homemade bramble jam.”
“Brambles! We picked brambles last week.”
“You should have brought them home we could have made some jam together. Now you go and get changed and when you come down the bread will be ready to eat.” She had a smile on her face like the cat that has just licked the cream.
When he returned he sat at the dining table and began to eat. The bread was still warm and the butter had melted slightly and mixed with the sweet, rich jam. Mrs Woodward laughed.
“What’s up?”
“You have a wonderful red moustache. Suits you.”
He shrugged and continued eating. When he had finished he sat back and said, “Well today has been one of the best days ever.”
“Could get better.”
“How?”
Barely able to conceal her joy she said, “Go and look on the hall table.”
He went out and suddenly there was a shriek. “My chess set! It’s come!”
Chapter 16
The next morning Wayne couldn’t wait to tell Craig about his new chess set but he knew that, first, he had to find out about his sets. It was not something he was looking forward to for he would, quite likely be moved away from the children he was comfortable with, Stephen, Jane, Alice, Carl even Lee and Darren whose attitude appeared to have softened since his rescue of their friend.
Anna came in with him partly because she had to but also because she was genuinely interested. “Well Wayne I know you know what tests you took but Miss Allen didn’t so I will run through the tests you sat and then tell you the outcomes. Wayne sat the English and Maths SATS set this year for Y6. He also sat the MIDYIS test which we normally set in Y7.”
“MIDYIS? I have never heard of that one.”
“It is quite an accurate test which makes predictions in a whole range of subjects. The English and maths are useful but they don’t tell you how students will do in say art, or science or PE.”
“And the results?” Anna leaned forward expectantly.
“Well Wayne you were upper fives for English and maths.”
Anna looked disappointed. “Is that all?”
Wayne and the head exchanged looks and then the head said to the social worker. “Level 5 is the highest you can achieve at Keys Stage 2. Wayne may well be above that but the test doesn’t tell us that. This means that in those two subjects you will be in set 2. Perhaps you could have gone in set 1 and when we revamp the sets at Christmas that may well occur but we have a long term to find out.”
“And the others?”
“MIDYIS suggests that he will achieve well in history, geography and music. The other subjects show above average ability which means that for most subjects you will be in sets two or three.”
Anna and Wayne looked at each other both wondering who would ask the question. The head understood. “It means that Michael Roberts won’t be in the same class as you and as PE is set in half year blocks you won’t have PE with him.”
Wayne actually breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you Sir. Can I go to the library now?”
“Yes Wayne. Miss Tozer will have your new timetable ready for you at registration.”
Wayne took the stairs to the library two at a time. Craig looked worried. “Someone after you?”
“Nah. I got my chess set!”
“Great. What is it like?”
“It’s smart. All the figures are hand painted and they are really solid to hold. I would have brought a piece in to show you but I was afraid they might get damaged.”
“No you keep it at home.”
“Mrs Woodward said you can come and have a game some time.”
“How about Saturday?” Wayne looked at him questioningly. “In top set you have a ton of homework and we pick options at the end of the year. I want to make sure I get the subjects I want that means I have lots of homework each night.”
“Yeah Saturday is good. Oh I am in second sets now.”
“Brill! You will find life easier but some of the kids in those sets think they are better than they are… especially some of the girls. It also means you will have less free time. Teachers tend to give upper sets more homework. I’m pleased for you. I’ll see if I have any of my old books at home. You know for the Y8 work, might be useful.” Wayne had been getting the pieces out during the conversation. “We won’t be able to finish this game. I am on a trip. Gifted and talented.”
“Gifted
and talented?”
“Yeah. They identify the top percent in each subject and label them gifted and talented.” He shrugged apologetically. “I know. Anyway we are off today to a lecture at the Sage in Newcastle.”
“Ah well. I’ll have to try to beat you before the bell goes.”
“Right… as if.”
After Wayne received his timetable he looked up at Miss Tozer with doubt written all over his face. “Will I be able to cope Miss?”
“Normally I don’t believe in the Key Stage 2 SATS because the students have all been drilled in the answers and the examiners are trying to make the system look as good as possible but in this case I think they are as accurate as you can make them. Firstly you had no preparation and secondly I marked them and I marked them exactly as the mark scheme dictated. You will have the ability don’t worry about that.”
“But I have only ever been in bottom sets.”
“Just have faith in your own ability any way you had better get off. You don’t want to be late to your first lesson. It’s English.” He groaned. “You have a new teacher, Mr Ritchie, and you will like him, trust me.”
He did not have far to go but he halted halfway down the corridor. He had never seen any of the children before. They were lined up quietly and he suddenly felt intimidated. Before he could turn and run he felt a hand on his shoulder. “Now you must be Wayne. I am Mr Ritchie and Miss Tozer has told me all about you. Come on let’s get you settled into the class.”
The smiles on the faces of the class told him that they liked this teacher and Wayne felt he did too. Although he had close cropped hair and designer stubble he looked like someone Wayne could relate to. His glasses made him look a little like Austin Powers and that also made Wayne more relaxed. He had that smile which always seems to play on a person’s lips, even when they are serious.
“Right Y8 we have a new member of the class, Wayne and I know you are going to make him feel welcome. Now where is there an empty seat? Ah there...” Wayne looked to where he was pointing and there was an empty space next to a small girl who blushed and busied herself as Wayne approached. Wayne too kept his head down, all too aware of the stares from the others. “Now come on Y8 it isn’t as if he has three heads. Well Wayne you have joined us at an opportune time we are starting a new topic. The horror genre.” There was a murmur of excitement. “Gary, would you come up here and scribe on the board. Now can anyone give me the title of a book in the horror genre?”
“Dracula.”
“Frankenstein.
“Dr Jekyll.”
“All good ones but the authors are dead. Which I suppose is appropriate for a horror writer but any living authors?”
“Stephenie Meyer.”
“Good yes the twilight series which is almost a sub genre of horror. Any more living authors?”
“Stephen King.”
“Excellent. Any more?” The class was struggling now and Wayne raised a tentative hand, “Yes Wayne give us some one else because the rest of the class are stumped.”
“G P Taylor.”
“Excellent. In fact, more than excellent and as such worthy of a merit. Do you know why?” They all looked blankly until he produced from behind his back ‘The Ship of Fools’ by G P Taylor. “Tara!” He said emulating a fanfare, badly. “Have you read this one Wayne?”
“No Sir. I read ‘Shadowmancer’ and I am on to ‘Wormwood’ now.”
“Good well then. What makes the horror genre?”
The lesson flew by and Wayne couldn’t believe the difference between two English teachers in the same department. He was also delighted that he still had Mr Green for history albeit in a different class. “Excellent Wayne. I’m glad you are still in my class and you’ll be pleased to note that we are doing the same topic. Just a little way ahead but I’m sure you can catch up.”
When he was on his way to the library feeling like he did when he had walked and talked with his nana he was pulled over to one side by Miss Welsh. “We have some cross country training on Thursday’s just after school. Any chance of joining us? I know you would have to see Miss Allen and your foster carer but it would be a great chance to meet the rest of the team and I am sure we can give you some tips to improve your technique. What do you say?”
“Okay Miss.” As he climbed the stairs to the library he thought, ‘this is going to be a busy week if nothing else.’ As soon as he entered the library, his sanctuary his heart fell like a stone. Sat at his desk looking at the chess board was the biggest boy he had ever seen. More than that the boy, or rather youth, was an enormous Y11 with cropped hair and the pugnacious look of someone who has thrown and received a few punches in his lifetime. All his good thoughts evaporated like early morning mist.
He had decided he would go and tidy shelves when Mrs Macmillan shouted over, “Wayne I’ve left your board set up. Kevin was interested.”
So the Neanderthal had a name but could it speak?
“I’ve never played chess is it hard?”
Wayne was about to say it was and then he remembered Craig. Craig was gifted and talented and yet he had helped someone in a special needs group. Just because he had been put in set 2 did that give him the right to judge others? “I learned quickly. He held out his hand as he had seen the head do and as Craig had done with him, “I’m Wayne Johnson.”
Taking his hand he said, “I know. I’ve heard about you.” The tone was neutral. What did it mean? Know you in a good way or know ‘I’m going to give you a good hiding’? “I’m Kevin Burns. You know my gran Mary?”
“Mary Burns? Nana’s next door neighbour. Yes she’s lovely.”
“Yeah I know. Sorry about your nana. She asked me to keep an eye on you.”
“Is that why you are here?”
“No I’m in bother. Mr Lancaster wants me suspended so me form tutor, Miss Welsh, put me in here for the morning to keep me out of his lesson. She’s all right she is.”
“I have a nice form tutor, Miss Tozer.”
“Yeah she’s a bit of all right is our Miss Tozer.” Wayne wasn’t certain what the older boy meant but he nodded to be agreeable. “Well how do you play?”
Wayne found the huge boy quite capable and he soon picked it up. When the bell went for break he said, “I’ll have to play again. I enjoyed that. See you around kid.”
“You not going to lessons yet?”
He looked over at Mrs Macmillan and said, loudly, “Nah I’m still in solitary aren’t I Miss?”
“Yes and I would prefer silent solitary please.”
By the end of the day Wayne was exhausted as his new classes had meant an increased workload and he had found that most of the children were the same ones so he was only a freak for the first couple of lessons. The new timetable meant that his half of the year group was never timetabled near the other half and so his tormentors were never seen. As usual he had been admitted to lunch early as a librarian but Shirley noticed he was alone. “So where’s Snow White today?”
He looked around, confused. “Snow White?”
One of the other dinner ladies, Carol said, “Never mind her love, she thinks she is funny. She means Mrs Harper and the little ones who follow her.”
“Oh I get it. So I am one of the dwarves eh?”
Shirley laughed. “I like you. You have a sense of humour and at least you are now Happy and not Bashful.”
He laughed. “Yeah I know.”
He related everything to Anna as they went back to Mrs Woodward’s and Anna couldn’t help noticing how chatty he had become. It was almost as though he had come out of his shell. She hoped it would last the week.
The next day was as great as the first day. To his delight he had the young maths teacher, Miss Hope. Perhaps his delight was the fact that her name was the name of his nana’s street but more likely it was because she was a really enthusiastic teacher who made a point of speaking to every child in the class, who gave encouragement rather than scorn and who made every child feels she cared. Although, as Wa
yne said to Craig over lunch, “Anything after Mr Lancaster would have been an improvement.”
The day had been one of the best and, as Wayne went to the changing room for his first training session for cross country he was excited. He had never been coached for anything before and he knew he had made an impression on the head of PE. He didn’t know why but it felt good to be singled out for praise. He found himself actually humming a song as he walked along. Miss Lennon had been teaching them about singer song writers and he had Paul Simon’s ‘The Boxer’ in his head. He walked into the changing room and the door slammed behind him. He jumped at the noise and turned to face Michael Roberts.
“Gotcha you little Cockney piece of scum. And there’s no teacher to protect you. There’s no-one and I am going to really hurt you and really mark you and you are gonna say it wasn’t me. You are gonna blame a bunch of lads from another school.”
“They won’t believe me. They’ll know it was you!”
“They might suspect but they can’t prove it ‘cos I am gonna be in a detention with Lancaster two minutes after I leave you a bleeding mess and I changed his clock when he was free so he’ll give me an alibi. It was worth it, a detention for a bit of cheek and the chance to give you the hiding of your life.”
Wayne looked around in panic. The only way out was through the door and that meant going past Robbo. He wouldn’t be able to do it. He held out his bag in front of himself as a weapon but he knew it would merely delay the inevitable. His Nemesis was approaching slowly gauging his movements to match Wayne’s. He would find it impossible to escape. His back banged against the wall of the changing room and he slid around to find an escape. He found himself in the showers. It had two exits. There might be a chance. He darted towards the opposite exit and then reversed his movements. Robbo took the bait and Wayne headed for the door. He might have made it were it not for the tiles on the floor and he slipped. He jumped to his feet and then felt a ton weight land on him.
“You sneaky little Cockney. Now I am going to enjoy this.” Wayne felt his hair being pulled up and he braced himself for the blow. But the blow never came.