Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:35:26 EDT
From: Djedoric58@aol.com
Subject: The Bull Singer chapter 21

THE BULL SINGER
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE


Jimmy's story

I stared at my shoes and wondered how I could get out the embarrassing
situation I had landed myself in without losing the chance of a little
friendship in my life. I'd had the hots for this gorgeous looking Latin
since the first day he came to Fordage Secondary School, just like I'd had
the hots for Billy D'Marco. I liked Latin lookers, neat and sexy and the
opposite to my big blonde teddy bear looks.  But Dad had given me a mission
and as I stood there with my cheeks growing ever redder, I recalled my
conversation with my dad over supper last night.

* *

"Who was that on the phone, Dad?" I asked as he sat back down at the table
with a worried look on his normally cheerful face.

"Oh, someone I used to know when we were in school here. It seems that one
of our new pupils might be in some kind of danger from some shady
characters, and he wants me to keep an eye on the boy while he's in
school."

"Well, you can't do that yourself, your too busy."

"I know that; and I don't intend to start a kiddie protection firm either;
friend or no friend. Thank goodness our faithful school caretaker is an ex
Marine. He'll keep a watch for any suspicious characters or cars, but you
could help keep an eye on the boy inside the school."

"Me?"

"Why not?" Dad poured two cups of tea and offered me one.  "As head
prefect, you have the run of the school buildings; so you can be anywhere
yu like without people asking questions. You can keep tabs on the boy
without anyone getting on your back. You're ahead with your studies, or so
your teachers tell me, and you have plenty of free time on your hands till
the Christmas break.  Then Mags will be back."

"Mags who?"

"Mags Alton."

Dad smirked at me and I gave him a blank stare. "Mags Alton? Where have I
heard that name before?"

"Your favourite cover band?"

"Billy Junior? That Mags Alton? Wow! What's he doing round here?"

"His dad owns Top Farm over in Little Fordage. You know the boy already if
I've been reading the signs rightly."

"What signs?"

"I've noticed you making cow eyes at him since he started school here." I
gaped at Dad and felt my cheeks burn, and he smiled at me. "Your mum and I
have known since you were twelve that girls didn't have much of a place in
your life, so don't be embarrassed about it. Other people might not
understand, so don't going flaunting it about, but we understand and it's
okay by us. You're still our son and we love you just the same. Mags and I
were in the same position when we were about your age, so I can't say
anything otherwise can I?"

I uttered a sigh of relief. "I didn't know, that, Dad. Did it last long?"

"About two years." Dad shook his head and he looked away, deep in
thought. "It could have lasted a lot longer but my parents had other
ideas. We moved away from Fordage and I found myself living next door to
your mum. Our parents literally pushed us together and by the time we were
eighteen we were married and you were on the way."

"Do you regret that?"

Dad shook his head and gave me a soft smile. "Not a bit of it. Your mum was
the girl for me, and we're still very much in love." The smile seemed
genuine enough but I detected a look of sadness in his eyes.

"But if you hadn't moved?"

Dad's smile slipped a bit. "Ah well, things might have been different for
me, but you would never have been born. So, no, I have no regrets."

I felt tears spring to my eyes. "Thanks, Dad. I love you."

Dad reached over and squeezed my hand. "And I love you too." Suddenly he
let go of my hand and slapped the table with a gesture or
determination. "Right, lad, are you going to help Mags and me keep that
young man safe?"

* * *

So here I was, wondering if I had blown things before I had even started my
mission. I tried to get my mouth to work but all I could do was mumble a
few words even I could not understand. "Er... well...ah...I...er; oh damn
it, Street, I like you." I had to turn my face away; I just couldn't look
at him. I waited for him to walk out and tell the rest of the school I was
a fruit. A minute later I realised I had not heard the double doors clang
shut. They were always a fair warning for anyone, doing something they
shouldn't in these toilets, to make themselves decent or hide in one of the
stalls. As a group, we prefects had tried to catch certain `criminals' who
preyed on the younger pupils but as long as Dad's pleas to have the doors
replaced with quieter ones, our efforts would always be thwarted; not that
such crimes were a common occurrence, thank God.

He was still there, gazing at me with arms folded, a glint of amusement in
his eyes. "I'm sorry," I apologised. "I shouldn't have said that."

"Why not? I'm cool with it, or you would have had a broken wrist early
on. The only thing is, I already have a boyfriend, and I wouldn't want to
hurt him. But we can still use my house for the weekend, and I have a
better idea for the rehearsals." He took a notebook and pen from his jacket
pocket and scribbled in it. Tearing the page out of the book, he held it
out to me. "Have your boys ready to come out to Top Farm tonight then call
me after your meeting. Here's my cell-phone number. Now I think we'd better
head back to class before the Joke sends for the paramedics. Tell your
mates to bring their own sleeping bags."

Like a lamb, I followed him back to class as if he were the prefect and I
the wayward student. I was just relieved to be let off so lightly. I only
had a short essay to finish and should have taken me five minutes or so
when I got back to my PC, but when the bell went at the end of class I had
only written one more sentence, my concentration gone completely as my
imagination ran riot thinking about spending the weekend with Joey
Street. Sod the Paperboys!


Magsy's Story

I thought it was Doug calling me back when my cell phone jingled in my coat
pocket but wasn't all that surprised to see Joey's cell phone number
winking a me. "Hi Joey, how are things at school?"

"Okay I suppose."

"What do you mean, you suppose?"

"Er...well...I think I'm being watched."

"Where?" I hoped Doug had done what I asked. "In the school or out?"

"Outside."

"In what way?"

"Strange cars parked in the street."

"That could be anything."

"Not when the driver reads the same page of his paper. I've seen him during
lunch break, a few yards back from the gates. And Winston had one car move
away."

"Who's Winston?"

"Our caretaker. He's pretty paranoid about child sex crimes."

"Well, I'm sure he's just doing his job as he sees it."

"But he's never gone outside the gates, he's always called the police
in. You haven't been talking to Mr Mitchell have you?"

"Why do you ask?"

"His son, Jimmy is showing great interest in me all of a sudden. Now,
that's too much of a coincidence to me. What have you been up to, Mags?"

I closed my eyes and thought for a moment, knowing I was not going to pass
anything by Joey. "Okay, Joey. I won't lie to you; I asked Doug to keep an
eye on you."

"Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do. It's your mother I don't trust, and its not fair to leave
Dad and Pete on watch twenty-four seven. How do you and Jimmy get on?"

I heard Joey chuckle. "Wouldn't you know it, he has the hots for me?"

I felt a twinge of jealousy. "Is he serious?"

"I think so."

"And what about you? Are you interested?"

Joey gave himself away when he hesitated before saying, "I wouldn't want to
hurt you, Mags."

"But if I wasn't around, you would be?" When Joey didn't answer, I said,
"Joey, it's okay. I understand. You're young and full of beans. I'm just
the older guy who helped you know who and what you are."

"No, Mags! No. You're more than that. You're my uncle and I love you."

"All the more reason why it's best you look elsewhere for a close
relationship."

There was a sob in his voice, as he said, "Are you telling me it's over
between us? Please don't say that. I need you Mags."

"I'm not saying it's over, kiddo. I just think you need to ease up and have
some fun with someone nearer your own age, that's all." My heart ached for
me to say it, but it was the truth as I saw it. "If things work out with
Jimmy, I'm not going to raise a stink. I just want you to have fun. Now,
was there anything else you want to talk to me about? I've got five minutes
before Daley bites my head off for not being at rehearsal."

"Well, yes there is. I want the Paperboys to come to Top Farm for the
weekend, if it' all right with you. We need to rehearse or Auntie Millie's
going to cut us out of the show."

"It's your granddad's place; what does my dad say?"

"He said it's okay with him but to ask you. He's also said that if we want
to, we can use Auntie Millie's old practice room. By the way, Pete's says
thanks for the drum machine you sent him; we tried it out last night and me
think it's cool. It'll save humping all those drum boxes around all the
time. Did you know he's the drummer for the show?"

"Yes, he did mention he might offer his services. You boys take care up at
Top Farm now; no getting up to mischief and breaking things; and tell Aunt
Millie, if there's anything else she needs for the show, to let me
know. Now, I've got my own rehearsal to go to. I'll ring you tomorrow about
lunchtime. Gotta run. Bye."

Shutting my phone off, and sat down suddenly, and felt as if a part of me
had disappeared. After such a short time, and thinking I had found someone
special to help me through losing Billy, I was losing someone again, and it
was of my own doing. I had given Joey the go ahead to be with someone else
if he so wished. How stupid can a man get? Someone opened my bedroom door
and called to me, and I couldn't see who it was for the mist in my eyes.

*  *  *