Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2019 08:14:06 +0000 From: Jonah Subject: Stranger on a Train Chapter five This story is a work of fiction and no character in it is based on any real person living or dead. Where officials are described they are in no way intended to represent any real person who holds those offices, although I recognise that the Metropolitan Police does have some brave officers and that the "system", however desensitised nowadays, does have some caring people within it. This story may include some sexual activity , though only of a gentle and loving nature, but there will be no graphic descriptions and those looking for pornography are advised to look elsewhere.There are pictures of some of the characters in this story on Jacob Lion's website along with his story, "A Neglected Boy" also serialized on Nifty. If you like this story, you'll certainly like his. You can find his website at: https://jacoblion.weebly.com/ If you wish to contact me for feedback, I can be reached at lfa4321jonah@outlook.com. Nifty is kind enough to enable us to write and to read these stories so please consider making a donation. It costs money to run a site like this. http.//donate.nifty.org/donate.html Stranger on a train Chapter five by Jonah On Tuesday morning the sun shone. I woke up with my boy sleeping peacefully next to me. Then I got up to get Vijay's boys ready for school. Peter was excited because he had an email from Liam about his model railway layout. Massachusetts being five hours behind the UK, emails from there always seemed to arrive at strange times. That reminded me that I had intended to see if there was a local model railway club. I'd hoped that I might see an email from Jake, but in term time he tended to be busy. I might contact him soon though; after all, I had some news for him. A breakfast of marmalade on toast and porridge was quickly consumed and the boys were off for their bus. I was just about to go back upstairs to lie down with Luke for a little while longer when the phone rang. I took the call in the lounge. "Jonah Cummings" "Jonah, It's Dave Webber. We met when you were at North Harrow on Christmas Day." "Oh, that's right. Morning Dave." "Morning. Monica asked me to give you a ring about a tutoring job". "Yes that's right Dave. I've got a ten year old foster son who has never been in school. He needs schooling but, before I can put him into a state school, he needs to catch up on what he's missed" "Is he numerate or literate?" "I doubt he's literate, or at least he doesn't admit to it, but his numeracy is pretty primitive". "How primitive? "The other night he learned to move counters round a monopoly board" "When would you want him to start tuition?" "Well I have to take him shopping this morning but he can start tomorrow". "That's fine, but if you're in this afternoon I could do with conducting an assessment" "Well we should be about at twoish. No, better still, how about you pop round at twelve and have some lunch with us?" "That sounds fine. I'll bring my scale of fees with me. I just need your address". I gave it to him and we said our farewells. Then I finally got back upstairs to Luke. "Morning Dad", he said as I walked in. "Morning Luke. How about you get yourself showered and dressed while I make your breakfast? Then we're going for a little train ride" "I was hoping to just hang around here today" he remarked. "Well one of these days,"I told him, " you might just get to do that, but today we've got things to do." After breakfast we were off to Rayner's Lane tube station, We caught the Metropolitan train one stop to North Harrow and then walked through the town to Marks and Spencers. There I spent a small fortune on clothing for Luke. That included two packs of long sleeved shirts, half a dozen T shirts, ten pairs of socks, a six pack of boxers, two pairs of jeans and four pair of long trousers, a pair of shorts, Two sweatshirts, a couple of ties, a fleece and a sports jacket, and two ties. With a pair of trainers and a pair of leather tie-ups we left fairly laden down. We were back by a quarter to twelve and I left Luke to put his stuff away while I nipped out to purchase food. I purchased three chiken and mushroom pies, two pack of microwaveable mash and a couple of tins of Bachelor's mushy peas. The pie shop provided a couple of tubs of gravy so we had our lunch, only just in time as Dave appeared at the door. He was happy for pie, peas and mash so we had a pleasant meal. I explained to luke that Dave would be tutoring him and I would expect him to work with Dave so that eventually he could go to school with the other boys. After lunch Dave went upstairs with Luke to conduct a series of tests. I used the time to send an email to America. Dear Jake Harrow January 2019 I know it is only a week or so since I wrote to you last, but so much has happened here. For a start we have another boy living here. I have become a registered foster parent and Luke is my foster son - he has even adopted my surname. I've attached a photo of him that Simon took. He is ten years old and has never been in school. He never knew his real father and his mother died at Christmas. Both of my boys love him and I'm sure that you would too. You can have no idea how it feels to be called "Dad", or perhaps you can. I'm arranging private tuition for hm. He is very intelligent, but just needs an education. Whilst arranging for his fostering I accidentally discovered that I am known to the police, but not in the usual way. Now, whenever I walk into a police station, they immediately put the kettle on, and they make good tea too. Incidentally, my editor told me that he saw on Facebook wherean A321 took a lightning strike landing at Boston. It's a good job you weren't on that one. I'm still being perpetually pestered to build a model railway layout. Please thank Liam for me. I hope all is well with you and yours, and my love to Kori and Liam. All the Best Jonah. Dave came back downstairs on his own. "I've given Luke some reading excercises to look at. I'll test him in a few minutes. You were wrong about his literacy by the way. He does read a little because he's been teaching himself, but he's too shy to let anybody know. I can work on that for him. His numeracy is more or less as you said. That'll soon come though. He's a bright lad and says he's prepared to work. He can use a pencil by the way. Has he shown you this?" He produced a sheet of A4 printer paper. On it drawn lightly, but beautifully in pencil was a portrait. I recognised myself of course, but I was more interested in the drawing itself. He had drawn the whole thing with an HB pencil, using pressure and density to created different tones. The direction of light was consistent, which is difficult to achieve even when drawing from observation. The heavier lines were confident and didn't show signs of sketching. "Don't get excited," said Dave. "It's good, but if you're thinking of enrolling him in an art class before he even asks for it, forget it. He obviously enjoys drawing, and you don't want to change that". "Couldn't agree more, Dave", I replied, "I'm a graphic artist myself and I've seen too many promising young artists spoiled like that". Dave nodded, apparently satisfied. "Well I'd better have a look and see how he's doing. " he said. "Coming?" I followed him upstairs to the boys' bedroom. Seated at Simon's desk, Luke had a pile of books beside him, three of which lay open. A question sheet lay beside them and Luke was biting the non-business end of a pencil. "How's it going?" said Dave. ""Just as I expected," Luke replied. "The first two are kids books, I answered the questions on them alright, but this one," he indicated a very thick book, "is full of big words, and some of them I don't think even ARE words". "What are you doing looking in there Luke?" Dave queried. Luke rolled his eyes. I've had Simon living with me for nine months, so I'm no mean judge of a roll of the eyes. Luke had mastered it. "It says so just here", he said with exagerrated patience. "Ah", said Dave, "you read it. So you read 'the complete works of Shakespeare' and then found the book from the title printed on it, and I see you've even opened it at "The Taming of the Shrew" as it says on the paper, and you're telling me your reading isn't very good?" "I guess I just compared the words on the sheet with the ones on the book", Luke said moodily. Dave bent down close to the boy and spoke quietly and patiently. "I guess you did too Luke. Now I'm a teacher - a professional one - and I have to tell you that, in my profession, the word that we use for doing that is 'reading'. You done good pal", he said standing and ruffling the boy's hair. Luke turned to me, an appeal in his eyes. I ruffled his hair too. "I'm afraid I can't disagree with that Luke", I said. " Well done son". "Well that looks better than satisfactory", said Dave as I put the kettle on downstairs. "Luke, your father wants me to tutor you here so that you can catch up with other children enough to go to school. That'll be hard work. Are you happy to do that?" Luke nodded. "Good," Dave said, " If we do nine to three with an hour for lunch, starting tomorrow will that suit you Jonah?" "I have to go into the office in the morning," I replied, "so that will work out fine. "I can leave snacks and things for lunch, I'll be home before three." We shook hands on that and Dave departed. That left Luke and I to make a start on dinner for when the boys got home. Luke peeled the potatoes and put them on to boil while I chopped some carrots and onions. I steamed the carrots above his potatoes and while he got mashing the potatoes I cooked up some minced beef with the onion. I added water and a stock cube then seasoned the mixture with salt pepper and a little sage. Luke greased the largest casserole dish I had, and I poured the meat into it, then helped luke spread the mash on top. A little grated cheese and it was ready for the oven. Luke warmed up a can of garden peas while I poured us both a beaker of squash. On went the television and we sat down to await the boys. The aroma from home cooking was delicious by the time Simon and Peter got home, but something was different. Simon came in first, uncharacteristically quietly. Peter followed him, sporting a black eye, and holding out an envelope.