Westpoint Tales
by Kiwi
George and Jeremy's Tale - Pt 4
Like moths to a flame, they were drawn by the bright lights and all the activity down on the wharves by the river. A coal boat was being loaded - they often worked late as boats had to catch the high tide to get out from the river port.
Two of the big wharf cranes were working, lifting the loaded bodies off the railway wagon wheels and swinging them out over the gaping holds of the boat where the wharf side workers pried the bottom hatch-doors open to let the coal pour down. The long line of railway wagons was slowly moved along by the steel cables on the old capstans.
The busy, floodlit scene was the brightest, noisiest and most active area in the entire town.
"It's a shame they just burn it," said Jeremy as they sat together up on a small shed roof, watching.
"Burn what? The coal, do you mean? Of course they burn it. It runs furnaces, boilers, factories and railway engines even. Coal provides a lot of the power that keeps the country going."
"Yeah. I know that. But there are so many other things they could be doing with it. You can make things out of coal."
"You mean like ornaments and stuff? My Mam's got a heart made out of coal."
"Don't tell me your troubles. No, I mean stuff - plastics, nylon, explosives, paint. All sorts of things. The Germans were even making a petrol substitute from coal during the war."
"Were they really? Why bother. Petrol's cheap anyway. There's mountains of coal out there if anyone wants to use it - enough to keep them going for years yet."
"I know that too. Westpoint lives on its coal. I still think it's a shame that they just burn it."
"You're probably right, but there's heaps there. That's a joke, get it? Heaps, coal heaps. There's coal heaps all over town. Just about every house has got a coal heap outside it."
"Ha ha. Very funny. There's no coal heap at our house, not yet anyway. No-one's gotten around to ordering any."
"How are they cooking then? How are they running the kitchen fire if there's no coal?"
"Oh, we've got coal. We just haven't got a coal heap yet."
"Where's the coal coming from then?"
"Dunno. They're probably pinching it from the neighbours."
"They probably are. Way to make friends with the neighbours, Carvers."
"Hey, I'm not pinching it myself. The neighbours don't like us anyway, they never will even if we don't pinch their coal."
"Well, I'm nearly a neighbour and I like you. The rest of your family is pretty scary, but I do like you."
"Way to make friends with the neighbours, George. Yeah, I like you too. Thanks for letting me help you today."
"Thanks? Thank you. It's been a great day since you came along."
"Yeah, it has, hasn't it? We're going to have lots of great days."
They fell into a thoughtful, embarrassed, silence, but not for long. A Wharf worker yelled up at them.
"Hey! What do you boys think you're doing up there? Come on, get down and bugger off. Bloody Carvers!"
Jeremy stood and gave him the fingers, then they jumped down from the back of the shed roof and ran away up the railway yard, laughing.
"You shouldn't have done that, Dumb-bum. Now he's going to kick your arse, and mine too probably."
"Ah, stuff him. He'll have to catch us first. Welcome to the Carvers, Georgie."
"Don't call me Georgie - Gemmy."
"Gemmy?"
"Yeah. That's you - Gemmy. You're bright, shiny and precious and everything. You're a gem, Gemmy."
"Oh, aren't you nice? Okay, I'll be Gemmy, but only if I can call you Georgie."
"Well, you can't. I told you, I hate that name.'
"Come on. I didn't say Porgie, just Georgie. It's a pet name, means I like you really."
"That's cool. Okay, Gemmy, I'll be Georgie - but only for you.'
"Great, Georgie. And I'll be Gemmy but only for you."
Yet again, they were both struck dumb. They walked along in silence, just the crunching of the railway ballast under their feet. Gemmy decided that this was getting ridiculous. Something had to be done to overcome these embarrassments. He wished he could read the other's mind.
They walked up the ramp onto the 'overhead bridge" - the pedestrian bridge over the multiple tracks over the busy railway yard - and walked across to the town side, behind the main street. At the far end another ramp went down and disappeared into the shadow of the large bill-board mounted alongside it. The bright-blue street light shining on the front made a patch of coal-black shadow on the ramp behind it.
They walked down and were swallowed by the shadow. George stopped walking when Jeremy did, and looked at him - or tried to anyway. It really was dark in there.
"What're you doing?"
"Just looking. Jakie says that this is where he brings girls to snog them when it's dark."
"What does that mean, to snog them?"
"This," said Jeremy. He stepped forward, took hold of George's head and kissed him on the lips.
Silence reigned. It dragged on and on. George didn't speak, then he stepped forward, reached out and touched Jeremy's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Georgie. It was a joke. Please don't hit me."
"I wasn't going to hit you Gemmy."
"I said I'm sorry. What were you going to do then?"
"This," said George and he kissed him on the lips.
"Aaah," Jeremy sighed with relief. "We're okay then, Georgie?"
"Yeah. We're okay."
They stood quietly, neither knowing what to do next. Then George started walking again.
"Well, you coming then?"
"I'm coming."
They walked, silent again, over to the main street. Even that exchange hadn't broken their shyness.
"We should go up to the St.John's and meet the kids. The movie will be over soon and Granny will skin me alive if they get into any more trouble."
"Okay then. We wouldn't want that, you'd be bleeding everywhere. But I'm not talking to your bitch cousins."
"Don't then. It probably won't be a problem anyway. They usually find someone else to go home with. Carver girls don't seem to have a problem making new friends. They never seem to keep them for long though."
The movie finished and the kids came out. The red-haired boy was already exchanging insults with a couple of others. Jeremy grabbed him by the collar and pulled him away. "Enough of that, Kevin. Come on with us."
As he had predicted, Sophie and Dianne were both with teenage boys. "Oh good. Jeremy, you can get this lot home to Granny's. We'll be back later. Seeya."
They walked home through the dark streets with no further incidents, except that the dark-haired girl kept coyly flashing grins at George. When they got back to the Carver's, the four kids rushed inside leaving George and Jeremy alone out on the sidewalk.
"So," George sighed. "Sorry you missed the movie."
"That's okay. I would've been busy worrying about that lot anyway. I had a nice night, thanks George."
"Yeah, I had a nice night too, and a great day. Thank you, Gemmy."
"Right. I'd better get inside. So, I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, great. We could go swimming again, maybe?"
"Sure, we'll do that. See you, Georgie. G'nite."
"Goodnight, sleep tight."
"Don't let the bedbugs bite."
Jeremy went inside. George walked home, feeling really happy - he had a friend at last.. As he walked he was singing to himself, the words of a song from the last movie he'd seen - My Fair Lady.
"I have often walked, down this street before. But the pavement always stayed beneath my feet before. All at once am I several stories high, knowing I'm on the street where you live."
They didn't go swimming the next day. No-one did as the weather crapped out again. George woke to the sound of rain on the roof. He opened the shade and looked out the window - it was pouring down out there. It was pissing down! Heavy, drenching rain that you only get when you live in a rain-forest. At least there was no wind, so it wouldn't be a repeat of the storm, but swimming was definitely out for today.
'Oh well. In the dying words of Ned Kelly, "such is life."'
He spent the day indoors, just lazing around and glaring at the rain outside." Last day of the long weekend and look at it. Bloody rain."
He wondered what Jeremy was doing, but he wasn't going around there to find out. In this weather, their house would be wall-to-wall with Carvers. Bloody Carvers. How could Jeremy be one of them? He was so different to all the rest. Maybe he was adopted? No, of course he wasn't. Jakie was his twin and Jakie was definitely a Carver.
George knew who he himself was and he knew what he wanted. He wanted Jeremy. He wanted to get close to him - really close. He wanted to snog him. That was great last night, scary but great, while it lasted. Why hadn't they continued? He was such a wuss.
He played with the baby, read a bit, listened to the radio, and spread out Jimmy's deck of cards to play patience - anything to pass the time.
At about four in the afternoon, there was a knock at the back door. George leapt up from his card game on the floor and opened the door. Jeremy was there. A very wet Jeremy. He stood out in the rain, his wet clothes clinging to him, his sandy hair flattened on his head and water streaming down his face.
"Jeremy! Wow. Look at you - you're like a drowned rat. Come in here and get out of the rain.
He stood in the doorway, dripping water on the mat "I can't come in George, I'll flood the place."
"Stay there. Wait, don't move." George rushed to the linen cupboard in the kitchen and returned with a big, white, warm, bath-towel. "Here you go, dry your head with this."
"Thanks." Jeremy flicked the towel open, dried his face, then rubbed vigorously across his hair. He grinned at George through the folds in the towel.
"Why didn't you wear a coat you numbskull? You'll catch your death of cold."
"No I won't. It's not cold - summertime remember."
"I remember. It seems like ages ago already."
"Yeah, it does. Anyway, Carvers don't wear coats; we're much too cool for that."
"You think you look cool? You don't. You're all wet. What are you doing here Gemmy?"
"Well you haven't got the phone on."
"No, we haven't. I wish we did. Anytime you want to phone me, just ring the Peters next door. We use their phone all the time."
"You do? Good, I'll remember that. Anyway, do you want to come to the movies with me tonight? I'd really like to see James Bond, and you still owe me a ticket."
"I'd love to, but there's school tomorrow. Hold on, I'll ask my mam. Stay there, don't move."
He rushed back to the kitchen, then returned, following behind his mother.
"Jeremy Carver! What are you doing here in the rain?"
"I…umm…I wanted to ask George if he can come to the movies with me tonight. We didn't get there last night."
"No, you didn't, did you? George came home and you came back to make sure he was all right. That was nice of you, Jeremy. Thank you."
"I….ahh...I just didn't want to lose my new friend, Mrs.Barnes. So, can we go tonight?"
"Yes, of course you can, as long as George comes straight home afterwards. You've both got school tomorrow."
"We won't be late, Mam."
"See that you're not. Now you'd better get Jeremy some dry clothes, he should fit into yours."
"Yes, of course I will."
"No, don't bother, George. I'd only get them wet too. Thanks, Mrs. Barnes, but I'm just going to run home now and have a hot bath. It's great having hot water in the bathroom. We had to use buckets out at the farm. I'll just run home, it's only around the corner. Well, two corners really."
"Well, as long as you're sure. Take George's coat anyway."
"No, it's okay. Thanks, but I'd only get it wet on the inside."
"Take my umbrella then, Jeremy."
"I can't Mrs.Barnes. They'd all give me such a hard time. I'm okay, really. See you later George."
"Wait. Do you want me to come and pick you up again?"
"No. I'll come back here, then Granny can't send kids with us again. See you later, George. Seven-thirty, okay? 'Bye Mrs.Barnes, thanks."
They watched him run off into the rain. Mrs.Barnes turned and smiled. "I do like your friend George. He's a nice boy even if he is a Carver."
"Yeah, he is, Mam. I like him too, Jeremy's great."
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