you wanna be friends? What’s your name?’
Momentarily, James felt short of breath. ‘Me name’s James, but me bruvver calls me Jimmy boy and yes, I’d love to be your friend.’
‘Wait there,’ Maria said. ‘I’m gonna ask my mum if I can come in your garden and play with you.’
James nodded dumbly. He was thunderstruck.
Tommy potted his ball without even properly looking at it. He couldn’t concentrate, as he knew very shortly things were about to go off. He’d noticed Leroy when he’d first walked in earlier. A tall boy, he was quite good looking, had dreadlocks and, as you moved closer, an evil look in his eye. Word had it that in the past, within days of his arrival at a borstal, he would trample on the top boys and take over as the daddy.
Tommy glanced at his friend. Freddie didn’t seem to have a care in the world but, personally, he was crapping himself. They were the top boys here and by the look on Leroy’s face, the ones he’d shortly be gunning for. Freddie was an extremely perceptive lad. Noticing the two screws leaving the room to sort out a small fracas outside, he pulled a sock out of his pocket and slid it to Tommy.
‘Stick some balls in there, shove it down yer bollocks and we’re leaving.’
Tommy nodded and did as he was told.
Susan and Tracey stood outside the run-down, filthy old house, awaiting their latest victim. Silly Billy Barnard went to band practice on a Tuesday. His family was skint, so they knew he’d have no money. They just wanted to torment him, terrorise him, like they usually did. Seeing his fat figure waddling their way, they ran towards him. Tracey was the first to reach him. Desperate to impress her friend, she grabbed his thick rimmed glasses and threw them in a nearby bush.
‘Please can I have my glasses back? I can’t see properly. Please don’t hurt me.’ Billy was a softie and couldn’t help his tears.
Susan smiled at Billy’s anguish. She scared the absolute living daylights out of him and she knew it. Each time she confronted him she’d force him to do a little task. These had included pulling his trousers down and showing his willy, crawling along the pavement while meowing like a cat, and digging up his neighbour’s plants and eating them. Today, she wanted to teach him the art of movement.
‘Dance,’ she said, laughing at him.
‘I can’t dance. I don’t know how to,’ Billy stammered.
Tracey aimed a kick at his ankle. ‘Do as you’re told. Now, fucking dance.’
Billy tried to jig up and down to the best of his ability. Both girls were now in hysterics and their uncontrollable laughter made him cry all the more.
‘Can I go home now?’ he sobbed.
Susan could barely speak for laughing. ‘You can’t go home until you’ve done the teapot.’
‘What’s that?’ Billy whimpered.
Susan put her left hand on her hip and positioned her right in the shape of a spout.
Billy understood now. Desperate to get home, he copied his tormentor and stood for five minutes rocking side to side. The girls were enjoying themselves so much that they didn’t notice Old Mother Kelly and her sister walking towards them.
‘Leave him alone, yer wicked little cows,’ screamed the sisters.
As Susan and Tracey legged it into the distance, they could hear Old Mother Kelly cursing them. ‘God’s watching down on you, you know. What goes around comes around and he’s bound to have a plan for evil little girls like you.’
On reaching the corner shop, Susan and Tracey stopped for a breather. Seeing Old Mother Kelly waving her fist at them, both girls lifted their skirts and flashed their bums. Giggling, they continued their journey.
Maureen and Ethel were amused as they sat watching James devour his fish fingers and chips. All of a sudden he had the appetite of a horse and between every mouthful was telling them something else about Maria.
‘She’s not like other girls, yer know. She can run as fast as me and she can climb trees.’
Maureen smiled. ‘Why don’t you invite her in for her tea tomorrow, James? We’d love to meet her and I’ll check it’s OK with her mum.’
James put his empty plate on the table and jumped up and down excitedly. ‘Can I, Mum? Can I ask her now?’
Ethel grabbed both his hands. ‘Don’t ask her yet. You’ve gotta play it cool, yer don’t wanna act too keen.’
James was bemused. ‘What do yer mean, Nanny?’
Ethel winked at him. ‘You’ll know exactly what I mean in a few years’ time, won’t he, Maur? You tell him.’
Maureen decided to carry on with the wind-up. ‘Yer sure will, James. Anyway, it was only last week that you told me you didn’t like girls.’
James giggled. ‘I don’t, but I do like Maria.’
Ethel ruffled his hair. ‘Is she your girlfriend, James? Go on, you can tell yer old Nan.’
James put both hands over his face. His mum and nan were so embarrassing sometimes.
Maureen nudged Ethel as she goaded him. ‘Come on, James, you can tell us. Girls don’t like shy boys, so you’ve gotta be honest.’
James took his hands away from his eyes. He stood up and put his hands on his little hips. ‘OK, I’ll tell yer, but you musn’t tell anyone. I love Maria and one day I’m gonna marry her!’
‘Marriage, eh? Shall I go and buy me outfit now?’ Ethel laughed, ruffling his hair.
About to torment James even further, Maureen was stopped by the furious knocking on the front door.
‘Who the bleedin’ hell’s that? The noisy bastards sound like the Old Bill,’ Ethel joked.
Making her way into the hallway, Maureen was relieved to hear the voices of Old Mother Kelly and her younger sister, Flo.
‘Are you OK? Is something wrong?’ she asked as she clocked their serious expressions.
Old Mother Kelly did all the talking. ‘I’m sorry Maur, but it’s your Susan. She’s been pickin’ on poor Billy Barnard again. There was her and another girl this time, treating him like a performing monkey, they were. The poor little sod was hysterical by the time we chased ’em away. It’s not on Maur, it’s bloody wicked. I mean he can’t help bein’ backward, can he? And he certainly doesn’t deserve to be bullied, bless him.’
Maureen’s heart sank. The Barnards were a simple bunch, but they wouldn’t hurt a fly. ‘What exactly was Susan doing to him?’ she asked, dreading the answer.
Placing her hands on her oversized waist, Old Mother Kelly pursed her lips. ‘Makin’ him dance in the middle of the street, she was. She had him rockin’ to and fro like a friggin’ teapot. Christ knows what would ’ave happened if me and Flo hadn’t come along when we did.’
Maureen
