Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2012 10:16:39 +0100 (BST)
From: Andrew Foote <footea81@yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Boy on the Towpath 29

BOY ON THE TOWPATH.

No direct references to inappropriate sexual activity are portrayed in this
chapter although it might be slightly erotic in parts.

If due to the laws of your country of residence, religious or spiritual
beliefs you shouldn't access such material then please leave now.

All comments are welcome and should be addressed to the author.

Andy.


Chapter XXIX


At the agreed time Tom and I walked to the pub only to be greeted by Maggi.

"Hey blokes! You all set then?"

"As set as we'll ever be I guess. Has the Doc arrived?"

"Yep. He called me last night to say he'd taken a tumble and didn't feel up
to the drive so I'm his chauffeur for the day!  He's a bit grumpy so treat
him with kid gloves."

"You heard the lady Tom? Treat him gently if you want a result!"

Maggi looked mystified for a moment before the penny dropped.

"So Tom is... Tom's doing the deal then is he?"

"His idea Maggs, not mine I can assure you."

"Yeah but it's brilliant! The old boy has a well big soft spot for kids and
Tom is, don't mean to embarrass you or anything Tom but you're so polite
and well mannered, he'll adore you!  Yeah it just might work!"

*****


In the pub Maggi introduced me.

"Doc? This is Stuart Cavanagh."

Doc looked at me over his glasses in a way only doctors can.

"Yes yes. Knew your father Cavanagh. Fine man, fine man don't y'know. Who's
this whipper-snapper then?" Looking at Tom.

Tom didn't miss a beat and stepped forward, his hand outstretched.

"Doctor, my name is Tom Cavanagh. I'm Stuart's step-son.  It's really good
to meet a legend!"

"A legend by God! Ha! Never been called one of them before Ha-ha!  Sit down
boy! Cavanagh? Get some damned drinks in before we all die through lack of
alcohol!"

Suitably chastened I went and ordered the drinks.  Large scotch over ice
for the Doc, Pimms for Maggi, two large red wines for me, the first I
downed in one at the bar for Dutch courage and a coke for Tom.

When I returned to the table Maggi looked at me wide-eyed.

"Look at the two of them Stu? Shit! It's as if they've known each other
years? They've been yapping non-stop since you went to the bar!"

She was right. There seemed no stopping them even when I did my best to
interrupt.  That didn't go down very well at all!

"What's up with you man! Can't you see this fine young man and I are in
discussion? Damn it Cavanagh. Where are you manners!  And one other
thing. What the hell is that drink you've brought over for him."

"Er... Coke actually. Is there a problem?"

"There most certainly is?"

The old boy poured the entire condense of his whiskey glass into Tom's coke
before ordering me back to the bar for a refill for him. His passing shot,

"Damn it man. The boy deserves a proper drink! Not for him that nancy
American rubbish!"

By the time I had been ordered to and fro the bar six or eight times, all
bar me very much the worse for booze, were the `discussions' over.

"Time to get your chequebook out Cavanagh.  Young Tom here is a bloody fine
negotiator! Got me to knock ten grand off the asking price!  Well worth it
I have to say, breathed a breath of spring into my dull old life!"

I dutifully signed the cheque, the biggest one I've written in my life.
The deal was done and `Calypso Queen' was ours.


*****


Having waved Maggi and the Doc off Tom and I walked back toward the
boat. What little conversation was shared between us centred around our
latest acquisition but I could sense a lack of enthusiasm.

"You okay Tom? You're really quiet you know?"

"Sorry but I just feel tired and yes alright, a bit low as well."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Don't know, well not here anyway. Can we go back to `Movin Home' Stu?"

I took a glance at him and realised that indeed right here would NOT be a
good plan as unless I was very much mistaken, tears were forming in his
beautiful eyes and Tom rarely did `crying' and never in public.  I hastened
the pace getting back to the boat just as his dam burst.

In all the time Tom and I had been together I'd only ever once seen him in
such a mess, that on the day his Mum passed away so this was a biggie and
no mistake but for the life of me I couldn't get my head around what the
hell could he find so upsetting?  His negotiating had been flawless in its
execution, the old man had taken a real shine to him and our goal had been
achieved so what was eating him up?

Probably the most upsetting for me was Tom's reluctance to allow me to
comfort him, almost as if I was the problem but eventually he'd cried
himself out and came to me for a cuddle.

"Oh God Stu? I've really fucked up this time and I'm sooooo sorry? I can't
even forgive myself let alone expect you to.  Oh shit this is such a mess
and I hate myself!"

His crying trickled off to a gentle sob so I just held him close praying
that he could bring himself to talk to me but ever mindful that he was at
an age where rebellion and `system-kicking' was sometimes on his agenda.  I
opted to wait for him rather than force the issue.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Tom calmed down, ready to talk.

"Thanks Stu. I'm really sorry about that but I needed to off-load."

"It's what I'm here for. Don't worry about it.  Now. Do you feel like
talking?"

"I'm not sure. It's all such a mess I don't know where to start and I'm
frightened."

"Look I don't want it to appear that I'm talking down what you feel inside
but honestly, nothing can be so bad and there is nothing we can't fix but
you must try and explain things as you see them. Then we can go sort it all
out, okay?"

"I'll try but it mightn't come out properly. Just help me here?"

"Always. Just in your own time.  I'll get some tea on the go and you can
sort things through in your head."


*****


It took a while before Tom felt comfortable opening up to me but eventually
he made a start.

"It's `Calypso Queen'."

"What about her? You did a fine job on the Doc so what's bothering you?"

Tom let out a long awaited giggle.

"Yeah well I suppose I did okay there but that's not the problem.  Look I
know that in time she will be my boat and yeah I'm really excited about it
but..."

"But?"

"But... oh this is so difficult!!!  Okay it's something Mae said the other
day."

"Tom? This is akin to getting blood out of a stone mate! Come on please?
Just say it huh?"

"Right. She's really excited about having the op and the way things are
going it won't be that long before it happens.  The problem is, she wants
to go back to Japan as soon as she is able. She misses her friends and
especially her Dad although why she should miss him beats the crap out of
me."

"Mae has asked you to go with her then. Back to Japan."

"No not in so many words but anyhow I couldn't. No wouldn't couldn't. Oh
hell!"

The way Tom's natural ability with words had been defeated made me resist
the urge to playfully throttle him. I hated to see him struggling but I
knew this was something he had to do for himself despite his awkwardness.
Still I had to say something.

"I thought you and Mae were... sort of an item."

"What?!  No! Not really?"

"But I saw you kissing and by the reaction of your one-eyed trouser snake
you seemed to be enjoying it?!"

"Oh you bastard! You saw that??  That's horrible!  That's sneaky!"

"And true?"

"Oh you utter, utter shit Stu!  Look. I'll try and explain if you'll stop
making me feel embarrassed just for a minute. OKAY??"

"Sorry. Please carry on."

"You told me that it was possible I'd question my sexuality at some
point. Wonder if I was actually gay or not. Right?"

"Right."

"What you didn't tell me was I'd do it twice!"

"Huh?"

"You heard me!  How long ago was it that you saw me... you know... like
kissing Mae?"

"Quite a while back. Three, four months?"

"Well then? There you have it. You see I was kissing a boy back then and I
thought that what I felt then would continue and maybe I was straight if
not bi after all.  You were right. I did question myself BUT, it didn't
continue because as she developed I got more and more turned off like `in
that way'.  Listen I still see her as my best mate and everything? She's
fun to be around and stuff and we have a riot but..."

"Not in `that way'."

"Behind that stupid exterior lies a brain of sorts. Maybe pickled in red
wine but still receptive for all that!"

"Arsehole Tom!"

"And that's my point.  That's all yours as well because now I realise just
how much I not only love you but how much I'm IN love with you.  Don't turn
me away Stu. I'm begging you?"