Day 9

The words are accompanied by a blow

“Hey, mate, how’re you going?”

It’s the passenger from the car.  Silver Mazda, always driven by the tall man.  This is the passenger.  His mate.  He’s not in the car now, but the boy is sure it’s him, even though he doesn’t hear him at first, because his got his earphones in.

“What?” The boy asks the question as he pulls the white bud out of his right ear.  His left ear is still receiving music from his i-Pod.  The man replies as he’s reaching to remove the second ear phone.

“How’re you going? I saw you the other day, on the highway.  You must’ve been on your way to school.  You told me the time.”

“Yes. I’m good thanks.”

“Good to hear it, my friend. I’m Nathan. What’s your name?

“Peter.”

“Well, it’s good to meet you, Peter.”

It’s Saturday morning.  The man and the boy are standing near the video store, at the bottom of the Queensgate City Shopping Centre car park.

“You fucking stupid twat!” is Ed’s first response when Nathan gets home and tells him the good news.  “Did anyone see you?”

“I, I don’t know,” Nathan stumbles through his reply.  He thought he’d done the right thing.

“What did he say?”

“What?”

“The kid, what did he say to you?”

“He just told me his name.  I said, ‘My name’s Nathan’ and he told me his name’s Peter.”

“You told him your name?  You idiot!  Jeez, you’re a stupid little cunt, aren’t ya?  What’cha wanna go and do that for.”  Smoke is puffing from between Ed’s lips and out of his nose as he speaks around his lit rollie.

“It’s OK, Ed.  He was all right.  We just talked like we were mates.  He’s not going to tell anyone.”

“What the fuck would you know?”  The words are accompanied by a blow to the side of Nathan’s head.  He staggers sideways as a savage light blinds him for an instant.

“I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to make a mess of things.  I thought it would help.”

Ed sits down at the kitchen table, his violence expended for the moment.  “Don’t worry about it. It’ll be OK.  Get me a cup of tea, will ya.”

Nathan turns to the sink to fill the kettle, happy to be of use again.