A Helping Hand
By: DL
(Copyright 2007 by the Author)
The author retains all rights. No reproductions are
allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...
dl@tickiestories.us
I laid on the bed and talked to Juan as I'd promised for quarter of an hour to give Julian a chance to get dressed without being embarrassed. Juan and I had continued the conversation about what to do and we'd agreed that I would take the boys into town for breakfast and then drop them off at the town centre whilst I went to work.
Once sufficient time had passed I returned to the lounge to find that Julian had indeed got dressed and had helpfully packed the bed/settee away as well I was pleased as it was an awkward contraption [to me at least!] I told Julian what Juan and I had discussed whilst we waited for him to appear.
Juan wasn't too long getting dressed and soon appeared, looking quite smart and now his swollen lip had gone down and his facial bruises were starting to fade he didn't look too bad at all only the black eye really stood out. Watching him emerge from the hall and cross the lounge it was apparent that he was still aching a lot, but he seemed as if he was definitely on the mend.
Being my usual indecisive self, whilst I had been waiting for Juan with Julian I had changed my mind! Keeping this fact to myself I told the boys to get their coats and we headed out to the car. There had been an early frost and it was still cold out, so having started up and got the heater and heated rear screen going, I got out and scraped the front screen and side windows with an old supermarket gift card I kept in the car for the purpose.
I'd decided that instead of going to the cafι at Sainsburys I'd take the boys to the Happy Eater on the A45 past Cambridge. All was quiet in the car Julian was cuddling up to Juan until after I'd headed Cambridge-wards on the A45. After several minutes Julian realised we were going the 'wrong' way!
"Hey, Dave where are we going?" Julian asked, as he noticed we weren't headed to the supermarket. I looked up at the driving mirror and smiled as I replied, "Don't worry, I'm not kidnapping you; just a small change of plan." Julian talked quietly with Juan and I guessed he was asking him if he knew anything about the change. "So are you going to tell us what the change is?" Julian asked after he'd ascertained that Juan was also in the dark. "No, you'll find out in about 20 minutes" I replied.
My uncommunicativeness obviously threw the boys as there was some whispering from the back it didn't last too long though: Julian was soon busy cuddling Juan in a manner that could probably be best described as 'heavy petting' not that Juan was complaining! So, as the boys were intent on each other, the trip to the Happy Eater passed without any further questions they only surfaced from their absorption with each other when they noticed the car's deceleration and then our exit into the restaurant. I pulled past the co-located petrol station and into the Happy Eater's car park, stopping as near as the door as I could get [I have to own self-interest here: I could have said I was concerned for Juan, but truthfully being naturally lazy, I always tried to minimise any ambulatory exercise betwixt car and destination!]
Switching off and removing the ignition key I opened my door and stepped out. The boys were still immobile, unsure what was going on, so I leant in and said "So, are you coming with me to get some breakfast?" This roused them and Julian was quick to undo both their belts before equally quickly exiting the driver's side in his haste to get round to Juan's side and help him out. I smiled to myself as I shut both my door and his before walking round the front of the car to where Julian was helping Juan get out.
I didn't have to wait long and we set off for the restaurant past the restaurant chain's giant golden yellow dragon play-feature for the kids and entered, waiting at the marshalling point inside [you were expected to wait for one of the staff to ascertain your seating preferences and lead you to a suitable table].
It was only a couple of minutes before a pretty young waitress approached, and once she'd ascertained we wanted a table for three (non-smoking), she started to lead us towards the rear. I called out "Excuse me, could we have a table near the front?" and was rewarded once the flustered young lady had recovered from the shock of a presumptuous customer wanting to pick their own seating with a table for four by a window overlooking the car park [and my car!]
Settling down on one side facing my car with Juan nearest the window and Julian predictably enough alongside him, opposite me, we only had to wait briefly before the waitress returned with three menus and the little tray of condiments. She asked if we'd like to order drinks whilst we made our minds up what food to order and I quickly ordered a large Diet Coke and a coffee before looking interrogatively at the 2Js, who seemed to be undecided well, Julian seemed to be trying to find out what Juan wanted before ordering for himself! Juan eventually looked at me and asked if he could have a coke and an orange juice: I smiled, nodded and said "And you, Julian?" Julian blushed and asked if he could have the same, and I simply nodded and turning again to the waitress asked if we could have two large cokes and two orange juices. She ticked the boxes on her pad [there was a little tick box for everything on the menu!] and writing a '2' against the cokes and orange juice before leaving us with the menus to choose our food.
After she'd left us I grinned at the 2Js and said "So, guys, what would you like to eat?" I'd thought that they had been waiting for me to take the lead in ordering and felt mischievous. Julian looked at Juan and then studied his menu briefly before looking up and asking: "What are you going to have?" I smiled disingenuously as I murmured "I'm not sure they've changed the menu; how about you?" This obviously didn't help matters and both boys reverted to studying their menus. Our waitress returned with our drinks and having dispensed them, retrieved her pad and pencil and stood attentively awaiting our order. I caused a simultaneous flush by the 2Js as I said to her, "I'm sorry, the boys are being indecisive again would you mind giving us five minutes?" She smiled sweetly at the boys and said: "No problem, I'll pop back in a few minutes."
Julian didn't wait very long barely before she was out of earshot before scowling at me and saying "You did that on purpose, just to embarrass us!" I grinned and unashamedly said "True, but you only have to pick what you would like to eat I'd already told Juan that and you knew that as well!" Julian scowled and muttered, "You can be so bloody annoying!" I laughed at this and said: "Touchι! you knew it would annoy me, but you still did it anyway." Julian flushed and Juan leant forward, nudging Julian's arm as he said "He's right; and I suppose we should apologise; Sorry, Dave."
I smiled and said, "Thanks; and I'm sorry too I couldn't resist it though!" Julian had remained quiet through this exchange, and I said to him quietly "Why don't you make up your mind about the food before the waitress returns?" Julian didn't respond to this, instead asking "Why did you bring us here?" I sipped from my Diet Coke and said "Because the food here is better than the fry-ups at the supermarket. And you know that what it costs is no concern of yours; so just pick something!"
Julian stared at me and then pointedly said "So why aren't you studying the menu?" I smiled amusedly as I said "Because I know what I want!" He grimaced and finally he and Juan studied the menu. Fortunately the boys appeared to have made a decision before the waitress reappeared, and when she once more stood, pencil poised, Julian asked for two 'Big Breakfasts' and I said, "Well, make that three, please, but can I have mine without the tomatoes and mushrooms?" The waitress nodded, made a couple of notes and excused herself. Julian looked at me and said: "That wasn't what you were going to order, was it." I grinned as I replied: "No, I changed my mind on the spur of the moment."
We sat silently as we waited for our food and fortunately it wasn't long arriving! We all set to eating without any further ado and I couldn't help smiling to myself as I watched Julian forget all about what had happened as he paid careful attention to Juan, ensuring that he was at ease and enjoying himself I thought that Julian had got it bad: the 'love' bug that is!
I finished my meal before the boys hardly surprising considering that Juan was still 'below par' and Julian was paying careful attention to him. I sipped my coffee and poured myself a second cup whilst waiting for the boys to finish. It was a good five minutes before Julian had put his cutlery down and Juan was another couple of minutes. As luck would have it, just as Juan was finishing, the supervisor stopped by our table and asked if everything was all right. Noting that we were all finished, she asked if we would like anything else, to which I replied, "Yes, please" and she said she'd send our waitress over. As she departed I said to the boys: "I'm going to have a portion of Aunt Mary's Apple Pie and cream that's why we came here! Would either of you like any dessert?"
Julian looked at me completely nonplussed "Do you really mean to say that you drove out here just for a dessert?" he eventually asked. "Sure." I replied, smiling. "Well, do you want a dessert? I can recommend the apple pie!" Julian was distracted from replying straightaway by the appearance of 'our' waitress. "Well?" I said to the boys; Julian looked at Juan, raising his eyebrows interrogatively and I noted a slight nod from Juan before Julian looked at me and said "OK, can we both have the apple pie?" I just nodded and the waitress deftly collected up our plates and cutlery and departed.
"So, what's wrong with skiving off work and actually getting to eat something I like?" I said to Julian as we waited for our desserts. He paused for thought before replying "Nothing I guess, it just seemed a little extravagant I suppose." I couldn't help quietly chuckling at this and Julian gave me a real old-fashioned look as I did so.
We were saved from any further awkwardness by our waitress returning with the tray containing our desserts. We all quietly ate the apple pie I really did like it, and it was why I usually favoured that restaurant chain over the competing Little Chef [not that it did me much good in the long run, as several years later the Little Chef chain acquired the Happy Eaters and converted them all sadly, they dropped my favourite dessert along with the Happy Eater branding!]
Any passing irritation between us had passed by the time we'd all finished our dessert. I gave Julian my car keys, telling him to take Juan to the car while I settled the bill. Once they'd left I put a couple of pound coins on the table under the rim of one of the plates for the waitress; I knew they had a 'gratuities' saucer by the cash register and I invariably added to it unless something had really displeased me but knowing as I did that this was shared amongst all the staff I usually left something for the waiting staff who'd actually served me on the table. [Whether they chose to add this to the communal pot I had no idea, it was up to them as far as I was concerned.]
Paying the bill with a credit card, I duly dropped some change into the 'gratuities' saucer and made my way to the car. Getting in the car, I turned to the boys and retrieved the keys from Julian. "I'm sorry if I annoyed you in there, Julian; but I really did feel like just going for a drive for a dessert!" I put the key in the ignition and started the car before I turned back to the boys [it got the fan working to cool things down] and asked them if they still wanted to go and look round Bury's market. Julian looked at Juan and then simply answered in the affirmative. I nodded and we set off back to Bury St Edmunds.
Arriving back in town, I drove down King Street and dropped the boys in Hall Street (by the Abbey National Building Society). As I stopped I told Julian to call me at work when they wanted to go home and that I would pick them up. I departed then to work, intent on making inroads on the crap that had accumulated on my desk over the two days that I had been away in the week.
It was now about 11:30 and I was alone: this suited me as it meant I could have the stereo system I kept in my office on with the volume up! Time passed fairly quickly and being in a good mood, I found disposing of the unwanted [and mostly unnecessary] material went better than I'd hoped; just over three hours later most of it was in a black sack [my waste bin had proved incapable of dealing with the bulk so I'd resorted to raiding the cleaner's supplies!]
I neatly shuffled the material needing attention into my assistant's in-tray and gathering up some inter-departmental memos that I had scrawled pithy notations on I popped across to My Friend's office [the Production Director] and carefully and methodically distributed them haphazardly on his desk. This gave me not a little satisfaction as he tended to be anally-fixated with positioning things meticulously (I swear he used a set square to ensure they were straight!). Thus happy in the knowledge that he would consequently be monumentally pissed when he arrived at work on Monday morning, I happily returned to my office and got myself a cold can of Diet Coke from my personal fridge.
Drink in hand I returned to my desk and booted up my work computer to play a few games of Solitaire. I always got a smug feeling when playing this as the company didn't have many PCs the network that I was responsible for back then, was a Data General mainframe with proprietary 'dumb' client terminals and all the other PCs [including that used by My Friend] had been stripped of their games [by me, lol!] to prevent any such misbehaviour!
I spent a happy half hour playing Solitaire before shutting it down, getting another can of Diet Coke and disappearing into our data suite to review the logs of the past week's activity. Keeping an eye on what people had been doing and ensuring nobody was getting into bad habits was part of my job boring doesn't begin to describe it! There were two logs: one was generated by a large [and noisy] floor-standing dot matrix printer; this was just the record of what work had been done and I usually didn't waste much time studying it unless I knew something dodgy had happened. The second was the administration log, and this one I always studied carefully as it logged all system tasks logging in and out etc., and the use of various utilities as the scope for serious harm was great, I kept a close eye on who had been doing what [my colleagues were unaware that both their terminals and their UserIds were logged: some of them thought that by logging into another user's terminal they could hide what they were doing!]
Once finished I returned to my office and called my parents just to check that all was well with them and then feeling that I'd earned a break I borrowed a book from the reception display cabinet and settled down for a read! Sadly, I didn't get far before my phone rang: predictably enough it was Julian. He said they'd had a good look round and that they had finished up on the bench outside the Abbey Gardens on the Angel Hill. I told him I'd be there in about ten minutes, and quickly checked I'd locked everything before hefting the black sack I'd filled and exiting the back door [so I could dump the sack in the skip!]
The boys were still on the bench, but Julian had obviously kept his wits about him and was watching the right way for me to appear. Thus as I rounded the corner from the traffic lights, he was helping Juan to his feet and they were waiting at the kerbside as I pulled in. Julian helped Juan in and solicitously made sure his seatbelt was fastened before going round the back and getting in the other side (quickly scooting over next to Juan and fastening the centre lap-strap, lol!)
I noticed that Julian seemed distracted, but obviously was unaware why. I pulled away and headed along the Angel Hill for Southgate Street and thence the A45 and the far exit for home. Arriving, I switched off and waited for the 2Js Julian had gone to help Juan out. Opening the front door of the house, I ushered the boys in and watched bemusedly as Julian abandoned Juan and made a bee-line for the lounge: Juan seemed a little disconcerted by this as well (hardly surprising as hitherto Julian hadn't strayed far from his side; apart from sleeping in the lounge!).
Juan and I entered the lounge, just as Julian appeared from behind the bed/settee with his hands behind his back. I watched amusedly as Julian manoeuvred himself round the coffee table and plonked himself down at the far right of the bed/settee as you looked at it; Juan went and sat beside him and I went and sat at the dining table (on the far side so I could watch the boys).
Juan had no sooner sat down and leant into Julian than Julian told him to close his eyes. Juan looked bemused, but complied; whereupon Julian told him to put his hands out in front of him. I watched Juan frown, obviously puzzled; but eventually he complied. Julian then withdrew the bag he'd brought home with me on Friday evening, and placed it in Juan's hands, telling him he could open his eyes.
Juan opened his eyes, looked at the bag in his hands and then looked questioningly at Julian. Julian by now was looking a little bashful; but when Juan looked at him, he urged him to open the bag. I had no idea what was in the bag, but I was fairly sure where this was going to lead [lol: and so, dear readers, are you aren't you?] Juan slowly and carefully opened the bag and withdrew half-a-dozen slim, wrapped packages, and a small envelope. Putting the bag down on the settee, he turned the packages in his hands before turning to Julian with another questioning look. Julian said quietly, "Aren't you going to open them; they're for you." Juan looked at him for several moments before his hands dropped into his lap and he leant against Julian as he gently started to sob.
To be continued . . .
Feedback always welcome: dl@tickiestories.us
Posted: 08/10/07