Tom felt both elated and a bit apprehensive. In some ways, Greg was like a breath of fresh air. The months he had so far spent in Stanmore, this inner suburb of Sydney, had been so quiet and peaceful. It had been just as he had wanted. Now he also realizes that the human contact had been missing. Chatting with Mrs Jones about her chilblains is hardly the human contact that perhaps he needed.

Greg had that innocent air about him, honest innocence even though you knew he probably was anything but innocent as he appeared to also possess a quiet confidence that suggested he did what he wanted and was comfortable with that.

What did he want from Greg? He did not really need any staff or even part-time worker; so far he had been able to manage everything himself in the existence that he had carved out for himself. It would be more companionable to work with someone young and eager. He recalls from his soccer coaching experience that the daily contact with that effervescent youthful enthusiasm for life rubs off, it almost makes you young again. He also knows that he can contribute to such a friendship too, by offering advice, words of wisdom gained from his much longer and varied life experiences.

Although it had zero connection with the current situation, his mind raced back through the years, pre-marriage when he enjoyed the carefree comradeship of other teen boys in his youth.

Naughty boys, they had been too when viewed from an adult perspective, their parents would have been horrified if they knew, but to them, at the time they just kept doing what came naturally. He wondered why we change our views of life and our behavior as we get older? No, he decided, we do not really change anything we just harness our desires and needs to conform with the so-called society and what everyone thinks of as the ‘norm’.

Perhaps it would be fun to pretend that he was a teen again, even though the body denied it! He knew he would have zero problems thinking like a teen but perhaps with just the slight restraining hand of his subsequent maturity.

                                                * * * * *

Greg walked home with a spring in his step. How lucky he had been to venture into that corner store, and how incredible was the result. Tom seemed OK, no, more than OK. He had felt so comfortable chatting with him his inclination was to stay there talking but knew that was not the right option.

His pecuniary plight was a bit of a worry not that he expected to earn thousands at Tom the Grocer, but at least it may be enough to pay for his incidentals. His Uncle Harry had assured him that no payment was expected for his unlimited board, although he felt sure that his father had made some arrangements without telling him. He and his father had problems having man-to-man discussions, as he still thought of and treated Greg as a little boy most of the time, much to Greg’s constant frustration.

Greg believed that there was no valid reason for this as he had always acted in a responsible way at home, ever since leaving high school 2 years ago. Hell, he gave up the first year after school to work on the farm as his father had to cut down due to those heart murmurs and stints in hospital. How he hated that year, everything he did was never good enough, his father always finding some grounds, real or not, to complain.

What a contrast, Tom, and his dad. Of course, he does not really know Tom; what can you learn about someone in just a few minutes? He will just see how it goes, certainly from the beginning, he feels surprisingly comfortable in his company, the age difference meaning nothing, in fact, he had always felt comfortable talking with, and in the company of, older, more experienced people.

Greg is sure that working with Tom will be fun, hard work never daunted him, as long as the rewards were there, and sometimes all the rewards he ever needed were just a genuine ‘thank you, well done’.

 He decided, that at least for the time being, he would say nothing to his uncle and certainly nothing to his parents about doing some part-time work with Tom. He just did not want any negative comment to spoil his mood; who knows what the locals thought of Tom. Locals often give newcomers a hard time if they ever gain acceptance. Uncle Harry had been living in Stanmore all his life, born in the same house, one of the grand ones still left in the area that had not been converted into offices or apartments. He wondered why his father did not share in the house ownership, but perhaps his father was now getting a small payback with the provision of Greg’s housing during college. Maybe his father had received his share of the family fortune back when he bought the farm all those years ago, before Greg was born.

Greg was staying in what used to be the Granny Flat. It had been built for his father and uncle’s mother, Greg’s grandmother, but she had passed away a few years ago and the flat had since remained empty, except for the occasional visitor staying overnight. It was referred to as The Granny Flat even though it was, in fact, a small stand-alone cottage, amongst the trees and shrubs of the extensive garden area, behind the grand main two-story house where his uncle lived.

Now, Uncle Harry told him to call it his own, suggesting even that he could do some limited entertaining, meaning inviting girls home he assumed. In fact, it was a house in miniature. Inside the front door, nicely protected from any view from the main house, as he could enter from the side street, was a small living area, sofa, easy chair, coffee table, and shelves. A TV and DVD player sat on two of the shelves, they looked so new [hardly something that Grandma had used] that he suspected that they had been installed just for him, more secrets between the two brothers.

In the back corner was a mini kitchen. It comprised just a 2-burner gas stove, sink, small oven, refrigerator, and many cupboards. A one-meter breakfast bar separated the two areas. Although he had been told that he could join for meals in the house, as long as he warned them beforehand, he appreciated the ability to be independent. To the right was the good-sized bedroom with surprise, surprise, a large queen-sized bed. Greg had always dreamed of having an enormous bed in which he could sprawl, considering that to be the height of luxury. The fact that the bed was in fact big enough for two, or maybe even three with a bit of a squeeze, only flitted through his head without attaching any importance. The large windows on the outer wall of his bedroom looked out over gardens and shrubs, almost retaining a country feel, with which he felt very comfortable. He may be a country boy in the big city but he was still a country boy.

He had a feeling that Tom will be able to teach him much about city life. He wants to explore everything and anything. Greg was very ready for the next stage of his life!

To be continued...