Novel chapter 24

 

Chapter 24

Camping.

Finbar did quite well with the Boy Scouts, passing all the tests, and attended weekend camps at various sites near Birmingham. He also attended the Scouts Jamboree at Handsworth Park and managed to get there alone by bus, changing in the city centre. One of his pals, from school, Shamshad Khan, joined his troop, when they were both fourteen, and they prepared for their first camp at a place near Bromsgrove. A seven day break for his parents, Carmel and Patrick who decided to go to Dublin to spend time with Joe, Patrick's father. They booked their passage on the boat train and planned to return to Birmingham on Sunday but at the last minute it was found that the scouts were due back on Saturday, due to a work commitment by one of the scout-masters, from another troop joining them at the site. It was arranged for Finbar to stay with Irene and Sydney for the Saturday night when he was due to return.

Carmel and Patrick walked with Finbar to see him off at the school, on the Sunday evening, and so did other parents.

They mingled outside and chatted with each other and Finbar introduced Carmel to Danny, as Patrick already knew him from the scouts. Carmel and Dan's mother, Maureen got on very well as they had a lot in common even though in Ireland they probably would never have met; one being a Protestant and the other, Dan's mother, a Catholic.

For a lot of Irish immigrants, especially from the north, it came as a surprise when they reached the UK to see that it didn't really matter about religion; it couldn't have been said of race relations, but that's another matter.

Danny was quite senior with the troop and was sixteen and Carmel noticed just how tall he was as he towered above them.

Not many of the boys from Finbar's troop, were there, as it cost a little more than most parents could afford but those that were there were waiting for the transport to arrive. As it was late it gave the parents a chance to get to know each other. They knew Patrick as he was the milkman and were surprised to see him.

Mr. York was in the building and when he came out he looked relieved as he had been on the telephone enquiring as to the estimated arrival of the bus.

When it came Patrick heard people calling it a shara and he asked Danny what a shara was: “it's short for Charabang' he said 'but it's actually charabanc.'

Then somebody said 'No. It's too small for a Sharra, it's a shooting-brake.'

'A shooting-brake is an estate car that's more like a . . .'

'A what?' said another.

No matter what it was called it was quite small and as the scouts were taking a lot of equipment, it looked a bit of a squeeze.

'Are you sure you'll get everything on board?' York said to the driver.

'Yes' he said 'no problem.'

'Okay – I can take a little if we're in trouble.'

His Morris Minor was parked near by. The bottom of the bus was opened and the scouts piled their bags inside and climbed aboard then Shamshad Khan said he had left something in his bag which was packed in the hold. York said 'You'll have to do without – teach you to look ahead.'

'Teach him to look ahead?' said Shamshad's dad 'open the thing up – he's going nowhere without his bag.'

'His bag?' said York.

'Yes mate – his bag. Any objections?'

'What?' said York.

'You heard' said Shamshad's dad, and to the driver 'And so did you – open it up.'

The driver, after a great deal of pulling the levers and pushing the bottom, opened the hold and the bags fell out.

'Right' said the driver to Shamshad's dad – his name is Mo, by the way 'now look what you've done.'

'I've done!! Don't you 'I've done'' me, mate. You jerked it open.'

'It was stuck' said the driver.

'They should all be labelled' said York.'

'I don't see any labels' said the driver.

Let me see' said York.

York looked.

No labels.

York got on the bus and addressed the boys ''I distinctly told you ALL to label your luggage.'

Shamshad's dad – Mo – went to the coach 'Shammy – get out here and get your bag.'

Shamshad came off the coach, looking distressed.

'Don't worry, it'll be okay' said Mo, sympathetically.

Shamshad looked at the bags piled up and eventually identified his bag. 'That's it' he said.

'What's in it' said York.

'My sandwiches' said Shamshad.

'I've got your sandwiches here with me' said Finbar 'you gave them to me to look after.'

Shamshad looked at Finbar.

'It's okay, Shammy' said Mo 'don't worry.

'I'm sorry, Finbar' said Shamshad 'I forgot.'

Mo stopped and looked at Finbar: 'Are you, Finbar?' he said.

'Yes' said Finbar.

'Finbar' said Mo 'Finbar – I . . I've heard all about you . . . you . .'

'What?' said Patrick.

'He saved my son's life.'

'When?'

'At the swimming baths – he saw Shamshad jump in – he raised the alarm.'

'Did he?' said Patrick.

'Yes' said Mo 'that little bloke saved Shammy – that little boy isn't little at all. He's the biggest here.'

'Can we get going now' said York.

'Yes when somebody puts the bags back in.' said the driver.

'I'm not doing it' said York.

'I'm not.' said the driver, and got into the driving seat.

'In the name of Jasus' said Patrick, and started putting the bags in to the hold. As soon as he started, Mo joined him and in no time the bags were in.

When it was done Patrick secured it with no bother, looked up at Finbar in his seat and winked, as they all set off.

Bromsgrove is south west of Birmingham and Mr. York led the way in his Morris Minor Estate car. Finbar noticed that they travelled along Bristol Road, South, where he had been with the Murdochs and their picnic. There were two boys from school in the troop, Alan Pitt and Shamshad Khan, but he sat with Danny on the way and the other two from his class were sitting together.

When they got as far as Rose Hill, a very steep hill in the Lickey Hills, the vehicle started to slow down to about two miles per hour. Ahead, Mr. York, not noticing, was way ahead as Rose Hill was easily a one in eight gradient. One or two miles an hour is almost stopped and the driver did, eventually, do that; he stopped.

'I'm afraid you'll all have to get out' he said as he turned to face them.

The boys were confused and Danny, being the eldest, stood up and said 'Everything will he okay – can you all move towards the door' and he stepped out and lined them up outside.

The driver got back into the driving seat and started the engine up again which moved forward slightly – maybe three miles per hour.

'I think you'll need to take the luggage out' said the driver.

He exited the cab and went to the side of the vehicle and tried to open the hold. Again he struggled to open it. He pulled and he pushed on the handle 'Excuse me' said Danny, and gently opened it.

'Okay' said the driver 'come and get your bags.

'Stay where you are' said Danny 'You' to the driver 'get back in your cab and take care we don't roll back down the hill . .'

'I'm the boss here so don't start . . .'
'Get in your seat and I will see to the bags!'

He unloaded the bags and gave them to the scouts.

'Take it to the top of the hill and we will catch up'

The driver started the vehicle and as he took the hand brake off the bus slid slightly back as he let the clutch out and it, starting moving very slowly.

The boys picked up the bags and followed Danny to the top of the hill. They walked faster than the bus, at one point and it reached the top just ahead of the scouts as Mr. York drove back on the other side of the road.

He stopped and called over to Danny 'What's happening?'

'We had to – oh dear – we had to get out as this jalopy doesn't have any power.'

'Oh . . all right' he said 'I'll turn round at the bottom.'

He went to the bottom of Rose Hill, turned round and reached the boys as Danny was loading the bags into the hold.

The camp site wasn't in the town of Bromsgrove but near by and an hour or so later they arrived.

The tents had already been assembled by senior scouts from the other troops and their two Scoutmasters, a man called Reynolds and a really short fella called Dennis with hairy legs: nobody else probably noticed his hairy legs but Finbar did – as he noticed most things.

One of the boys from the Saint Agatha troop was Joe. The older boy who was at the bomb site when they were playing The Day the Earth Stood Still.

Finbar decided to keep an eye on him and try and keep clear, in case he was still putting his hands up little boys shorts.

There were four boys per tent which were divided into ages and as Finbar was fourteen he was with Shamshad and Alan from his class at school, and the other boy in their tent was Harry Raybone from the Saint Agatha troop.

When he entered the tent he looked at Shamshad 'Is he in here with us?'

'Yes' said Alan 'Any objections?'

'No' said Harry Raybone.

Finbar was one of the boys who was spending his first night away from his parents. There would be no story tonight and no hot water bottle and it was his first night in a sleeping bag and under canvas. The water bottle was the one thing he felt he needed and wondered if missing it would keep him awake. What kind of things could . . keep . . he dropped off.

The next morning Finbar was fast asleep when his three bedfellows woke up. 'What does latrine mean?' said Shamshad when he poked his head through the flap.

'My dad calls that the piss corner' said Alan and the three of them ran to a big tent with 'latrine' on the side, where they had a competition to see who could pee the highest.

Back in the tent Finbar was fast asleep so Harry put two hands up to his mouth and called 'Finbar Callaghan – Finbar Callaghan; come in your time is up!'

He said this a few times and Finbar slept through it so he took his scouts cap and put it on Finbar's head. Then he folded the boy's uniform shorts under his chin.

And still Finbar slept.

Then the three boys, chanted together - 'Finbar Callaghan – Finbar Callaghan; come in your time is up!'

Drowsily, Finbar opened his eyes.

Chapter 25

Camping and Beans on toast.