Barefoot and Lost

by Brian Francis Cox

  We will be meeting like this twice a week during the school holidays and then it will be every Saturday morning, come rain or shine. It is my job to improve your physique and your minds, the first by exercise, the second by discipline. You will hate me but, as time goes by and we begin to understand each other, you may even like me. All you have to do is do everything I tell you with enthusiasm and remember, don’t argue with me I am never wrong. Now before you get cold, on the sound of my whistle you will run two circuits of the playing field in a clockwise direction.’

  I have completed my two, some of the kids haven’t completed one yet, “Do another one and make it slower.’

  ‘Yes Coach.’ As I start my third circuit Coach blows his whistle and runs alongside the stragglers shouting. I think it is wonderful but, clearly, there are a few kids that are not cut out for this sort of thing. Coach has now split us into two groups under ten and over ten

  ‘What’s your name boyo?’

  ‘Phillip Snell, Coach.’

  ‘You have obviously done this before so I’m putting you in charge of the younger group.’

  ‘But I don’t know what to do Coach.’

  ‘You don’t have to, just follow me, and do as I do.’

  For the past half hour we have been doing exercises. ‘Okay that’s enough.’ Coach dismisses us saying he will be back Tuesday morning. On the way back to our dorm’ I have sneaked up to the library to see if the stamp has stuck, it has it looks like a proper letter.

  Flynn is standing at the dining room door patting shoulders slapping backs, smiling and chatting to his favourite boys as we file out. ‘Peter, you stay here, we will drop back a couple of places don’t want Flynn to see you are with us.’ Flynn notices Peter a huge smile spreads across his face he puts his arm around Peter’s shoulders, ‘Ahh Peter, how are you settling in, have you made any friends yet? Don’t forget what I told you I am always here for you; you only have to ask.’ Peter is looking a bit uncomfortable attempting to pull away, but Flynn’s hand is gripping him firmly. Lion calls out and the four of us join in, “WHERE IS PT TONIGHT MR, FLYNN, IS IT IN YOUR ROOM OR THE BATHROOM?” Flynn’s head jolts upright from its position beside Peter’s ear, the colour has drained from his face, his arm flies from Peter’s shoulder as though some giant monster has dragged it off.

  ‘Stop that, be quiet, or I’ll have you all in the Reverends office’ Lion quickly replies in a loud voice

  “PT IN THE REVERENDS OFFICE, IS HE JOINING IN?” Flynn quickly turns and limps off down the corridor putting as much distance from us as he can. Lion says,

  ‘I don’t think we will need to guard Peter at bath time tonight, he won’t take the risk.’

  ‘Lion, he gives me the creeps just in case will you still come to the bathroom with me?’

  ‘Yeah of course, but don’t worry, we won’t let anything happen to you.’ Lion is right, bath time passes without incident. Flynn has stayed away from our bathroom; instead he has concentrated on the other one along the corridor.

  This morning is dorm’ cleaning. Lion has told me to show Peter what to do in the toilet and bathroom because now, he is the youngest. But I haven’t the heart to make him do it on his own; anyway there is a risk that Flynn might catch him on his own, so I have decided to help. It is a lot better with two, it is not done in half the time but a lot quicker, and, when Peter gets better at it, it will take no time at all.

  At lunch time the Reverend asked did we enjoy the PT yesterday. I shouted yes, and then I heard a few giggles. Looking around me I could see one or two of the older boys giving me a knowing look, I wanted to say no, I didn’t mean that, but I could feel my ears burning so I looked at my feet to hide my embarrassment. The Reverend went on to say that tomorrow, after chapel, boys and girls above the age of ten will be going to Long Thatch Farm for our annual outing. Then, on Thursday the twenty third, in spite of the unfortunate incident last year, we will return to Maidstone for our day trip. ‘Lion, that trip to the farm tomorrow, is that the one you said was slave labour?’

  ‘No, that’s in October, apples aren’t ready until then. Long Thatch is a hop farm with a few pigs and half a dozen cows. As well as hops they grow potatoes and strawberries. If we are lucky we will pick strawberries, if we’re not we dig spuds.’

  ‘Will we pick hops?’

  ‘No, they get picked in September; anyway, we wouldn’t be able to reach them.’

  ‘I don’t think I have ever had a strawberry, have you, what are they like?’

  ‘Strawberries, that’s what they’re like. I dunno they’re red soft and taste sweet.’

  ‘Do they have many trees?’

  ‘A few, I dunno, you don’t half ask a lot of questions.’

  ‘I’m sorry, do you have to climb the trees or do you use a ladder?’

  ‘Phil what the hell are you talking about?’

  ‘To pick the strawberries, do we have to use a ladder?’

  ‘You bloody idiot Phil, strawberries grow on the ground.’

  ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know, I have never seen a real one, only seen them in a picture book.’

  ‘Shall I bring the letter tomorrow?’

  ‘No, you won’t get a chance to post it on the way, or at the farm, leave it till we go to Maidstone.’

  Toby, Jack and Brian have gone to play cricket. Lion has gone off somewhere on his own, said he wanted to be by himself so he could think. Peter and I are playing chess, he is good, we are into our second game, and no matter what I do, as quick as a flash, he counter moves. He thrashed me in the first and it looks like it is about to happen again. ‘Peter, where did you learn to play?’

  ‘When I was six, my mum taught me and my sister. We used to play every night and, if they didn’t want to play, I would have a game on my own, I love it.’

  ‘Well, I hate getting beaten all the time, could you teach me to play better?’

  ‘You are not a bad player, what you are doing wrong is you spend too long on each move. You wait until I finish my move then work out what you are going to do. While you’re doing that I look at all the options you have and work out a move for each one so, as soon as you do it I know my move. This gives me an advantage, because you think I am a better player you are beaten before you start’

  ‘Okay I’m going to try that.’ I make a move quickly; Peter makes his ‘Check Mate.’

  ‘That’s not fair; do you mind if we don’t play anymore, I would like to read my book?’

  ‘It was fair, you made a stupid move, but no, I don’t mind I’m just as happy playing me, and then I’m always sure of winning.’

  ‘You always win anyway, did you beat Flynn, or did he let you win?’

  ‘No, he was easy to beat, you would beat him easily’

  ‘I would love to, with a bloody big stick.’ We both burst into laughter and can’t stop, and now Peter is having a fit of coughing. Thinking he is going to choke I run and get him a glass of water, after a few sips he stops looking exhausted his face all red his good side matching his red scar. ‘Are you okay?’

  ‘Yes, sorry about that, since the fire I get terrible coughing fits. The doctors said it was because the smoke has affected my lungs, but it only hurts when I laugh.’ I look at him then realize, he is joking.

  ‘You better not laugh then, you will have to go around like the Reverend looking miserable all the time.’ Peter pulls a sad face, we start to laugh again. Taking “The Talisman” from its place between the encyclopaedias I show Peter the letter with the stamp now fixed to it, we both think it is stuck fast, and agree it shouldn’t come off in the post.

  Chapel is very short this morning, not like the usual Sunday service. The Reverend is coming to the end or his sermon, which is always about respect and always so boring. ‘Before we finish today’s service with the Lords Prayer I have an announcement to make, listen carefully, this affects all of you: next Saturday there will be a combined party, including the children from Saint Gabriel’s, here at Saint Stephen’s to com
memorate V.J day, the end of the war in Japan. This will be an open day with visitors from our head office in London, members of the Tonbridge Town Council and members of the public. Therefore everyone will be on their best behaviour; I will not tolerate anyone misbehaving. It is imperative that Saint Stephen’s presents a good image so you will, each and, every one of you, be involved in a cleaning programme, commencing Monday morning. Everything and everywhere will be cleaned. You will have no recreation time this next week until the clean is completed to my satisfaction. If it takes until five minutes before the arrival of our guests so be it. The trip to Long Thatch farm goes ahead as planned today. The trip to Maidstone is now rescheduled for Tuesday the twenty eighth. Now, bow you’re heads, let us pray, Our Father who art in heaven--------”

  There are two green and cream A.E.C coaches waiting this morning, one is already half full. I can see Rachel waving to me, I’m dying to talk to her, but we are put on the other coach. The one we are on is supervised by Flynn and Mr. Simmons, we are at the back. Flynn has stayed at the front, it appears he is avoiding us; he has neither spoken to nor looked at Peter. ‘Phillip.’ Mr. Simmons has crouched down beside me in the aisle. ‘Gareth Jones tells me that, before you came to Saint Stephens you were involved with gymnastics and boxing is that correct?’

  ‘Yes, but it really was swimming; I am the Sussex, under twelve, fifty metres breast stroke record holder.’

  ‘Are you now, and when did you achieve that?’

  ‘Last month on the twenty fifth, the same night my Gran died, just before I came here to Saint Stephens, I won and broke the record at the County championships in Hastings,’

  ‘Sorry about your Gran, we will have to see what we can do for you to continue, we have never had a high achiever in sport before, seems a shame if you are not able carry on; I’ll have a word with the Reverend to see what can be done.’

  ‘Blimey Phil, you never said you were a champion.’ Brian says as he gives me a playful punch on my arm.

  ‘That’s because nobody asked me, I’m hardly going to go around shouting, I’m a champion am I?’

  ‘No suppose not.’

  The journey is very short, our coach is slowing down, I can see Rachel’s coach making a right hand turn into a long drive. Both sides of the drive are poles about twenty feet high, with plants climbing up them. ‘Lion, are those hops?’

  ‘Yeah, they are hops, definitely not strawberries,’ he says with a smile Brian gives him a look as to say, what in hell are you talking about? Through a clump of trees I can see the farm house, it’s enormous, and it has at least ten of those rotating things on its roof. We are divided into two groups, Rachel is not in mine. I want to talk to her but I am afraid of what my room mates will say ,they don’t seem interested in girls, I’m not sure that I am, but I would still like to talk to her.

  Each group is taken in opposite directions by a guide; we have headed back, down the drive, to the hops growing on their frames. I am amazed to see two men walking on stilts, the stilts are fifteen feet high, the men are walking as though they are at ground level, they are not wobbling at all; I would love to try doing that. The guide explains that the workers are checking each flower for disease and insects and, that using stilts makes their job much quicker as they don’t have to keep climbing up and down ladders.

  We are now being taken to the oust houses where the hops are dried after they have been picked. The house is not really a house; it is a two storey building with a fire place on the ground floor. On the first floor there is only a wooden floor. At one end it is open like a fire place. The guide explains that the heat from the fire is directed over the hops that are spread on the floor. The heat draws out the cowl at the end of the room it turns like a weather vane with the wind, so it always faces away from the wind, drawing the heat outside this dries the hops. When the hops are dry they are sent to Worthington’s, the beer makers who add the hops to the beer to give it a bitter taste. I have tasted Gran’s stout, it was horrible and bitter, and I think I would like it better if they left out the hops. A boy from St Gab’s asks, ‘When will they pick the hops.’ The guide answers

  ‘In September, pickers come down from London and spend six weeks here, but that won’t last because a machine has been invented for picking, but the war stopped it being used. I give it three or four years and then there will be no pickers it will all be done by machine.’

  The pigs aren’t very interesting they are just lying in a mud pool flicking their ears. We are shown the dairy where the cows are milked, the cows are in the meadow and won’t be back until after we have gone back to St S’s, I’m a bit disappointed as I have never seen a cow milked.

  We are lucky; we are all going to pick strawberries. We are each given a small basket about ten inches long by about six inches wide and five inches deep. The guide explains, ‘I will pay you tuppence for each basket you fill, when you have filled it bring it to me in the barn over there and, if I think it is full, I will mark it down in my book, you then will be able to collect your money before you get back on the coach. Oh by the way you can eat as many as you want but, be careful, don’t get sick. Okay off you go, good picking.

  “Wow, we can eat as many as we want and get paid for doing it, that’s fantastic.’ Peter is as excited as me but Lion and Brian both look at us and shake their heads.

  ‘Don’t be fooled it takes ages to fill a basket, even if you manage it, when you go to get them checked you, won’t be able to find the man he is never there, if you are lucky to find him he always reckons your basket is not full enough, this is the third time I have been here and I have never seen anyone get paid yet.’

  ‘Why did he say that then?’

  ‘I dunno I think he thinks it is funny, but anyway, we are only picking for an hour and, by the time you have eaten a few, you will find the basket doesn’t get very full.’ Brian adds, ‘Only eat the ones that squash in your fingers they are the ripe ones, if you eat the unripe ones you will get a bad belly ache, oh yeah, and look out for the slugs and snails.’

  ‘Hell, I was looking forward to picking, now I’m not so sure.’

  ‘Its not that bad, Brian’s only teasing, come on, the sooner we start the more we can eat’ Lion runs off down the lane with us chasing after him.

  One hour’s picking results in me having a basket just over half full, a tummy that is over full and a back that is breaking. The farmer has supplied a lunch of sandwiches and a glass of milk, and I am struggling to eat it, having eaten so many strawberries, so I have stuffed one sandwich in my pocket, I am sure to be hungry later.

  I get my wish to walk on stilts we can’t all have a go I am selected because I am tall. I have to climb a ladder at the end of a shelf and sit with my legs hanging over the edge, a man on stilts, standing in front of me, places my feet on a block on the stilt, he then straps the stilt to my leg, holding my hands he tells me to stand up. Strung across the barn are wires he instructs me to hold the wire and walk across the barn. At first it is difficult but, after a couple of hesitant steps, I get the hang of it, eventually reaching the other side of the barn. Other kids want to have a go so, reluctantly I have to sit and get the stilts removed

  After about ten of us have had a go the stilt man gives us a demonstration of how, without holding on, he can stand perfectly still, I can’t even do that standing on the ground, without stilts. He and a lady, on stilts, dance together and then he shows us how he can run on them, it is amazing.

  We have been split into two groups all day so I still have not been able to talk to Rachel. Our coach is parked the other side of hers, as we pass I get the chance to speak, ‘See you at the party on Saturday.’

  ‘Yes, I would like that, see you there then.’

  ‘Who’s the girl?’ Toby asks,

  ‘Rachel, I met her when I had to go to Tonbridge.’

  ‘She’s nice, you’re a fast worker Phil’ says Brian, as he gives me a playful thump on my right side.

  ‘Yeah she’s alright’ I
can feel my ears turning red I wish they wouldn’t do that. I also have a wet sensation on my leg in my trousers, as the strawberry jam in my sandwich oozes through the lining.

  After chapel we are given our duties for cleaning, all of ours, will be in the grounds, gardening and painting the kerbstones. We have to start after breakfast tomorrow morning; we are bound to be supervised so there will be no point in going slow. ‘I reckon the quicker we get it done the sooner we will finish. You want to bet Phil, if we get finished too soon they will find something else for us to do.’

  ‘Lion’s right you know, we will just have to appear to be working hard but, at the same time spinning it out.’

  ‘How are we going to do that Brian?’

  ‘I don’t know, but we will think of something.’

  ‘Phil, what about your letter someone may find it when they are cleaning the library?’

  ‘Good thinking Peter, how the hell am I going to get it now? I won’t be allowed up there tomorrow, if I get caught with it then our plan is ruined.’

  ‘Go tonight when everyone’s in bed, it won’t be too difficult for you to sneak up there Phil.’

  ‘Do you think I could Lion?’

  ‘Easy, I used to do it all the time. After that business with Flynn I was frightened to be in bed, I was the only one in our dorm for about five weeks, I was scared that he would come to the dorm to find me so, on the nights he was on duty, I would hide up there, no one ever found out or missed me from my bed’

  ‘What, did you sleep up there?’

  ‘Sort of, I used to take a pillow and a blanket from one of the spare beds and curl up on the floor beside the bookcase.’