by Felice Arena
‘What d’ya mean?’ asked Specky.
Tim looked up. ‘Promise you won’t tell anyone?’
Specky nodded.
‘Mum and my little brother, we live in a tiny flat,’ Tim explained. ‘Mum works hard, but we never have enough money. We can’t afford to buy me footy gear and stuff, but footy’s the only thing I’m good at and if I can make it to the AFL we won’t have to worry about money ever again. See, that’s why I can’t afford to lose this.’
Specky felt for his friend. He thought about his own situation and realised that even if he did lose his scholarship, he still had heaps of opportunities at home.
‘If you’re good enough, it doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, you can still make it to the AFL,’ Specky said.
‘Yeah, that’s easy for you to say. I bet you don’t have to worry about making money. You can focus on footy. If I lose this, I’ll have to give up football altogether and get a part-time job, to help Mum out. That’s what I was gonna do, just before I was offered this scholarship.’
Specky was stuck for words.
Just then, Mr Stevens returned. This was their moment of truth. ‘Right,’ he said, settling into his high-backed chair. ‘I’m going to ask you both a question and I want you to answer it honestly.’
Specky nervously clenched his hands together.
‘I got a call from the Principal of Salisbury College this morning to say that Sir Lancelot was once again on their campus trying to… How can I put this? Trying to “court” one of their ponies, Queen Victoria. But he was also sporting some new body art. As you can imagine, the teachers and students of Salisbury were not impressed. So my question is, did either of you have anything to do with this stunt? Tim?’
‘No, sir. I didn’t,’ Tim replied.
Specky bit his bottom lip. He knew that technically Tim wasn’t lying.
‘And, Simon? Did you do this?’
Specky paused – his mind crammed with thoughts.
Should I lie? Is this a test? Do I look guilty?
Specky remembered the new AFL Hall of Fame and Sensation in the city. It was football heaven: the history of the game was recorded, celebrated and on display, all under the one roof. Some of the most important pieces of football memorabilia were also on show, documenting the origins of football. But the best bit was the part that was known as the ‘sensation’.
You got addresses from former Premiership Coach David Parkin as he walked you through the end of the Preliminary Final, right up to Grand Final day. Specky had been amazed when he walked into a virtual change room, where, on the walls, four large video screens came to life. Allan Jeans, Tom Hafey, John Kennedy and Ron Barassi, four of the greatest coaches of all time, gave stirring speeches. And the next room was even more unreal.
It had the biggest video screen Specky had ever seen. It showed real-life highlights from past Grand Finals, and made the people in the room feel like they were a part of the action. Specky had never experienced anything like it, and the words of the master coaches had stayed with him.
They had stressed that you might be able to lie to other people, but you could not lie to yourself. They called upon the need for honesty and an honest effort from all players if they wanted to win a Grand Final. The message was that the whole team had to be able to look at themselves in the mirror at the end of the day and be able to say, ‘I cheated no one today. I was honest with myself in trying to play to the best of my ability.’
Ever since walking out of that room, Specky had decided that he would always be honest when playing his football, and that he would try to live his life that way as well. That day at the AFL Hall of Fame and Sensation had been a very big day in Specky’s life.
‘Yes, I did it,’ he blurted. Specky couldn’t believe he had actually confessed to Principal Stevens.
‘Thank you, Simon. I appreciate your honesty. Was it an initiation stunt?’
‘Um, yes,’ muttered Specky, wondering how he knew.
‘And Tim, I’m sure you had one, too.’
Specky looked at Tim. ‘Will I be suspended, Sir? Am I going to lose my scholarship?’ he jumped in. These were the questions he knew Tim wanted to ask.
‘What you did was foolish and irresponsible. What if Sir Lancelot had been hit by a car? I certainly can’t take this lightly – but it will all depend on whether your friend answers me honestly now. So, Tim what was your initiation stunt?’
Specky pulled a face at Tim, as if to say ‘Please, tell him the truth otherwise he’ll suspend me’.
Tim looked panicked. ‘Um, I… I…’ he began to say nervously. ‘I had to pierce my ear, Sir.’
Principal Stevens came out from behind his desk, approached Tim and took a closer look at his ear. He could see the small hole where the stud had been.
‘Right. So that explains termites in the wall!’ Principal Stevens didn’t look impressed. ‘Okay. This is what I’m going to do,’ he said, returning to his chair. ‘Coach Farrell and I have already discussed this, and I am not going to suspend you or bring this up with the Board.’
Specky could see Tim relax, as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Even Specky couldn’t hide the enormous relief he was feeling.
‘But,’ continued Principal Stevens, his face appearing sterner and angrier than it had a few moments ago. ‘If either of you do anything like this again, and I mean anything, there will be no second chances. The Board will hear about it and your scholarships will no doubt be revoked.’
Specky thought he could hear Tim’s breathing stop.
‘Coach Farrell and I were boys once, too,’ said Principal Stevens. ‘We know about initiation stunts. And, although I do not condone them, I am also a realist. Boys will be boys. But that doesn’t mean you won’t pay for your actions,’ he added. ‘Tim, I want you, twice a week from the beginning of next term until the Boots of Glory match, to help Mrs Leggiamo in the library. And Simon, since you’ve already established a good rapport with Sir Lancelot, you will help Mrs Niles at the stables for the same amount of time.’
Specky nodded and, as he did, he caught sight of a fit-looking woman in about her mid-seventies, dressed in overalls and gumboots, leading Lance past the office window. She didn’t look happy.
When Specky and Tim got back to class they couldn’t wait to tell the others what had happened. But during the first two periods – English and Media Studies – Worm, Whispers, Sticks and the other boys didn’t appear remotely interested. But when morning recess came around…
‘So, Stevens let you two off?’ said Grizza, flanked by half of the Year 9 boarders.
‘Yeah, we were lucky,’ answered Specky. ‘At first I thought, this is it, and –’
‘Good, the plan’s working,’ interrupted Grizza.
‘What?’ said Specky and Tim in unison. ‘What plan?’
Specky looked at Worm for an answer. Worm shrugged.
‘What are you talking about?’ Tim asked again.
Grizza’s eyes lit up. ‘I’m talking about another initiation!’
‘What?’ snapped Specky. ‘But we’ve done ’em!’
‘No, you haven’t. They were just ‘dummy’ initiations. Just to satisfy Mr Stevens and the other teachers. We knew you’d get called to the office and we knew they’d let you off. But no one will be expecting you two to do another stunt. Now it’s time for the real initiation! We’ll think of something that will definitely prove you’re a part of the team. Isn’t that right, boys?’
Everyone nodded, including Whispers, Sticks and even Worm. Specky shook his head in disbelief.
9. pressure
Later that night, Specky tossed and turned, unable to get to sleep. He couldn’t stop thinking about the pressures of fitting in with his new Gosmore mates.
‘This is so dumb. At Booyong I could just be me. I didn’t have to prove anything to anyone,’ he told himself over and over.
Specky started thinking about his family and friends in Melbourne, and how much he misse
d them all. Just as he began to wonder what Robbo and Danny had gotten up to that day, he heard a bump in the darkness that made him forget all about home.
Propping himself up on his elbow, Specky caught sight of a shadowy figure entering through the same window he had snuck out of the night before.
The figure tiptoed across the dormitory floor, past the sleeping boys. Specky didn’t know what to do, but he didn’t take his eyes off the shadow. As the figure drew closer to Specky’s bed, he recognised who it was.
‘Sticks?’ he said, in a loud whisper.
Sticks jumped back, startled.
‘What are you doing awake?’ he stuttered.
‘Me?’ said Specky. ‘What about you? Where have you been? I saw you climb in through the window!’
‘Um… nowhere. I didn’t go anywhere. You must be dreaming,’ Sticks replied, looking guilty.
‘Dreaming? No way! Why are you dressed?’
Sticks crossed his arms defensively.
‘I just went for a walk, all right? I needed some air. So mind your own business,’ he said, raising his voice and almost waking up a couple of the other boys.
‘All right! No big deal. Just asking, that’s all,’ added Specky.
‘Okay, then. Go back to sleep.’
Sticks returned to his bed and left Specky wondering what had just happened.
The following day, at lunchtime, Specky and Tim were again surrounded by the Year 9 boarders.
‘So, are you looking forward to your stunt?’ asked Grizza.
‘Nup!’ replied Specky, standing his ground. ‘’Cause I’ve been thinking, why should we? It’s not your scholarship you’re risking.’
Grizza shook his head, looking back at all the others for their reaction. He took a step closer to Specky.
‘You think you’re it and a bit, don’t ya, Magee? Well, this isn’t Poo-yong High. If you wanna be here, you have to play by our rules. Get it?’
Grizza shoved Specky backward. Specky felt his heart race and his blood boil. There was no way he was going to let himself be intimidated.
Specky had already stood up to Grizza at the fitness tests and he knew, from his experience with Screamer back at home, that he had to stand up to him now. In football, intimidation was a widely used tactic, and unless you stood your ground you ran the risk of being walked all over.
Specky knew that on the field intimidation was often a form of bluffing, to see whether an opponent was going to give in or get ‘sucked in’. Those doing the intimidating were often doing it to test out an opponent.
He’s bluffing, Specky thought. It can only work if you let it get to you. And he was determined not to let Grizza get the better of him.
Specky stepped forward and shoved Grizza back.
‘Whoa! I can’t believe he did that. He’s dead!’ Piggie whispered.
But instead of charging for Specky, Grizza tried another tack.
‘What? You can’t hack the pressure, Magee? You scared?’ he hissed.
Specky didn’t say a word, his eyes still firmly fixed on Grizza’s.
‘Are you scared it’ll be too hard for ya?’
‘We’ve done our initiations and we’re not doing any more,’ reiterated Specky.
‘You might, once I tell you what it is.’
‘What is it?’ Piggie asked.
‘Magee and Barton,’ Grizza said, as if making an announcement, ‘will steal the Boots of Glory!’
The first reaction from everyone was complete shock – that Grizza could even suggest such a thing – followed by a flood of ‘no way’s and ‘whoa’s.
Specky looked at Tim. His face was pale.
‘Yeah, right, like that changes our mind!’ Specky said sarcastically, turning back to Grizza.
‘Well, it’s your choice, Magee. Just proves to us that you and Barto are the biggest wimps around and you’re not really good enough to hang out with us.’
Just as Grizza was about to turn and head off, Tim suddenly blurted, ‘We’ll think about it!’
‘What?’ croaked Specky, whipping his head around.
‘We’ll think about it,’ Tim mumbled again, nervously.
‘There’s no way we should make them steal the boots,’ piped in Worm, out of the blue. ‘We’re talking about the holy grail of Gosmore here.’
‘Exactly, Bookhead,’ sneered Grizza. ‘That’s exactly why they should do it. I can’t think of anything better. They have to steal them, show us and then put them back. This will be the best initiation stunt ever in the history of Gosmore.’
Specky continued to look at Tim in disbelief. He grabbed his arm and pulled him aside.
‘What d’ya say that for? Are you seriously thinking of doing this?’ he said in a loud whisper.
‘No, I don’t wanna do it!’
‘So, why say it?’
‘I just blurted it out,’ cause, I dunno,’ cause, well, you heard him… They think we’re wimps and, well, Speck, we’re gonna be with these guys for the next four years. If we don’t do this, we’ll never fit in.’
‘Forget about being accepted. If we get caught doing this, we’ll probably never see daylight again,’ said Specky. ‘We’re not gonna do it!’
But Specky couldn’t ignore the distressed expression plastered across Tim’s face. He felt the same pressure to be accepted by their new friends.
‘Look, can’t we just stall ’em for awhile and hope they just forget about it?’ suggested Tim.
So Specky turned to Grizza and told him that they wanted more time to think about it.
‘Fine then,’ he responded. ‘You’ve got till after the holidays.’
10. no place
like home
There were only three days to go before the start of the holidays, and Specky attended class, footy training and even dinner with a spring in his step.
Dinner sessions were something else Specky had found hard to get used to at Gosmore Grammar. The boarders all ate together, and after big training sessions or games, the football team had special meals prepared for them by the school’s Home Economics classes. It was impressed on the boys how important it was that they eat the right food – so that they would recover quickly and ensure that they had plenty of energy for upcoming physical activity.
It was explained to Specky that his body was like a car and the food he put into his body was like fuel that kept him going. If he didn’t refill the ‘tank’ after a hard workout, then he would ‘break down’ – he would feel tired and lack the ‘get up and go’ that was needed to play good football.
He was also taught the right fuel to put into his ‘tank’ – foods high in carbohydrates and protein and low in fats, like pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, vegetables, fish, chicken and lean meat. Luckily, Specky enjoyed these foods anyway and looked forward to the variety of pastas and casseroles and fresh food that was provided.
There was always plenty of plain steamed rice to go with the meals, and although Specky preferred the fried rice that his family bought from the local Chinese shop back at home, he knew he had to be disciplined now if he was going to get fit and improve as a player. Which is why he had learnt to cope with the fact that there was no soft drink or ice-cream, either. The players were instructed to drink at least two litres of water a day to re-hydrate their bodies after all the strenuous exercise they did. Every time they worked out and started to sweat, they were losing fluids from their bodies, so they had to replace them constantly throughout the day.
Specky couldn’t wait to get home and catch up with his family and friends – especially Christina. He emailed her on the last night of term.
Hi! Can u believe we’re gonna c each other soon? I’ve invited my new mates Tim, Worm, Sticks and Whispers 2 come and stay at my place for a couple of days during the second week of the holidays. So, you’ll get to meet them. Do u wanna see a movie this Saturday? I wanna c that footy film that’s just come out, HANGA!
CYA soon!
Speck
‘Hello, darli
ng!’ cried Specky’s mother, greeting him as he walked into the hallway of his Camberwell home. Mrs Magee hugged Specky tightly and kissed him on the forehead.
‘Mum!’ winced Specky.
Mr Magee was a few steps behind him, carrying in Specky’s luggage. He had picked Specky up at Gosmore and driven him back.
‘What? A mother can’t show how much she’s missed her son?’ said Mrs Magee, ruffling Specky’s hair.
‘Yeah, but ease up on the smooch fest,’ Specky teased, glad to be back.
‘I bet you wouldn’t say that to Christina,’ blurted Alice, thumping down the stairs, with the Great McCarthy by her side. ‘She’s left like a hundred messages for you already. She said your mobile wasn’t switched on.’
‘Yeah, the battery’s flat. I have to charge it up,’ replied Specky.
‘So, how are you, Squirt?’ Alice continued, stepping forward and punching her brother on the shoulder.
‘Dude!’ added the Great McCarthy, slapping him a high five. ‘How’s the big GG?’
‘Yeah, what’s it really like?’ Alice asked. ‘I’ve heard so many freaky stories about boarding school – like weird initiation rituals and stuff like that. I reckon they’re making it up.’
‘Give the boy a chance to take his coat off,’ interrupted Mr Magee, dropping Specky’s heavy suitcase on the floor.
‘Yes, we’ll have plenty of time to catch up,’ Mrs Magee tagged on. ‘Actually we have some news to share with you. Go upstairs and unpack. Dinner will be ready in about half an hour.’
Specky was happy his mum had stepped in when she did. He didn’t want to have to respond to Alice’s question.
Specky burst into his bedroom, threw his suitcase down on the bed and sighed. He was so happy to be back. He hadn’t realised how much he had missed his ‘stuff’ – his sports posters on the wall, his old footy clock-radio, even his bed. He was really going to enjoy being back home for a couple of weeks. And the very first thing he wanted to do was call his mates.
