by Felice Arena
‘Mr Brennan hasn’t shown up for work today and hasn’t returned any of our calls,’ added Mr Stevens to Specky’s parents. ‘Simon, Mr and Mrs Magee, could I ask you to step into the waiting room for a few moments, please. Thank you.’
In the foyer, Specky’s parents could barely look at him.
‘I’m furious at you, Simon, for taking part in a ridiculous stunt like that. I really thought you were more responsible than this – that’s why we let you take the scholarship in the first place. Well, you’re grounded whatever the outcome,’ grumbled Mr Magee.
‘Oh, Simon,’ Mrs Magee sighed.
Specky couldn’t believe that this was all happening. Several minutes passed before he and his parents were called back into the office.
‘Well, Simon. Where do I begin?’ coughed Mr Stevens. ‘If it were left to Mr Farrell and myself to make a decision and you had been honest about it all, we might only have suspended you. But, since a copy of this footage was sent to every member of the Gosmore Board, and your actions were as good as breaking and entering, I find myself in an awkward and regrettable position. I have been on the phone with members of the Board all morning and again a few minutes ago…’ Specky didn’t like the sound of this. ‘They are adamant that this is a serious offence… and I have been instructed to terminate your scholarship immediately.’
Specky was shattered. He shot a look at his parents.
‘Simon, both your coach and I are sorry that, after the incredible win this school experienced yesterday, in no small part thanks to you…’ Mr Stevens paused. It can’t get any worse, Specky thought. ‘It is nevertheless my duty, on behalf of the Gosmore Board, to expel you from the school.’
32. goodbye, gosmore
While Mr and Mrs Magee waited outside in the car, Specky was in his dormitory shoving the last of his clothes into his suitcase. It didn’t take long for the word to spread that he was leaving Gosmore. Within minutes, Specky’s friends and fellow boarders had made their way to his floor.
‘Is it true?’
‘What does Stevens think he’s doing? You won the Boots of Glory for us! You’re a Frederick Cooper Medallist!’
‘Who dobbed you in? How’d they find out you stole the Boots?’
‘They can’t do this! We should protest!’
Specky zipped up his case and lifted it off his bed.
‘You can’t do anything,’ he said calmly. ‘It was the Board’s decision. And, as far as they know, it was only me that stole the Boots. They can’t prove it was an initiation and they don’t know anything about Tim. So, do me favour – keep that quiet. Right, I better go.’
Specky put on a brave face as he said his goodbyes to his friends.
‘See ya, Sticks. Don’t work out too much!’
‘Thanks, Speck,’ croaked Sticks, who found it difficult to say anything else.
‘See ya, mate,’ said Whispers. ‘See ya in the AFL one day.’
Specky tried to muster up a smile.
‘Yeah, you too.’
‘Hey, Magee, thanks for not telling them it was our idea. No hard feelings?’
Grizza pushed himself through the crowd of people and shook Specky’s hand.
‘Nah,’ said Specky. ‘No hard feelings, Grizza.’
‘I want you to have this,’ said Worm, stepping forward.
He handed Specky a book. It was The Grand Old History of Gosmore.
‘I wrote something in it for you,’ sniffed Worm.
Specky could see tears well up in Worm’s eyes. He read the inscription on the inside cover. It read:
Specky, here is a quote from a famous poet called Yeats.
I found it in one of those ‘thick books’ you keep seeing me with.
‘Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, And say my glory was I had such friends.’
William Butler Yeats
Thank you for being a great friend, Worm.
‘Thanks, Worm,’ said Specky with a lump in his throat.
He found it difficult to say anything else. Specky tried his best not to show how upset he was in front of the others. When he made it outside with his suitcase, Tim walked up to him.
‘Speck, I can’t believe you didn’t tell them it was me,’ quavered Tim. ‘I’m never gonna forget this. You’ve helped my mum and my little brother and…’ Tim’s voice started to break.
‘It’s okay, mate. At least we played good honest footy,’ said Specky.
‘I hope you can still make it to the AFL,’ added Tim. ‘You deserve it.’
‘Mate, like I told you, it doesn’t matter if I go to Gosmore Grammar or Booyong High or Woop Woop College, or wherever – no one is gonna stop me from getting there.’
Tim nodded, and, with that, Specky made his way to his parents’ car, jumped in the back seat, and left Gosmore for good.
33. hello, booyong –again
The next day, Specky stayed home while his mum re-enrolled him at Booyong High. He moped about the house, and spent most of the time by himself. At least I’ll be closer to Christina and Johnny, he thought. But he wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone or tell them he had lost his scholarship – not just yet.
‘I think you should go outside for a little – get some air,’ said Mrs Magee, popping her head into Specky’s bedroom.
He was lying on his bed, bouncing a soft Nerf Footy off the ceiling.
‘Nah, it’s okayk,’ he mumbled.
‘No, I don’t think it is,’ said Specky’s mum firmly. ‘I spoke to Coach Pate today. And she suggested that you turn up for training this afternoon. She’s expecting you there in about thirty minutes.’
‘Awrh, Mum!’ whined Specky. ‘No, I’m not in the mood. It’s gonna be too weird and –’
‘I don’t think you have a choice, young man. Think of it as a lesson: that life is not all about fitting in with your mates and succumbing to peer pressure.’
Specky sighed. He just wasn’t up for a lecture.
‘Okay, I’ll go.’
As he made his way downstairs, the doorbell sounded. Specky opened the door to find Tiger Girl standing there with a big grin on her face.
‘What are you doing here?’ she squealed.
‘What about you ?’ stuttered Specky. ‘Why aren’t you in the UK?’
‘We’re moving back; we’re on our way home from the airport. Mum let me stop by so I could leave a message for you. But you’re here!’
Specky couldn’t believe it.
‘It’s so good to see you,’ she said, hugging him tightly. Specky felt a tingling sensation race up his neck. ‘So, where are you off to?’ she asked.
Specky told her he was on his way to Booyong High. ‘We can drop you off then,’ she suggested.
In the car, Specky reluctantly told Tiger Girl and her mum why he was home from Gosmore.
‘Woah, that’s big! It’s good news for me, though – we’ll be in the same year. I missed a lot of school so I’m gonna repeat Year Nine.’
Specky smiled happily for the first time that day. He really liked Tiger Girl. She instantly made him feel better.
By the time Tiger Girl’s mum dropped Specky off at the school, he was even looking forward to seeing his old team again.
But Specky was still nervous as he trudged across the oval. At least Johnny will be happy to see me, he thought. And maybe Robbo and Danny will realise I’m still their mate and we’ll be okay…
Specky picked up his pace and jogged over toward the group. Coach Pate was the first to spot him and she greeted him warmly.
‘Good to see you, Simon. I’m sorry for the drama you’ve been through, but we’re happy to have you back. Boys! Can you make your way over, please.’
Specky’s old team-mates wandered over, talking among themselves. Specky saw Johnny ahead of the rest giving him the thumbs up. But Danny and Robbo wouldn’t even look at him. And Screamer was wearing his usual sneering expression.
‘I want you to welcome Simon back to the team. He’ll be starting back a
t the school tomorrow.’
‘Um, excuse me, Coach,’ Screamer stepped forward.
‘Yes, Derek?’
‘We know Magee’s a good player, but we’ve all just talked about it and we don’t want him back in the team.’
Specky felt winded. He looked at Robbo and Danny in disbelief. They were nodding. Had all his old friends turned against him? He caught Johnny looking stunned, but everyone else seemed to agree with Screamer.
‘Well, I’m totally shocked,’ said Coach Pate. ‘I think you should all be above this. As the coach of this team, I refuse to accept that, Derek. Simon will be in the team. He’s a part of this school and –’
‘Look, forget it!’ Specky blurted out. ‘Thanks, Coach, but I don’t wanna be somewhere I’m not wanted. Catch ya later.’
Specky turned and jogged away, his heart racing. Suddenly his whole world felt as if it were caving in on him. What was he going to do now? He could play for a team in one of the neighbouring suburbs’ football leagues – but it wouldn’t be the same. It had been hard enough, leaving his friends to go to Gosmore. But now that he was back in Camberwell, this was going to be tougher than ever.
What would he do without his beloved Booyong Lions? Only time would tell.
