Airship Over Atherton

by Christopher Cummings

  Marjorie also avoided him. She walked around with a big group of Year 8 girls and ignored him. Just once their eyes met and she hastily looked away.

  The only thing which seemed to be progressing in Willy’s life was his model zeppelin. That afternoon after school he made four more frames for his zeppelin. ‘Only two to go,’ he thought with satisfaction. That felt achievable and boosted his spirits a bit.

  Friday at school was another ‘down’. Marjorie avoided him, and there was no sign of Cressly and Barbara anywhere in the school grounds at either morning break or lunch time. The thought that Barbara might be driving around in Cressly’s sports car (or worse- parked somewhere!) inflicted on Willy a refined sort of agony that he would not have believed possible if he had not endured it. He wracked his brains for some plan to defeat Cressly and to win Barbara’s affections. He sat alone in a fog of despair and groped for the original ‘cunning plan’ to demonstrate to her in some spectacular way why he was better.

  In doing so Willy began to lose faith in his model. ‘How can a kid’s toy compete with a real sports car- all gleaming chrome and shining metallic-red paintwork?’ he thought. But it seemed to be the only straw he had to clutch at so he tried to brush aside the gloomy thoughts.

  Even Air Cadets seemed to be a drag that night, although the lecture on basic cockpit instruments held his interest and he studied the examples displayed carefully.

  On Saturday morning, after his chores were done, Willy got on his bike and pedalled over to Stick’s. As he arrived he glimpsed Marjorie, but she vanished into the back of the house. Stick joined him and they set off on a shopping expedition to buy parts for the model. It was now only a week to the fete and there was still a lot of work to be done.

  It took the boys three hours of sweaty pedalling in the sun, going from shopping centre to shopping centre, to obtain all the small electric motors, tissue paper, paints, wire, glue, sinkers, fish hooks and other assorted small items. Willy then rode home, dropping Stick off on the way.

  After lunch Willy was again on his bike. He had agreed to go swimming with Stick, Stephen and Noddy. First he went to Stephen’s, as the closest and then back with him to the swimming pool. On the way they rode past Barbara’s house and he gazed at it with a desperate longing. As soon as they arrived at the swimming pool Willy saw Stick and Noddy; and also Marjorie and her friend with the glasses, Shona.

  For a moment Willy hesitated. Should he turn away? What excuse could he give that would not sound silly to his mates? How would Marjorie react?

  As he walked forward in s state of confusion Willy heard a peal of laughter from the edge of the pool. Barbara’s voice answered it. She was standing on the side of the pool looking down. Willy’s heart skipped a beat. He gazed at her in adoration. Her body looked very trim and appealing in a one-piece white swimsuit. In the water were Karen and two boys who were wrestling and having a water fight. One was Cressly. Willy felt as though a knife had been driven into his chest- but he knew he would stay and endure whatever misery was to come, just to watch Barbara.

  He followed Stephen over to join his friends. They had selected a spot in the sun which was hidden from the kiosk and office by a garden bed. As they approached Marjorie looked at them and gave Stephen a friendly smile. She did not even look at Willy. She wore the same bikini she had worn up at the farm, and had the top very loosely tied again. She knelt on her towel, leaning slightly forward so that her cleavage was clearly displayed. Every time she moved her breasts wobbled and quivered. Poor Willy! He had a series of hot flashbacks to the swim in the creek and began to get aroused.

  Stephen spread his towel beside Marjorie. Willy sat down with Stick and Noddy between him and them, facing Shona, who gave him a toothy smile and blinked a welcome through glasses that looked like the bottom of Coca Cola bottles. Willy sat and said little. He just made sure he could watch Barbara around the end of a garden bed.

  Stephen said something to Marjorie which made her peal with laughter. Willy glanced at them and saw her put her hand on Stephen’s arm. The sight made him both jealous and depressed. It got rapidly worse. The senior boys with Barbara and Karen proceeded to push them in and duck them. In the process they put their arms around Barbara and appeared to give her a good grope. Once Willy saw Cressly put his arm across her front. She shrieked and giggled and Willy burned.

  Willy sat on his towel and tried to pretend that he was happy. To avoid watching either Barbara or Marjorie he studied other people at the pool. When a boy climbed out of the pool and then reached down to help a girl out he noted the girl’s large bosom with pleasure. Then he recognized them. The boy was Andrew Collins, a Year 10 who was a navy cadet and the girl with him was Tina Babcock, another Year 10 and also a navy cadet. ‘I didn’t know they were going together,’ he thought.

  As Andrew and Tina strolled across the lawn to their towels, which were nearby, they looked towards the group and obviously recognized them as Andrew smiled and waved. Willy and Stephen both waved back. Andrew and Tina lay down side by side and continued talking to each other. Seeing their apparent intimacy caused Willy a sharp stab of jealousy. ‘I wish I had a girlfriend,’ he thought; and that sent his gaze back to Barbara.

  After a while Stick suggested that the group go in for a swim. The idea was accepted and they began making their way to the pool. Willy wasn’t a very good swimmer and he was self-conscious about his body. He was also half aroused. Reluctantly he took off his shirt and followed.

  During the horsing around that followed Willy stayed on the sidelines. Much of the time he looked hungrily towards Barbara and her group, until they left the pool. His jealousy was also aroused by the way Marjorie flirted with Stephen. Stephen responded, several times ducking Marjorie. She appeared to enjoy this and laughed and made comments to encourage Stephen even more.

  Willy stayed in the water at the edge of the pool, watching with envy until a person’s shadow fell across him. It was Andrew. “Hello Willy, having a good day?” he asked.

  Willy looked up and saw that Tina was standing next to Andrew. She was smiling and looked very happy. She bent down to sit on the edge of the pool, granting Willy a tantalizing glimpse of her ample cleavage. His gaze also took in the fact that she had quite a thick waist and a big bum with strong thighs. She was not exactly tubby so he applied the word ‘solid’ to describe her. She said to Andrew, “Well, go on! You said you could, now prove it.”

  “Prove what?” Willy asked.

  Andrew looked embarrassed and did not answer so Tina did. “Swim the length of the pool under water,” she said.

  Stephen, Marjorie and Stick joined them and Stephen called, “Well go on Andrew, have a go.”

  Andrew made a face and said, “I’m a bit out of training.”

  Stephen looked at Tina and a grin spread over his face. He said, “Tina will give you a kiss if you can do it.”

  Tina opened her mouth to deny this but she looked delighted as well as surprised and Willy suspected that she would give Andrew a kiss without that sort of incentive. But she did not deny it and now all the others joined in, daring Andrew and teasing them both. Tina smiled at Andrew and he gave an embarrassed smile back and then said, “Will you?”

  Tina nodded, drawing loud cries from the group. After more teasing and encouragement Andrew shrugged and stood up. He walked off to the far end of the pool. As he did Willy studied his physique and was jealous. Andrew looked very fit and had broad shoulders, slim hips and was well muscled. Willy knew that Andrew was a qualified diver and that he often swam underwater and all of that made him feel quite jealous.

  Andrew spent a minute or so flexing muscles and taking deep breaths before he dived in. Willy watched with interest, hoping Andrew could do it but doubtful. The pool was a standard Olympic size- 50 metres long- and he knew he would not even be able to swim half that underwater. ‘I might get across if I dived,’ he thought. He watched the dim shape of Andrew go past and began to call encouragement. The others joined in, which was
silly as Andrew could not hear them.

  He did it. As Andrew surfaced at the other end they all cheered. Andrew climbed out and walked back, water dripping off rippling muscles and a smile on his face. Tina looked both embarrassed and excited. She stood up and Stephen called, “Now give him his reward Tina.”

  Tina blushed some more but stood and waited for Andrew. For half a minute or so the pair just stood and looked at each other, both breathing fast. Then she closed her eyes and puckered up. Andrew leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips but kept his arms by his side. As they drew apart Stephen called, “That wasn’t a kiss! Have a proper one. Do you need me to show you how?”

  This drew more cheers and jeers and made both Andrew and Tina blush. Andrew raised an eyebrow and Tina gave a tiny nod and stepped forward and put her arms around his shoulders. The pair came together in a proper embrace and this time there was a bit of passion in the kiss. Willy noted with growing jealousy how their breathing increased and how their muscles tightened as they continued to kiss. When they kept on kissing the group began to call encouragement and to tease.

  ‘I wish that was me kissing Barbara,’ Willy thought. He glanced around and saw that she and her friends were watching from the other side of the pool. To Willy’s distress she had an arm around Cressly’s neck and appeared to be snuggled against him. For a moment their eyes met and he puzzled over the expression in them. Was it desire- or sadness- or envy? Then she looked away.

  By now it was obvious that Andrew and Tina were having real kiss. This led to others calling either encouragement and advice or teasing jibes. Stephen called, “Come up for air you two!”

  Then Stick yelled, “They need cooling down!” he began to splash water on them. Others joined in and it appeared to Willy that a spell was broken. As Andrew and Tina drew apart and he saw the look of wonder in his eyes and delight in hers he thought, ‘They are really in love. Or at least she is.’ Then he knew he was jealous and glanced at Marjorie. She met his gaze with a look that he could not fathom but which he thought might have been regret.

  Andrew took Tina’s hand and the pair walked away, followed by mostly good natured laughter. Then Noddy broke the spell by saying, “Who will give me a kiss if I can swim the length underwater?” He looked hopefully at Shona but she curled her lip and moved away and Stick and Stephen both jeered and proceeded to splash Noddy. A water fight and then a game of chasey followed.

  After half an hour they were all cold so they climbed out and returned to their towels. Willy trailed unhappily along, looking around for Barbara and her group, but they were nowhere to be seen. By then he was feeling very cold and was shivering.

  As they sat down on their towels in the sun Noddy suggested something to eat. This was voted a good idea and a general movement towards the kiosk began. Marjorie lay down and Stephen asked her what she wanted. Willy felt excluded and hurt. He pretended everything was fine however and went to the kiosk with Stephen.

  When they returned with potato crisps and chocolates Willy was dismayed to see that Marjorie was lying on her front and had undone her bra strap. When she reached up to take the packet of crisps from Stephen she showed most of her breasts. Even when she was lying down he saw that they bulged out from under her in a most enticing and provocative way. Willy sat and tried not to keep looking but found his eyes drawn to her constantly. His desire returned.

  Stephen sat beside Marjorie and she leaned against him while they ate and chatted. She kept raising herself up on her elbows to allow tantalizing glimpses; and she gave all of her attention to Stephen and even rested her hand on his thigh. Willy began to mentally call her unkind names, then stopped.

  With something of a shock he realized he was jealous.

  ‘Anyway,’ he told himself, ‘I had my chance.’

  When the food was consumed Stick suggested another swim, with a game of ‘tiggy’. Willy got up and followed Stick and Noddy. They both grabbed Shona and pushed her in, then dived in to duck her. Willy was then pushed in by Noddy and nominated as being ‘in’. For ten minutes he chased the others around the pool. Being winter there were very few people at the pool so they had most of it to themselves. Willy thrashed around trying to catch the others, finally tagging Shona.

  While he was getting his breath back at the side of the pool he heard Stick call out: “Come on you two. Stop that and come and play.”

  Willy raised himself to look across the lawn. Marjorie and Stephen were still lying on their towels behind the garden bed but he could just see them. Stephen was lying on his back with Marjorie half on top of him- and they were kissing!

  Stephen stopped kissing and turned to look at them. “We are playing,” he said with a grin.

  “Not that sort of game,” Stick replied. “Come on gang, let’s throw cold water on them.”

  Willy joined in the scramble out of the pool and raced across the lawn with water cupped in his hands. Marjorie cried out and raised herself to run. She snatched up her towel and covered herself with it. Stephen scrambled to his feet and also snatched up his towel. He used his to flick at them.

  There followed a few minutes of towel flicking, running around and much laughing and calling out.

  Stephen managed to hold off the attack but was outnumbered.

  Noddy again took the initiative. “Let’s chuck Steve in the water and cool him down properly,” he suggested.

  Normally Willy disliked such horseplay but he had a sudden desire to hurt Stephen so he joined the rush to grab him. He gripped a leg and helped drag him to the edge of the pool. It gave him a surge of satisfaction he later regretted.

  When that was done and they returned to their towels. Marjorie and Shona went off to the toilet and the boys lay down, laughing and joking. Willy pretended he was enjoying himself but inside he was breaking into pieces.

  Things then just got worse. Marjorie sat so that she was leaning against Stephen and put her hand on his thigh. Stephen put his arm around her shoulders and she leaned on him. Willy burned with envy and frustration.

  His emotions received another buffeting when he saw Barbara talking to Cressly while she gathered up her belongings. As she did she smiled and displayed her cleavage and Cressly leered at her. It was obvious to Willy that Barbara was aware of this and he squirmed with jealousy. ‘Oh, if only!’ he thought wistfully.

  Barbara then walked off towards the change rooms. As she did she glanced in his direction but quickly looked away. Willy could only stare at her and admire her almost perfect figure until she was lost to view. Then his jealousy was further aroused by seeing Cressly walk to the entrance where he met her. The pair walked outside together.

  To add to Willy’s hurt Stephen rode home with Marjorie and Stick. Willy rode home alone, stewing with aroused lust and jealousy. At home Willy had to ease his frustrations. Then he went to the workshop and tried to push it all out of his mind. He settled to make the last two frames for the zeppelin. When that was done he constructed the framework for the tail fins, rudders and elevators.

  These were made from thin strips of balsa in a similar way to the frames. Clear plastic was pinned over the plans to protect them from glue. Each piece was cut to size, then had glue applied to it before it was pinned in place over the plan.

  The whole time while he worked Willy’s mind was a fever of memory and depression. He kept thinking of Marjorie the previous Sunday; and what might have been- and of how much he wanted sex. His body told him that. He seemed quite unable to control himself and kept getting aroused. Jealousy over what Marjorie might be offering Stephen (And which Willy was sure he would certainly take!) twisted at his gut. Misery over Barbara capped his depression. He had a terrible night with two nightmares.

  This set the tone for Sunday and the week that followed. At school he saw almost nothing of Barbara except in class. There was one painful episode after school when she went past in Cressly’s sports car, her hair streaming in the wind and her face alive with laughter. Marjorie also ignored him but was
always sitting next to Stephen. They frequently kissed and held hands and once Willy saw Stephen give her a real cuddle as he said goodbye before going to class.

  Schoolwork and homework Willy just did mechanically. All his spare time and energy were taken up with his model. His nightmares grew worse and alternated between terrible images of violent death and sexual frustrations and jealousy. Privately his parents were very worried, not really knowing what the problem was.

  Another week of school began and Willy felt even more depressed. He took to sitting on his own during some of the breaks. Only once on Monday did he join in a serious discussion with his friends. Stick was trying to organize a group to go to the movies the following Saturday night. “Who wants to come? What about you Steve?”

  Stephen shook his head. “Sorry. I’d like to but we have a cadet bivouac this weekend.”

  That made Willy slightly jealous. The Air Cadets only did two or three weekend camps each year but the army cadet unit did at least one every month. Stick then turned to him so Willy said, “Who else is going?”

  “Noddy is going to ask that Shona with the glasses,” Stick answered.

  Noddy went all red and mumbled and then admitted that he hadn’t asked her yet. That led to a good deal of teasing, making Willy even more determined to keep his own hopes to himself until he was certain. And at that moment he felt he had no hopes. ‘Barbara is going out with Cressly; and Marjorie is going out with Stephen,’ he thought. Then the idea came to him to ask Marjorie because Stephen would be away. But he rejected the idea as not being very honourable.

  That afternoon when he got home from school Willy went straight to the workshop and immersed himself in the construction of his model in attempt to drive all the conflicting thoughts from his mind. He worked for over three hours, patiently slicing off the 1mm thick stringers using a ruler and a razor. 32 were needed to make the framework around the model; and that meant X 3 as the model was three metres long. Plus a few for reinforcing and diagonal bracing. They mounted up to quite a pile of balsa pieces.