Jack & Harry (2 page)

The front bar of the Exchange Hotel was packed to overflowing. There was a lot of laughter and a buzz of rowdy conversation as workers unwound after a busy week and planned the weekend ahead.

‘Another beer, Jack?'

‘Better not, Eric.' Jack Ferguson glanced at the bar clock. ‘Told Alice I'd be home by six. How about we get a couple of bottles and take 'em home to my place, have a beer there. How about you pick up Eve and stay for a feed? What about you, Jim?'

‘No I can't, Jack,' Eric said, ‘I promised Eve I'd take her to the pictures tonight. Maybe tomorrow though.' He stubbed his cigarette butt into a glass ashtray.

‘I'm a bit tied up tonight too, Jack,' Jim answered. ‘How about we have a barbecue tomorrow though?'

‘Sounds fair to me.' Jack drained his glass. ‘Let's have it at our joint though 'cause young Harry Turner's staying over with Jack for the weekend so I'll invite his folks too. You know Claude and Jean don't you?' They nodded.

‘We'll make an arvo of it then. Come 'round about three or thereabouts.'

They agreed to meet at Jack's house the next day and left the smoke filled bar.

Jack Junior and Harry woke early on Saturday morning. The house was quiet, with Jack's siblings and his parents still sleeping. Jack opened the vents on the slow combustion wood stove and fanned some kindling alight. When the stove was hot he filled an iron kettle with water from the tap and placed it on the stove to boil. Harry busied himself making toast. The younger children started to stir, laughter and noise filling the house.

‘Quiet you lot!' boomed a voice from down the hallway. ‘Your mum's trying to sleep.'

Jack laughed. ‘That'd wake Mum anyhow, Dad yellin' like that. How about we take 'em in a cuppa and some toast?'

They knocked on Jack and Alice's bedroom door. ‘Yeah, come in,' Jack's father bellowed.

‘Thanks boys, what's this in aid of then, Jack?' His father pointed to the pot of tea and plate of heavily buttered toast.

‘We want to head off early Dad to go down to the creek.'

‘So this is to soften us up eh?' His father took a bite of toast. ‘All right, Jack but don't get up to any mischief you blokes and don't forget that your parents are going to be here for a barbie, Harry. Be good if you boys could chop some wood and set the fire. That'd save me some time as I want to go down town and get some ice to keep the drinks cool then to the butcher's for some snags and chops.'

‘Be careful too boys, down at the river.'

‘Yeah, Mum, but it's only a creek not a river and not all that deep except for a couple of holes. We'll be all right. Stop worrying.'

‘Yes, Alice, the lads'll be OK. Don't get carried away and forget the time though.'

‘No, Dad.'

‘See ya, Mr Ferguson.'

Across the park in Kelsborough there was excitement at number 29 Lawton Drive as William (Billy) Munse woke from a restless dream-filled sleep. It was his birthday and even though he had chosen the bike at the shop, he couldn't quite remember every detail of it and was anxious to see the bike again and to ride it out to show off to his schoolmates.

He paced impatiently around the lounge room waiting for his parents to come downstairs. They had been out to dinner the previous night to a restaurant in the city. Billy hadn't really wanted to go but his father had insisted, saying that it was only proper for a young gentleman to go to dinner with his parents on his fifteenth birthday. Billy now waited for his parents to wake. He didn't dare disturb them as his father would probably be in a bad mood anyhow after drinking too much wine at dinner and Billy didn't want to make matters worse by antagonising him further. He knew the bike was in the garage but it was locked and he didn't have a key so he would just have to wait. He made himself a cup of Milo and nibbled at some toast to pass the time.

After waiting restlessly for almost an hour, Billy was joined by his parents.

‘Good morning, William, happy birthday, dear.' His mother brushed her lips against his cheek.

‘Happy birthday, son.'

‘Thanks, Dad, Mum.' Billy moved from one foot to the other expectantly. ‘Can I have my bike now?'

‘Shortly, William.' His father glared at him over the top of his thick horn-rimmed glasses. ‘There's something you need to be aware of though, it's important and concerns your new bike.'

‘Yes, Dad, what?' Billy was mystified.

‘You know that bike was not cheap, it cost me a lot of money and you have to learn to respect things of value, William.'

‘Yes I know, I really app …' His father cut him off with a wave of a hand.

‘That bike is for you only. I don't want you letting any of the local riff raff ride it do you hear?'

‘Yeah, er … sure, Dad,' Billy stammered.

‘I mean it, son! I'm not going to pay good money to have other kids whose families can't afford it, ride your bike. You have to be aware that we are a little better than they are and if I see you letting any of the other kids riding it then I'll lock it up in the shed and no one will ride it. Do you understand?'

‘Yes, Dad,' Billy agreed with his father.
Agree to anything so that I can get the bike.
He smiled sweetly.
He'd never know if I let someone ride it anyhow.

Billy was presented with the bike and spent the next hour riding it around the driveway and a short way down the footpath outside his home so he ‘could get used to it' as his father advised before he would be allowed to take it further.

‘You were a little harsh on him, William, it is his birthday after all,' Mrs Munse said.

‘Harsh nothing and I meant what I said. He's better than those other kids, especially those ruffians from the other side of the park. They're just a blue collar mob, not professional people like us.'

‘I know, dear but he does go to school with most of them and you know I didn't agree with that from the beginning. He should be in private boarding school, we can afford it.'

‘It's not a matter of money. I never went to boarding school but I slogged hard to get a scholarship to go to university. William has to learn to mix with the ordinary people of this world but not to be part of them. That way he will learn what they are like, what makes them tick so that when he eventually graduates from the bar and comes into the firm with me he will understand their mentality more. After all, they're the ones who are usually in trouble with the law and need a solicitor to defend them. Makes sense to me.'

His wife smiled weakly and agreed. She had learned over the years that submission was the key to peace in the Munse household.

Jack and Harry were walking up from the creek through the park towards Jack's home with a bucket full of yabbies when Billy Munse rode into the park and swept speedily toward them down the bituminised pathway.

‘Get a look at this for a bike! Told ya I was getting one for me birthday.' Billy yelled as he approached the duo.

‘Gee, Billy, sure is a beauty.' Harry stared in amazement at the shining chrome and blue Malvern Star with the racing handlebars and pedals fitted with straps so the rider's feet wouldn't slip off.

‘She's flash all right, Billy,' Jack agreed. ‘Look at them wheels, got racing tyres too. Bet she goes fast.'

‘You bet she does,' Billy quipped proudly. ‘She's got front and rear brakes too. Stops on a sixpence.'

‘Come on, Jack,' Harry started to walk off. ‘We have to get back to your place to chop that wood for ya Dad.' The last thing Harry wanted to do was look at the bike and watch Billy gloat.

‘Yeah, catch ya, Billy.' The boys walk off up the path but Billy rode beside them. He certainly wanted to get more glory out of this encounter than the brief discourse so far. ‘Wanna ride?' Billy asked.

‘Nah, better not,' Jack said. ‘We've gotta get home.'

‘Yeah, OK. I don't suppose you
could
ride it anyhow.' Billy reverted to sarcasm. ‘You have to know what you're doin' to ride a bike like this. You've only got that old thing that your dad used to ride eh? Was it your granddad's or did Noah have it on the ark with him?' Billy laughed sneeringly. ‘Got flat tyres now hasn't it? Rusted out in the shed.'

‘I could ride it no worries.' Jack started to bristle with indignation.

‘Me too,' Harry said. ‘I could ride it easy. My cousin's got one similar and I've ridden his before … lotsa times.'

‘Well have a ride then.' Billy was anxious to have the boys ride his new bike because he knew that would make them even more envious of him and his birthday present. He also figured they would talk about it at school so Billy would get the glory and not even have to mention a word about it himself.

‘Are ya sure you're allowed to lend it, Billy? Jack asked. ‘Bein' so new and everythin'.'

‘It's my bike, I can lend it to whoever I like. Do ya wanna ride or not … last chance?'

‘A little turn on it'd be good eh, Harry?'

‘Yeah, maybe, you go first though.' Harry was still reluctant to give Billy anything further to gloat about but was busting inside to get a ride on the bike.

Billy dismounted and proudly handed the bike to Jack who tossed his leg over it and after a slightly shaky start, got the feel quickly and rode off down the path toward the river. It was exhilarating. Jack couldn't imagine what it would be like to actually ‘own' a machine like this. He braked, turned the bike and pedalled strongly back up the slope to where Harry and Billy were standing.

‘Wow!' Jack couldn't think of anything more appropriate to say. ‘Your turn, Harry.'

Harry hopped on board the racer and headed off at speed down the path to the river. He too braked, spun the bike around expertly and rode full pelt back to where the two boys stood waiting.

‘What do ya think, Harry?' Billy asked.

‘Hhmm, not bad.' Harry was reluctant to give too much praise although he was green with envy of Billy's bike.

‘Have another turn then, Harry.'

‘No I'm right.'

‘How about you, Jack, like another turn?'

Yeah, I reckon one more'd be good, Billy, thanks.'

Jack rode off along the flat beside the river and Harry, unable to restrain himself, ran after him shouting encouragement. ‘Go faster, Jack, give it to her, she can take it.'

Billy was ecstatic with pride as he watched Jack ride his bike with Harry running and skipping alongside trying to keep up and yelling for Jack to go faster.

The pride quickly turned sour and a sinking feeling hit the pit of his stomach as he glanced over his shoulder and saw his father striding purposefully through the park entrance towards where he was standing. Panic took hold as he realised that his father must have come to watch him ride the new present and where was it? About two hundred yards away along the track with Jack in the saddle and Harry running beside it.

There goes the bike, he thought. My dad's gonna kill me and hang the bike in the shed.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he realised the mistake he had made and the consequences he would have to pay for being so stupid. He could see the anger on his father's face and the grim set of his mouth was enough for Billy to recognise that this was no mere temper but a rage that his father was in.

Jack was laughing and Harry yelling so loudly that at first they didn't hear Billy screaming to them. Then they heard the urgency and panic in Billy's voice and looked back in amazement to see Mr Munse striding down the path and Billy jumping up and down waving his arms wildly in the air.

‘Give my bike back you thieves. My dad's here so you won't be so brave now eh?' Billy screamed accusingly.

‘What's he yellin' about?'

‘Dunno, Harry … let's go and find out. Doesn't sound too good though and there's his father the solicitor. Billy must be in some sorta trouble.'

‘What the hell do you think you're doing, William. I told you not to let anyone ride your bike and you've disobeyed me almost immediately, that bike will be going to the shed, believe me!' Munse's was red faced with anger.

‘I didn't lend it Dad, honest, they stole it from me,' Billy lied.

‘Stole it! Stole it! Did they now? Well I'm not surprised, I told you they were riffraff. This is going to be reported to the police. You won't get away with this you young hooligans.' Munse shook his fist at Jack and Harry who had arrived at the angry scene and slowly began to understand what was happening.

‘We didn't steal the bike, Mister.' Jack was defensive ‘Billy wanted me and Harry to have a ride.'

‘Did not, liar,' Billy yelled tearfully. ‘You forced me to let you ride it, stole it you did. They did, Dad, they did, they stole it, honest.'

‘We did not!' Harry yelled back at Billy.

‘My William wouldn't lie to me and say you stole the bike if you didn't. You stole it all right and the matter is going to the police, You will both go to jail for this my lads, mark my words.' Munse reached out and grabbed the boys by their shirt collars holding them in a tight grip. ‘William!' he directed. ‘Run up to the police station now and bring the constable back while I hold these two thieves here until he arrives, get a move on, lad.'