3. Friends in Need
Gene turned up within a half hour of my call. He’s well built and jogs to keep in shape. Now he seemed to fill our small entrance hall. I had everything I really wanted to keep packed in a couple of sports bags and a couple of boxes. I’d managed to do it without disturbing my father who could be heard snoring through the closed bedroom door, the combination of booze and the painkillers the medic had given him had put him out like the proverbial light.
In the process I discovered that several small things of mine were missing. They weren’t things I used, but they were items which I treasured — like some pristine die cast cars and trucks I’d saved up and bought just about the time I started to lose interest in actually playing with toys. Now they were gone.
“You need any help Mrs Munk, give me a ring,” Gene told her at the door as I shoved my stuff into his car. My eye was now swollen and painful. “We’ll look after Alex for you.”
“I’ll be fine,” she replied. “Look after Alex for me. I’ve done my best, but his father … well … well, he was a different man when we …” She shivered. “Tonight was the last straw.”
“As I said, if you need help, give me a call.” Glancing at me, he asked, “Got everything? Then say cheers to your Mum and let’s go.”
Getting into the car he said as he started it, “First we’ll get that eye seen too, then I’ll take you to a mate’s place — he’s got a room you can have until we can find you something better of your own.”
The doctor gave me painkillers and eye ointment, commenting that I’d been lucky and a cold compress had been exactly the right thing. He didn’t ask what had happened or make any comment, just examined the eye carefully, checked I wasn’t getting double vision, and cleaned it and the bruised area thoroughly.
“There you go, Alex. Any problem in the next day or two, get Gene to bring you back. I think it’ll be alright, but that must have been a nasty punch.” He smiled. “You’ll have a real shiner for a couple of days, but no real damage done I think.”
“Thanks, Doctor.” I hesitated. “I’m not registered with your Practice though.”
“Not a problem. Gene can send us your details, and I can contact your usual doctor and arrange to transfer you to ours if you like.” Standing, he looked at Gene. “Alex working for you?”
“Yes.” Gene gripped my shoulder. “Damn good worker as well.”
Outside we got back into the car and Gene took me round to another friend.
“This is Alex, Tom.” Gene introduced me to the hefty man who answered the door. “He’s got a bit of bother at home. His Dad’s, shall we say, a bit of a bastard. He needs a place to stay until we can sort out something permanent for him.” Gene turned to me. “Tom’s the Bouncer at Latex and Leather Club.”
“Been in some aggro?” He extended a hand that engulfed mine.
“My Dad. He went for me over a catalogue he found in my room.” Retrieving my hand, I shrugged. “He drinks, and doesn’t like people like me …”
“One of them, huh.” Stepping back he held the door open. “As it happens I’ve a spare bed — if you don’t mind sharing the room with my gym kit.” Shutting the door behind us he studied me. “How long do you need it for?”
“Till he can find his own place. Going home is off the menu.” Gene interrupted. “There’s a lot more coming down there right now.” Grinning he patted my shoulder. “Tiger here gave as good as he got. His Dad needed a paramedic to reset a dislocated shoulder. It’ll be a while before he punches anyone else — just as well, because … well, tomorrow Mrs Munk is going to give him some news he really won’t like.”
I caught my breath. Was Mum going to do what she’d threatened for quite some time now? Leave the bastard and make her own life? Seemed like it. Gene wouldn’t say anything more, so I humped my bags and boxes up to the back room and stowed them out of the way of the gym equipment. At Tom’s call I went downstairs and accepted a cup of cocoa and his sympathy.
“So, how’s it going, Alex? Gene says you had a problem last night.” Jerry asked passing me a mug of coffee. Nodding at my bruised face, he grinned. “That’s quite a shiner. Maybe you should wear a mask until it heals.”
“Maybe I should always,” I retorted. “My looks aren’t exactly my ticket to fame, and this hasn’t improved them.”
“I didn’t …” Jerry stopped. “Damn, me and my big mouth. It was a joke, Alex. You’re damned good looking you know. When you let yourself be.” Putting an arm round my shoulders he gave me a hug. “And you’re among friends here. One of us. You had a bad time last night. Gene told me, but we’re all here for you …”
I couldn’t help myself. I slumped in his embrace and cried. In between sobs, I managed, “It was bad, and I feel bad — I hit my Dad — he’s a bastard, but — and I don’t know what’s going to happen to my Mum — and there’s nothing — and I can’t stay at Tom’s place — and I don’t know …”
Jerry didn’t move. Tightening his hug as he turned, he held me against his chest and let me cry. I heard someone ask something, and Jerry’s response, but he resisted my attempt to release him. “Stay, kid. Let it out. Let it all out …”
It helped. An hour later I’d calmed down enough to start picking orders, and by lunchtime felt able to cope with the jokes and the teasing. At finishing time Gene gave me the news that my Mum had made arrangements to separate from my father and had the support of social services. As the house was rented, and my father was unable to afford the rent he would be evicted anyway.
“Cheer up, Alex. It’s for the best, and we’ll sort you out in no time.” Grinning like the Cheshire Cat, he teased, “Even if we have to lock you up in here at night for a while.”
That made me laugh. “With all this kinky stuff? I might be tempted to try it all out.”
“Why not? The best sales people know their product from personal experience.” He grinned. “Maybe we should make you try out the products you’re packing!”
In fact it was a temptation I was already close to succumbing to. For a while now I’d been wondering what it would be like to wear a popular hood our customers seemed to like. And to wear a rubber tanga brief …
“Go for it,” Jerry said, when I rather shyly asked if there was one I could try. “Here you go.” He pulled a couple of packages off the shelf and handed them to me. “Anything else you want to try?”
“Um,” I stared at the plastic package in my hands. “But I should buy these …”
“Rubbish.” He laughed. “Now try them.” He winked. “Just one thing. You have to wear the hood for the rest of the day.”
“But … I have to go to the post in a couple of hours.”
“So?” Grinning, he teased. “You can go half an hour later and finish work early.”
Shy, I changed in the toilet. The tanga brief felt great, but I first had to give myself some ‘relief’ to fit it. Even so I was semi hard again once I’d got the hood fitted and my jeans back on. I emerged to catcalls and comments from Jerry, Gene, Marco and Colin as I emerged.
“The hood’s a big improvement, kid. We should make you wear it all the time,” Marco called from his workbench.
“Ignore him,” Jerry said, laughing. “He’s just sore he’s not wearing it.” Putting a hand on my shoulder, he asked, “Feels as good as you hoped?”
“Um, feels different to what I expected …” I grinned. “Ask me at closing time.”
“I will.” Jerry laughed. “To work! And all jokes aside, it does look good on you.”
