Just a dumb fuck

Setting the stage

After class on Thursday I stayed in uniform for tea, then as all the rest of the guys headed back to the dorm for private study until dinner, I went to the main hall where the rehearsals for the Commandant’s address and promotion ceremony were to be held. Nathan had put Travis in charge of the dorm until dinner as Kyle was off making arrangements for the football match on Saturday, and he was going to be away making arrangements for the water polo. Travis usually gets put in charge when neither Kyle nor Nathan is present.

There was a notice on the door of the main hall saying it was off limits to all students for the night but I went in as obviously that doesn’t apply to me. The first person I saw when I entered was Nathan. He was in a group with Jackson and three Cadet Privates and smiled when he saw me.

“Funny water polo arrangements,” I said as I got closer.

He smiled and just said “It sounded plausible. No-one is to know why I am really here until Saturday.”

It turned out that Nathan is being promoted to Sergeant on Saturday. Apparently he had an exemplary record as a Private last year and as a Corporal has already impressed by stepping up to the role of Kyle’s second in command this year, something that is usually done by a third year cadet. That seems reasonable enough, Kyle has allowed him to act as a Sergeant in our dorm and he has actually been a pretty good one. A bit stricter than Kyle but fair and we always know where we stand with him. He will actually make a good Sergeant and it will look impressive on his record that he got promoted early – he’s already got his mind set on applying to West Point when he graduates from here. The three Cadet Privates are being promoted too: though they have only been here seven weeks they all have previous experience in the cadet corps of their previous schools and have shone here, so they are being fast tracked.  

Jackson called me up onto the stage and explained what my role is to be. I’ll be on the side of the stage when the Commandant makes his speech. When Nathan and the three Privates are called up to the stage and stood in a line, the Commandant will walk over to them, followed by me, and I’ll pass him a new rank badge for each of the cadets as he shakes their hand and congratulates them. They’ll then salute, about turn, and troop off the stage. I then go back to my station and collect the Sword of Honour which will be presented to the Cadet Captain. The Commandant will make a speech, announce the name of the Cadet Captain, who will then march onto the stage, salute and shake hands. I have to follow the Commandant over to him, pass the Commandant the sword, then step back out of the way as it is formally presented. Seems straightforward enough. I’ll be visible to everybody, and stand out of course, so I’ll need to ensure my dress is perfect and my drill immaculate.

We ran through the procedure a couple of times with Jackson playing the role of Commandant, taking the badges from me and handing them over to Nathan and the others. It only took about thirty minutes of practice to get it running very smoothly. If the Commandant is up to speed on his drill the same way Jackson is, it’ll go off without a hitch. Once Jackson was satisfied he called an end to the rehearsal and dismissed Nathan and the three privates. He didn’t dismiss me, so I stood there until they had left. I assumed Jackson wanted to talk about the boxing.

“Right, that’s the junior promotions sorted, now for the second stage – the appointment of the Captain and the sword presentation. You ready to go again, Boots? You’ll find a sword and scabbard tucked away behind the podium for us to practice with.”

I found the sword and stepped back up onto the stage alongside Jackson. “How’s the Cadet Captain chosen?” I asked.

Jackson leaned against the podium. “Same way as always, at least for nearly a hundred years.”

Jackson explained how the staff put forward up to five names to the Commandant, students who they believe have the right qualities to make a good Cadet Captain. A mix of academic and sporting ability, along with the right personal qualities such as honour, integrity, the ability to lead and the respect of their peers. The officer cadets also meet and put forward five names of their own. The Commandant reviews both lists, which most years are the same names anyway, and then invites who he considers the two best candidates to an informal dinner. There, they get the opportunity to discuss what the role entails and what qualities they each believe they can bring to it. The Commandant then informs the two candidates of his decision the following day.

Jackson continued, “Until the presentation, only the Commandant, the two final candidates, and those rehearsing the ceremony tomorrow tonight will know who the new Captain will be. Tonight, I’ll be playing the role of Commandant so you can practice your role and pass me the sword. Ready to go?”

Jackson must think I am stupid. Like I am going to fall for that ploy. Obviously he’s the new captain. Tonight I get to practice my role, and he gets to see exactly how the sword will be presented to the Commandant, then tomorrow we’ll be pulling the whole drill together and he’ll get to practice taking the sword from the Commandant ready for Saturday. Like I said, I didn’t come here on the banana boat.

Jackson will actually be an impressive College Captain. He’s got that almost undefinable quality that really sets him above most others. A kind of presence, an ability to be the centre of the room without trying. It’s not just his physique, it’s a kind of aura of confidence and authority he has. It’s probably something he’s just tuned in to naturally ever since he was born. His dad is somebody senior in the State Department, they say he actually spends most of his time either in Washington or at various embassies around the world. Jackson will have just soaked up that authority like a sponge since the day he was born.

“Ready, Boots?”

“Ready, Captain.”

Jackson paused, then almost smiled. “You’re not quite as stupid as people take you for, are you? Kyle said you’d work it out without being told.”

I’d already worked something else out too. If the appointment of the new captain is a secret, then the only way Kyle could have had an idea Jackson was going to be the new Captain, or present at the Orderly Office last night, was if he had been the losing nominee.

“So you beat Kyle to the job?” I asked.

Jackson looked at me. “That’s not the way it works Boots, and you’re smart enough to know that. I can understand you being disappointed for Kyle. You shouldn’t consider that he lost. It was an achievement for him even to have been on the list, recommended by both staff and students. That says a great deal about him. Kyle had confidence in you from the very first day you arrived here, fought for you to be given a second chance. I have Kyle’s full loyalty and support; I expect yours too.”

I didn’t need to say anything in reply. It wasn’t a question. Jackson and I still may not see eye to eye on some things, but he understood what it meant when I stepped smartly to attention before we resumed the rehearsal.

* * *

After the rehearsal, Jackson and I walked over to dinner. As he wasn’t in uniform, I had left my cap off and carried it under my arm so I could walk too. Well, it would have looked bloody odd if I had been marching and he had been walking, so with him being senior to me, and not in uniform, it was the correct thing to do. I was contemplating some small talk, probably about boxing, rather than walking over in frosty silence, but Jackson caught me off guard.

“Boots, you’ve not said a word about what you saw happening at the gym. With me and Jayden.”

I was gobsmacked. Where had that come from? Why was Jackson raising it with me now? From his tone and demeanour he didn’t sound as though he was about to tear me off a strip for it. So why raise it? Jackson looked at me, clearly aware that he had completely wrongfooted me.

“I appreciate that, and I don’t think it’s just because you think I’d smash you to a pulp if you did say anything. I’m prepared to cut you some slack Boots, despite what the rumours say about you. Kyle has a high opinion of you. I know you don’t have any issues with Kyle being gay, or that he has a boyfriend.  With me and Jayden it’s not the same. We’re not gay, we just enjoy a good fuck because it’s pleasurable and, as you may have noticed, there aren’t any girls here. Some guys have a sly jack off together in the showers, that doesn’t make them gay, Jayden and I take it a little further. Sometimes I fuck him, occasionally he fucks me. It’s purely physical. Just sex, not falling in love. We don’t hold hands and share an apple or a carton of popcorn together in the stadium watching football like Kyle does. There’s nothing wrong with Kyle being gay, and being in love with that guy in town, but it’s not the way me and Jayden are. You understand the difference, Boots?”

“Yes, I think, so Jackson.”

I was still surprised at what Jackson had said, but I actually do sort of understand it. It’s kind of like when Travis and Shane and me jacked off together in the shower. We’re not gay either. We were just doing it because that’s what guys do. And yes, it does feel good. So I can kind of understand that some guys might take it further, and maybe even fuck each other. It’d be different to fucking a girl, like it felt different when me and Shane rubbed our cocks together, but it was a good feeling. And like Jackson says, it’s not being in love with a guy. It’s not being gay. So there’s nothing wrong with feeling horny around Shane sometimes. I’ve fucked girls, so I’m not gay, and me and Shane aren’t ever going to share an ice cream sundae and walk around holding hands. Nobody would call Jackson or Jayden gay either, they’re about as masculine as you can get. And they’d definitely not say anything like that if they wanted to survive!

“Jackson…” I faltered, not quite knowing whether this was the right time to ask, if any time would be the right time to ask. It hadn’t gone well with Kyle, and I didn’t want to piss Jackson off, especially now he was starting to treat me like a human rather than just a punchbag.

“Yes?”

“Look, you don’t have to answer this, but, well, I’m sort of curious. And, I mean, well, I know what it’s like to fuck a girl, but, err, well, doesn’t it hurt to get fucked up the arse?”

Now he’s looking at me. That face of his again. Bloody hell, I need to get my brain and tongue sorted. I shouldn’t have asked that. Why do I always open my mouth at the wrong time? Say the wrong thing?

Jackson actually smiled!  I was expecting him to be angry, but he wasn’t. “Not many girls will let you fuck them up the ass, Boots, but guys do. If you don’t use plenty of lube and go gently when you enter, it can hurt, but if you go slow and use lots of lube, it can be amazingly pleasurable, whether you are giving it or taking it. You just need to separate the psychological from the physical and then it’s not gay. Or keep the two together and be gay. Kyle will tell you that’s better. Every guy has to make his own choice.”

We’d arrived at the doors to the dining room and he’d automatically slowed his pace down a fraction, allowing me to get ahead, to reach for the door, to open it for him. We stepped inside and then separated, him heading to the top table and me right down to the back of the hall.

I think I’m okay with Jackson now. He seems to trust me, out of the ring as well as in it. And what he said about Jayden and him, that made sense too. That’s what it’s like with me. I’m not gay just because I like Shane. I just like him, that’s all. Guys can like each other, right?

* * *

Friday night was manic. Everybody was excused private study in order to get their uniforms in order for tomorrow. Because it’s Open Weekend we all have to be in our working uniforms, the blue ones, until tea at 16:30, and the Cadet Officers will be in their white and grey ceremonials so they stand out. It has a practical value too as half the freshmen here still don’t seem to have grasped all the different rank badges yet and so on Saturday it’s made simple for them; anybody that looks like an escapee from a pantomime they should salute, anybody in blues they don’t need to.

My uniform was already in pretty good order and anyway, I was still wearing it as I’m officially on ‘Orderly Duty’. Kyle had his ceremonial uniform prepared and hanging from his wardrobe door, and was just about to start polishing his shoes to go with his blues – which he too was still wearing. He’s coming over to the rehearsals tonight too, though nobody else knows about them of course, and then he has some other officer cadet meetings about tomorrow. As everyone else was busy at their uniforms, I started to lay out on my bed the other kit I’d need tomorrow for boxing and swimming, plus another bag of civilian clothes for when I went to stay with my dad.

I made one row for swimming kit: headguard, jammers, towel and some shampoo for the shower afterwards. All that I put next to my small cloth sports bag. Next, I lined up what I needed for boxing: my vest and shorts, ring boots, a mouthguard, a pair of lightweight cotton gloves, plus another towel and some more shower stuff. That can all go in my duffle bag. Finally, I set aside some smarts: a couple of shirts, underwear, cord trousers, a jacket and tie and a bag of wash kit. That can all go in my travel bag ready for when I go with dad at the end of the day. I was just double checking I hadn’t forgotten anything and was about to pack it all into the respective bags when I realised Noah was watching me intently from his bedspace just across the aisle from mine.

“That’s perfect, Boots,” he said, “all properly sorted,” then got back to polishing his own shoes, oblivious to the fact that everyone else was exchanging glances and looking at him. Noah just doesn’t start conversations like that. He’s usually the perfect example of the kid that doesn’t speak until he’s spoken to but that’s now the second or third time he’s actually said something to me without being prompted. Nathan had clearly picked up on it.

“Noah,” said Nathan, “once you’ve finished polishing your shoes, would you come and give me a hand making some coffees in the kitchen? No rush, just in your own time.”

Noah glanced up and smiled. “Yes Nat, about five minutes.”

Now that’s odd. If Nathan wanted a coffee, he’d usually go and make his own. If it was drinks for the whole dorm, or for visitors, he’d delegate somebody to go and make them. Not ask, order. That’s what being a Corporal is about. Taking command, giving orders. I mean, like as if on a battlefield an NCO would say something like “Oh I say, you chaps there, would you mind awfully fixing bayonets and storming up that hill to attack the enemy? In your own time of course…”  But then I’ve noticed that before. Both Kyle and Nat do treat Noah a little differently from the rest of us. He always seems to get set loads of tasks to do, lots of fetching and carrying and gophering, way more than his fair share. He doesn’t seem to mind though, and never makes a fuss about it.

Five minutes later, Noah looked carefully at the shoes he was polishing, held them both up to catch the light from all angles, seemed to decide they were good enough and carefully placed them in front of his locker before packing his brushes and tin of polish into his cupboard. That done he wandered over to Nat’s bedspace and stood just in Nat’s line of vision. Nat looked up, smiled, put his swimming kit to one side and stood up. “Come on, Noah, let’s go make a coffee.”

There’s something odd going on there. I can’t put my finger on it, but there is. I was still pondering it when Kyle was suddenly by my side. “Come on, Boots, we need to be going too. Only ten minutes before you’re due to report at the Orderly Office. I’ll walk over with you, I need to get a car pass sorted for tomorrow. Travis, you’re in charge until Nat gets back.”

* * *

We marched over to the main building. Marched properly. Kyle’s good at marching, he knows how it should be done. Head up, chest out, arse in, arms straight. Not a single word of command necessary as we went down the stairs, out of the door, along the paths and finally arrived at the front door of the main building. We broke step simultaneously on the stairs, picked it up again in perfect synchronism at the bottom, wheeled correctly on the turns and halted loudly and absolutely together when we got to the door of the main hall. The sound of our heels simultaneously driving into the parquet floor echoed down the corridor. It was made even better by the fact that as we arrived at the main hall, the Commandant was coming the opposite way along the corridor and saw us. I remained rigidly at attention as Kyle snapped off a very precise salute.

“Good evening, Sir.”

The Commandant returned the salute and replied, “Good evening, gentlemen, do go in,” as he motioned to the door.

I stepped forward and opened it, allowing the Commandant and Kyle to go through together, then followed them. Jackson and the three Privates who were due for promotion were already there, along with a few other Cadet NCOs who were going to be on duty during the ceremony to act as ushers, or more realistically, sheepdogs to control the hordes of parents who would be drifting around aimlessly if somebody didn’t take charge of them. Discreetly of course, but you have to do it. Can’t have civilians just wandering around willy-nilly when there’s a plan and schedule to keep to. Jackson, who was in his ceremonial uniform, immediately called the room to attention and turned to face the Commandant, snapping off an equally impressive salute which the Commandant returned.

“At ease, gentlemen. Lieutenant Davis, walk us through the awards. We have precisely thirty minutes.”

As Jackson led the Commandant up onto the stage, followed by Kyle and the three Privates, then me, I was wondering what the bloody Hell Nathan was up to. He should be here for his part in the line-up, not having coffee and custard creams with Noah. I need to get to the bottom of that. It’s weird.

Once on stage, Jackson and the Commandant took up position over by the podium and Kyle stood out of sight in the wings where the tray of badges and a sword had been placed. I was directed to go and stand next to Kyle, but actually on the stage and in view of the audience. Just as the three Privates were lining up, the curtains by the side of the stage flapped and Nathan slipped out from behind them and tagged on to the end of the line. That was cutting it bloody close!

Jackson indicated to the Commandant that everything was ready and the Commandant placed his speech paper on the podium as if he had just finished addressing the audience, then nodded to me. Kyle, unseen from the auditorium, passed me the tray of badges and I followed the Commandant across to the awards line up. He paused in front of each cadet, said a few words of congratulations, shook hands and then I handed him the correct rank badge for him to hand over in turn to the cadet. As he took the last badge from me, I turned about, marched back to the edge of the stage, handed the tray to Kyle and took the sword he was holding. I then stood, at ease, waiting for the Commandant to finish his presentation to Nathan and return to the podium. At that point, Nathan and the three Privates filed off the other side of the stage and Jackson walked over to wait out of sight on the far side of the stage whilst the Commandant pretended to address the audience again, this time to announce the identity of the new College Captain.

Once the Commandant had announced his name, Jackson marched smartly into view and to the centre of the stage, timing it so that he got there and came to attention just before the Commandant, followed by me. A quick exchange of salutes between them, a few words and a handshake, then I pass the sword to the Commandant and retire back to my side of the stage again and stand to attention. The Commandant hands the sword over, pauses for some photographs, then returns to the podium by my side whilst Jackson steps up to a second podium which has magically appeared on the opposite side of the stage and makes a short speech to the College. Somebody in the audience cues clapping and then we’re done. Everybody can leave the auditorium, go and watch the sports and take the tours of the school that are being laid on.

We ran through it twice in the thirty minutes that were available and the Commandant told Jackson that he was happy with all the arrangements. It was going to be simple and the whole thing, including speeches, which of course we didn’t actually bother reciting today, would be done in forty-five minutes. Yes, short and simple is good. Even I can’t screw this up.

Jackson dismissed “all except officers” and we left the Commandant with him and Kyle to go over a few last details that we weren’t needed for. The only difference tomorrow will be that we won’t be using a standard sword for the presentation, Jackson will be presented with a gleaming “Sword of Honour” that he’ll be allowed to keep and which will go with him, first to West Point and then for the rest of his career in the army. It’s a big deal. I’d best not bloody well drop it when I hand it over to the Commandant. It’s a bit tough on Kyle though. I wonder what he’ll be thinking when he’s standing there, just out of sight, passing the sword over, knowing that he came so close to getting it himself? He’s wanting to go to West Point too.

* * *

From the rehearsal, Nathan and I went straight over to dinner. On the way, I tackled him about what was going on between him and Noah. Not directly, obviously, I tried to be a bit subtle about it.

“That was a pretty close shave, Nat, you only just made the line up in time.”

Nathan smiled. “Yes, but I made it. Anyway, Kyle had my back. If I’d been late it would have been okay.”

Okay? What does he mean, ‘okay’? You don’t turn up late for a Commandant’s Parade. Not even the rehearsal. Not even in America!  It’s just plain wrong. Kyle might, just might, and that’s not actually very likely, have turned a blind eye, but Jackson would have had him. Chewed him up and not even bothered to spit the pips out. It’s not even as if Jackson would have had any discretion in the matter either. The Commandant would have noticed that Nathan was late. He wouldn’t have said anything directly of course. It’s beneath his station. He would have expected Jackson to deal with it. And Jackson doesn’t get to be College Captain tomorrow without knowing what needed to be done. Nathan would not have been on the end of the line tomorrow morning holding his hand out for a badge. He’d be lucky to have kept the one he has.

Nathan’s Spidey senses were at work again. I hadn’t said anything. I was trying my best not to glare at him.

“Seriously, Boots, it would have been okay. Noah comes first.” We’d arrived at the ante-room to the dining room and instead of going in for dinner, which was just starting, Nathan guided me towards a couple of chairs in a quiet corner of the room and sat down.

“Look, Boots,” he said quietly, “you’ll have noticed Noah is a little different, you’re not blind. I’m not going into any details about it, and you won’t ask either, but he needs to be treated a little differently to most of the other guys here. That’s why he’s in our dorm. He thrives on routine and order, gains confidence from accomplishing clearly defined tasks, and a military style education can give him that. But he can struggle with change and disturbances to his routine, and there are going to have to be some changes in the way the dorm is run later this semester after I’m promoted. You seem to be developing a knack of settling him down, making him open up a little, whether you realise it or not. When he’s in a receptive frame of mind, that’s the time to explain things to him, to get his buy-in to change. I know it’s not the army way to consult and look for consensus, but remember, this is a school first and foremost. Allowances can be made. Got that?”

“Yes, Nat. Got that.”

I hadn’t actually got that, I was still thinking it through as we went in for dinner, working out what Nat actually meant. There was more to what he’d said than just that about Noah. I think I understood that bit. It was what else he had alluded to that I needed to think more about. The changes. The “our dorm’ bit too. Like as if we were different from the others.

* * *

After dinner I decided to grab a coffee and have a chat with some of the guys from my physics class in the ante-room. It wasn’t that I particularly wanted to talk to them about physics, nobody does after class is over, just to have some time to think and as they were sophomores they might have a bit of useful knowledge for me about some things around the school. About ‘our dorm’ as Nathan had called it. It sounds ordinary enough, but it was the way he’d said it that niggled me. 

I’d only just poured myself a cup of coffee, pulled up a chair and sat down with the group when one of them attracted my attention. “Boots, Lieutenant Davis is beckoning you over to him. He’s over there by the window with some of the boxers.”

“It’s okay,“ I smiled, emphasising the Christian name, “Jackson’s just a pussycat, I’ve got him eating out of my hand now.” I picked up my coffee and wandered over to the alcove where Jackson was holding court. He’d changed out of uniform and was just dressed in smarts, though smarter, and probably more expensive, tailored smarts than anyone else.

“Nice of you to join us, Boots,” he said as I sat down with them. I hadn’t rushed over. We’ve established I’m not his pup. And I’m not actually on Orderly Duty despite still being in uniform. I can make a point too.

“We’re just discussing the exhibition bout tomorrow,” Jackson continued. “Connor’s got the schedule here from Coach. There’s going to be a bout between the lightweights,” he nodded towards two guys that were clearly lightweights, “just two rounds of sparring to liven up the audience, then the exhibition itself. That’s us.” He looked at Jayden, Connor and me. We were clearly the ‘us’.

Connor and Jayden are both light heavyweights, like Jackson. Not as good as Jackson, but still pretty formidable. If Jackson wasn’t around, Jayden would probably be getting almost the same kind of attention. It’s odd how often two good guys come along at once, in sport or elsewhere, who’d both ordinarily be way above everyone else, but because one of them is that little bit better the second goes almost unnoticed.

“Connor will have the first two rounds against me. That will be my warm up. Next, Jayden, you have two rounds against me. Both of you will warm up against each other first, just sparring, round the back whilst the lightweights are on doing their show. Finally, you come and do two rounds against me, Boots. Warm up out of sight too beforehand, when you get into the ring, I want you keen and fast right from the off. Got that?”

“Got that, Jackson.”

Jackson continued. “Guys, there will be a lot of people watching, making notes. Coach has got people coming in from the New England States Schools’ Federation. It’s in everybody’s interest to look good. You won’t be doing me any favours if it looks like you are giving me an easy ride. It won’t look good for you either. Tomorrow is just an exhibition match, not a challenge fight, but word needs to be out there that we are all contenders, not also-rans, for the titles we’re looking to take this year. We’re not going to be battering each other senseless, but we do need to be on top form and look impressive. Boots, I need you in particular to be at your best even though you’re fighting several grades above your weight. Don’t look outclassed. Besides, afterwards you get to go for a nice relaxing swim with the girlies.”

Even I joined in the laughing at that. Clearly everybody knows that the swimmers and polo team shave their legs. I get the plan too. Coach is smart. He wants people to see how good Jackson is, that he can soak up four rounds of slugging with guys his own class, yet still have the speed and stamina to go toe to toe with somebody lighter and faster, who’ll make him really work hard during those last two crucial rounds of any title fight. That will worry potential opponents. Coach knows his fight psychology. Jackson does too. I hadn’t missed that bit he’d said about all of us being contenders. If I do well, Coach will have to put me forward for the New England championships.

* * *

As we broke up and started to head off to chat with friends or back to the dorms, Kyle and Nathan wandered by and, seeing me, Kyle split off and came over. I put my coffee down and asked Kyle if he wanted me to grab him one too.

“Yes, Boots, that’d be good. I’ll wait here.” He sat down and I went to get him a coffee, then sat down opposite him. My coffee’s going to be cold at this rate, interruptions every minute. Maybe it’s not just Noah who gets hacked off at disturbances. I wasn’t sure if I should ask about Noah or not, Nathan had said not to pry, but clearly Kyle and Nathan had been chatting and presumably Kyle was now going to talk to me too.

“You all set for tomorrow, Boots?” asked Kyle as he took a sip of coffee. “It’s going to be a busy day for you.”

“All good here, Kyle.” My coffee was just lukewarm. Definitely big gulps time, not delicate sips. Down it and maybe go for a fresh one. Kyle was trying hard not to laugh. I think he realised my coffee was about cold.

“I’ve got a decision for you about Shane. I’ve made some calls, including one to your dad too, and if the offer still stands, Shane can go with you tomorrow. It’s your call. He doesn’t know yet.”

“Of course the offer still stands! There’s no way I want to leave Shane on his tod when everybody else has their family here.”

Kyle took another sip of his coffee and smiled. “Okay, that’s settled then. You should ask him tonight when you get back to the dorm. I’m sure he’ll say ‘yes’ but if he doesn’t, don’t worry, I’ll take the offer up instead. My parents can’t make it either.”

Kyle must have seen the look on my face when he said that. I suddenly was feeling guilty, I hadn’t realised his parents weren’t coming either. I had just assumed they would be.

”Kyle, I…” 

Kyle was laughing at me. “It’s okay Boots, I’m just winding you up. It’s true my parents can’t actually be here, they’re abroad, but it’s not a problem. I do have someone special coming tomorrow though, so I’m good. Now, drink up and let’s get back to the dorm, I need to check Nat hasn’t got everybody polishing the light bulbs.”

On the way back to the dorm I couldn’t stop chuckling to myself. I mean, it’s actually freekin’ plausible, Nat’s had us polish just about everything else in the dorm. Why should the light bulbs get by?

* * *

When we arrived back at the dorm everything seemed quite calm. Nathan and Will were there sat at Nathan’s desk and scrolling through some website on his laptop about in car entertainment systems but Shane, Travis and Noah were missing. The room was perfectly tidy, everyone’s uniforms were hanging neatly on the front of their wardrobes, polished shoes or boots beneath them. Sports or travel bags were packed and stowed tidily by beds. Nathan glanced up as Kyle looked at him quizzically.

“All sorted Kyle, everyone’s ready. I’ve given Shane and Travis permission to go and borrow a big screen and Noah’s off making popcorn. I’ve said they can watch one short film before bed. It is Friday night after all.”

Kyle nodded. If Nathan was satisfied that everything was ship-shape and Bristol then that was good enough for him. Nathan doesn’t slack.

“Oh, and your phone beeped a few minutes ago, sounded like your incoming text beep.”

Kyle strolled over and picked up his phone, scrolled through whatever menu popped up and then looked over at me. “Change of plan it seems, Boots. Jackson would like to see you right away. Up in Heaven. I’ll reply and tell him you’re on your way.”

Bloody Hell, what now? I was quite looking forward to a film. I think it’s my turn to choose. “Okay, Kyle, on my way.”

It only takes about a minute, maybe two, to walk up to the top floor, “Heaven”, where the officer cadets have their rooms and then along the corridor to the room Jackson and Cole share. I knocked and entered when called. Jackson was there alone and motioned me to sit on the big leather sofa in the centre of the room whilst he finished off an email he was just about to send. “Help yourself to a coffee while you wait Boots, I’ll only be a minute or two.”

By the time I’d got a coffee, and Jackson’s coffee machine really does make good coffee, Jackson had clicked “send” and spun round in his chair to face me.

“Good news for you, Boots. The Commandant was impressed by your turnout at rehearsals. So impressed, he’s made a change to your duties tomorrow. You’re to be his aide-de-camp all morning, right from breakfast all the way up to lunch, after which you’ll be stood down for the boxing and your water polo.”

I wasn’t quite sure what to say. I mean, first of all, it’s clearly good news. It’s quite an honour and it has to be good news if the Commandant is impressed. But I am meant to have my Review tomorrow morning when my dad arrives. It’s scheduled for just before the awards ceremony. If I’m trotting round two steps behind the Commandant to be his gopher, which is what an aide-de-camp really is, then I’m going to miss that, and that’s not good. I need to get my side of events in if there’s any issues to deal with.

“Boots?”

“Oh, yes, thank you. I was just thinking though. I’m scheduled for my Review tomorrow morning. I didn’t want to miss that.”

Jackson smiled. “All taken care of. The Commandant was aware of it. He’s rescheduled and will conduct the review himself at 09:15. Your father has agreed to the changed timing and will be here in plenty of time, after which a Duty Orderly will be assigned to look after him until you are stood down at lunchtime. He seemed quite impressed that you were being made ADC to the Commandant for tomorrow. Now about your uniform…”

“My uniform?”

Jackson reached across his desk and grabbed hold of a white cardboard box and took the lid off it. “Normally the ADC would be in ceremonial uniform, but you don’t wear one and it’s too late to get one properly sorted for you now. We do have some spares, and probably in your size, but they’d be off-the-peg and so not ideal. Your physique means a unfirm really could need some tailoring to show you off to best advantage and people will be looking at you closely tomorrow.”

Thank God for that. I don’t want to wear a grey jacket with all that braid on, or those white trousers. I’d just look plain stupid. And it wouldn’t have my RM Cadets shoulder flashes on it. I’m not going without those. Anyway, an ADC doesn’t need to be in ceremonials. The whole point is to blend in to the background and not draw attention away from the commander. It’s like when my dad was detached for three months’ duty as an Equerry to the Duke of Edinburgh at Balmoral. He didn’t wear a flashy uniform, just his blue service uniform with a simple gold braid aiguillette. He stood out enough that everyone could see instantly who and where he was, so he could handle whatever enquiries and tasks he had to do on behalf of the Duke, but didn’t draw attention away from the Duke. After all, it’s the Duke that’s important, not the Equerry.

Jackson was unwrapping tissue paper from a pair of large, gold braided, epaulettes. “Try these on with your uniform. They should just slide over the shoulder tabs and hold in place with the Velcro on the rear.”

I think Jackson must have been able to see from my face that I wasn’t impressed. They’re going to make me look like a pantomime character. I slipped them on and stood in front of the mirror on the back of Jackson’s door. Yes, just as I thought. It looks like the chef has splodged two big lumps of scrambled eggs on my shoulders. I raised an eyebrow.

“Jackson…”

“Yes, Boots?”

“Do you have an aiguillette instead?”

“A what?”

“An aiguillette.” Bloody Hell. Do I have to explain everything to the colonials?

“It’s like a lanyard, but thicker braid. Usually has real gold wire blended in with the fibres. Traditionally, it would have been iron wire used to attach plate armour to a doublet. Now it’s just ceremonial. One end attaches to the tabs on my right shoulder and the braid then loops down and links to one of my buttons, either on my breast pocket if I’m ADC to the Duke of Edinburgh, or to my second tunic button if I’m ADC to the Queen.”

Not, obviously, that I’ve ever been an Equerry, but my dad has. I know the form. An aiguillette is way more subtle than having a couple of those big gold floor mops on my shoulders. And it’s only on the right shoulder if I’m a Royal Equerry of course. The Commandant will have to make do with me wearing it from the left shoulder. He’s just a minor colonial.

Jackson thought for a moment, then had an idea. “I think I’ve seen something similar. The Bandmaster wears a big gold lanyard type thing that sounds like what you’re describing. Let’s go to the uniform stores and look.”

Jackson was right. We went down to the uniform stores and, at the back of the band section, found a drawer with several, thick, gold braid lanyards in it. By tying two of them together, in parallel, I could fashion something that looked close enough to an aiguillette to pass muster. Obviously most people that see it tomorrow won’t have a clue what it is, and wouldn’t even know if I wore it on the wrong shoulder, or looped to the wrong button. But my dad will, and that’s what matters. Plus, just wearing that on my standard blue uniform will look classy enough. No need to be too ostentatious. I’m not a chocolate box trooper. Tomorrow, people should be concentrating on the Commandant and Jackson, Cadet Captain Davis as he will be, not on me. I’m just the gopher.

* * *

By the time I got back to the dorm, it was nearly ten o’clock. The film was already underway with Shane, Noah, Travis and Will sat on two beds that had been moved together and Nathan and Kyle on either side of them in armchairs. The film was “The Revenant”, which is hardly short, but Nathan had agreed it anyway. I quickly ditched my uniform, hung it on my wardrobe door and dashed off to get a shower.

I was as quick as I could be in the shower, popped my pyjamas on, and then headed back to the dorm. I set up the ironing board next to my bed and gave my tunic and trousers a quick press, making sure the creases were perfect, then squashed onto the end of the bed between Will and Nathan in his armchair. It didn’t take long for Will to bring me up to speed on the plot, basically, “that guy got bit by a bear and won’t die until he’s got revenge on the other guy who left him to die,” and I was soon busy watching the film and scrabbling for the last bits of popcorn remaining in the bowl. I did notice that Kyle had spotted the gold aiguillette when I hung my tunic back up on my wardrobe door but he didn’t disturb the film to say anything.

Not long after, but actually about halfway through the film, Will paused it for a few minutes to allow Noah to go and make us some more popcorn. Everybody else has tried, but nobody has matched Noah’s popcorn making skills. He’s a real ace at it. He has a secret recipe, but good luck to anybody trying to get him to reveal it. Whilst we had a few minutes’ break I popped over to my bedspace and grabbed the red lanyard and duty wristlet from my pocket, then headed over to Shane.

“A present for you, Shane, from Jackson. He’s assigned you a duty tomorrow morning. You have to look after a visitor until tea.”

Shane took the lanyard and wristlet and put them on his bedside table. He didn’t seem too surprised, I think he’d been expecting to be appointed an Orderly for the day as he didn’t have anybody coming to see him.

“It’s a special visitor, Shane. You need to look after him really well. I have a paper with details on it. Where he needs to be and at what times. I’ll give it to you later.”

“Do you know who it is, Boots? What do I call him?”

“Well, I call him ‘dad’ but you probably won’t get away with that. Maybe try ‘Colonel Wright’ at first. Oh, and pack an overnight bag too. You’re invited to stay with us for the rest of the weekend at the Allegheny Heights Country Club. Assuming you want to, that is. You don’t have to.”

Shane’s face lit up, especially when he turned to Kyle and saw Kyle nod to confirm it was okay. “Thanks, Boots, I’d like that.”