The Secret Catamite Bk 1, The Book of Daniel (30 page)

"Go away, son," said the
signalman. "You shouldn’t be here."

"There's going to be an
accident," said Simon. Something about his determined tenor and
confident steadfastness struck a chord with the signalman.

"Come in, and tell me what it's
about."

Simon went in and, heart in his
mouth, told the signalman what had happened.

"Christ Almighty!" said the
signalman. "The express!" He leapt across to the long row of levers
and threw several of them, some points, some signals. Then he was
on the phone, winding the handle and talking to someone. Bells were
clanging in the signal box, and the signalman made some more ring.
It was all pretty meaningless to Simon but the storm of frantic
activity from the previous calm made him feel that he had done the
right thing, whatever the consequences. At least there would be no
train crash.

"You're a lucky lad," said the
signalman after the storm subsided. "A few more minutes and there
could have been a disaster. Now show me."

They walked quickly back along
the yard to where the bogie wagon was stuck.

"Bloody kids! What the hell did
you think you were playing at? This isn't a bloody playground."

Simon said nothing. What could
he say?

"Come on, back to the box.
You're staying with me."

Simon followed him back to the
signal box. As they did a police car came into the yard, and his
heart sank.

Of course the police came to the
house too and the four boys got a beating from their father. Simon
was terrified that he would too, but instead, all he got was a
severe telling off. Looking back, perhaps there was a little
parental pride that Simon had gone to the signal box and had
averted a possible tragedy.

1. 1960/3 New
   decade
   

The first Spring of a new decade
went well for Simon. He was doing well in the top stream at Hooray
Henrys, but never matching Daniel's record, who was never lower
than third and very often top in his class. It was, as ever, his
Maths that held him back.

Then there was King Henry's
attempt at sex education. Daniel had warned Simon about this,
saying it was pretty useless, and saying that perhaps he and Simon
should run the class. To Simon's shocked look, he added hastily he
was only joking.

The sessions were taken by the
Divinity teacher, nicknamed 'God's Partner' probably from his
surname Pardiner, and seemed centred round establishing marriage as
the one and only situation where sex could legitimately take place.
Mr Pardiner stumbled along until one day when he was talking
incomprehensibly to the class of boys about God's purpose for seed,
abuse of the body and the sin of wastage. The class of boys looked
at each other, puzzled, the unspoken question, "What's he on
about?"

Then Thomas English from the
back of the class saw the light.

"Oh, sir. You mean wanking!" he
blurted out before he could stop himself. Laughter and uproar
ensued, bringing the lesson, and the only formal sex education
Simon was ever to receive, to an abrupt end. Mr Pardiner stuck to
Divinity after that. Thomas English became a hero for a while, and
when he was told about it Daniel thought it was hilarious. He said
it just showed how little they really understood their teenage
pupils.

Simon's self esteem was boosted
by the regard his own scout patrol seemed to have for him. He would
spent summer weekends and holidays off on day hikes with them in
the Midlands shire countryside, cooking over an open fire. Simon
had developed a method of cooking the sausages by setting fire to
the fat in the billy can! They cooked quickly and evenly! They made
'dampers' and 'twisters', flour and water baked in front of the
campfire, and simply had fun. The other scouts were always wanting
to go again. Arthur now regarded Simon as a firm friend, he had
completed his tenderfoot and was working hard for the second class
badge. And he had done the first aid badge! Sometimes, but not
always, Daniel would also come along on these hikes. Daniel did not
want to upstage Simon, such as one day when Simon asked Daniel to
come on a Harriers Patrol hike.

"I'm going to see my Grandma,"
said Daniel. "And anyway, I shouldn't come really. I'm not
Harriers' PL anymore."

"But you're Troop Leader."

"Which means I can't favour one
patrol, even my old one. And they have to see you as Patrol Leader,
capable of commanding them without me there."

"They do, I'm sure of it. They
think I'm good for persuading you to come along. But you know I've
taken them out lots of times without you."

"And that's good, but me being
there should be the exception."

"When they call round, whose
house do they come to now? They don't call at yours anymore, they
come to mine."

"Which proves what I said. They
look to you now, and I don't want to spoil that for you. It's your
hike, and if I'm there, there just might be doubt in their minds
about who is in charge. I do outrank you, remember," he ended,
smiling at Simon to draw any sting from that last part. Not that it
was needed, their mutual trust and closeness ensured it was simply
a statement of fact to help the argument.

"Don't you like coming along,
then?" persisted Simon.

"Of course I do. I love it, but
yours are the only ones I've been on, and if I keep coming on
Harriers' hikes, I'll have to go with other patrols as well, and
there's not the time."

"Other patrols don't do their
own hikes at weekends," said Simon.

"Maybe not. Well, Eagles did
last year but they got washed out. But suppose they did? You'll
find out what it's like when you're Troop Leader."

"Me?"

"Of course. You'll be Troop
Leader after me. And then you'll have to take all the patrols on
hikes," laughed Daniel.

"OK, I give in," said Simon, and
then grabbed Daniel and wrestled him to the ground, the fun fight
resolving any tension from their discussion. Daniel won of course,
as usual. Simon liked it that Daniel played it straight and never
let him win on purpose. He knew that Daniel recognised that it
would be demeaning for Simon to be allowed a victory and it would
render meaningless those times when Simon did actually manage to
better Daniel.

A wet weekday summer afternoon,
and the boys retired to Daniel's bedroom to quench their needs
together. Daniel tenderly running his hands across Simon's willing
body, kissing and stimulating, gently entering. Simon welcoming
Daniel, his arousal rising rapidly with Daniel's action. Simon was
then unaware of the erogenous nature of the prostate but was highly
responsive to its effects as together they reached climax, holding
close, the fire sweeping through their young bodies, uniting them
in unspoken love.

Their lovemaking completed, they
lay as one on the bed talking. The conversation covered scouts,
school and
Francis
Chichester
's solo Atlantic crossing among other things.

Then Simon asked, "Do you ever
think about girls?"

"Yes, sometimes, do you?"

"Sometimes, yes."

"Any girl in particular?" asked
Daniel, curious about what had prompted this at this moment as they
cuddled naked on the bed.

"No, it's just a sort of general
feeling. What about you?"

"Same really. Well, there is one
girl, Janice, at the swimming club. She's nice and I talk to her
sometimes."

"Is she good looking?"

"I suppose so. She's got short
brown hair and brown eyes, and she's really fit. One thing about
swimming is you can get a better idea of a girl's figure."

Simon grinned. "So you fancy
her, then?"

"Sort of," said Daniel, uneasy
about being put on the spot. "But I've got my GCEs to think about
this next year and I'm going to get all A grades, so I can't afford
to start thinking more about that. And anyway, I've got you."

That raised a spectre in Simon's
mind. "But after that? I mean if you start going out with her later
on, what about us?"

Simon's apprehensive tone
registered with Daniel. "Simon, nothing could affect us, I promise.
You're such an idiot."

"You always say that. Do you
really think I'm an idiot?"

Daniel looked shocked. "No,
absolutely not. If you really were an idiot, I would never hurt you
by saying it. I mean, look at some of the scouts. Not all the
brightest penny in the shilling, but they are all scouts, they try
their best. I try to help them, not show them up."

"Yes, you're good at that. No
wonder they all think you're fantastic. I do too. So you like being
my friend?"

"Of course I do, Simon, more
than anything. Remember something else, too. I know the patrol
think you're fantastic. You're a better PL than I was, you do loads
more for them. I'm proud to be your friend. You're my best
friend."

"I sometimes think I'm not as
good as you."

"Why d'you say that? Course you
are. They think you are. Remember, you are what other kids say you
are. You're fun to be with, you make me laugh more than anyone I
know, you're clever – "

"Not as clever as you."

"Oh stop it. I bet you are, just
a couple of years younger, that's all. I wish I had your way with
words, you're brilliant there. I once told you that you gave me my
strength, remember? That's still true. You're so good for me. And
you would never let me down, I know that. It's really good having a
friend like you, that I know would stand by me whatever."

"Well, you would me, I know
that, too."

"That's coz we're friends.
And we know each other so well, in
every
way," Daniel smiled, taking intimate hold
of Simon to make the point. "I know I can talk to you about
anything, anything at all," he continued. "You know me better than
anyone else, even Dad and Mum. I love that about you."

"I love that about you, too.
It's not just sex," said Simon.

"Of course not. Although that's
really good too. Having a friend I can trust enough to have sex
with and be completely relaxed with is just super. I love it that
you know me in every possible way. Don't you?"

"Yes, you're right," said Simon.
"I feel just like that too."

"So don't ask if I like being
your friend again. Idiot!" he laughed, punching Simon playfully.
Simon punched back and their fun fight on the bed released the
tension and emotion of their talk, reawakening their arousal.

The summer passed with the
friends spending much time together. Daniel did accompany Harriers
Patrol on one hike, but Simon led the remainder himself. They were
apart as always for the middle two weeks of August, with the Scott
family making the annual trip to Salcombe. Simon renewed his
friendship with Jack Griffin and his role as ferryman for the group
of families using the inboard motor boat
Invention
. Once more, away from the pressures
and possibly temptations at home, Simon's parents did not argue and
one could perhaps see why they had got married in 1940. Frances was
involved with sailing and spent time with her friends who again
were racing the National 12 foot. Simon was happy, his role
with
Invention
providing him
with a pivotal role in the group's affairs. He and Jack spent time
together, but Simon sometimes missed Daniel, perhaps this year more
than before. Jack was a great pal, but just that; there was not the
closeness there was with Daniel. But this did not spoil Simon's
happiness, and he knew that he would see Daniel again
soon.

As always, once back in the
tempest that often was his home life, Simon made the countdown
calendar to mark off the three hundred and fifty days until the
next holiday to Salcombe. And he and Daniel would pick up where
they left off, talking about their holidays.

In the new term it was Simon's
turn to be a hero. He had been selected to represent the school's
athletics club in the 100 yards at the Midland Counties meeting in
September. This really marked the climax of the season. Daniel had
Simon running and working out in their homemade fitness room, in
other words Daniel's room, as well as working on the all important
start. The benefits from this training were already evident in his
selection, but Simon was determined to make the most of this
opportunity and he was strengthened by Daniel's unwavering
support.

"Thanks for helping me, Daniel,"
said Simon, as he sat on the floor after doing press ups.

"You support me at swimming,"
countered Daniel.

"But you come running with me,
and I don't go swimming with you."

Daniel smiled. "I seem to
remember we tried that once before. I think you're better on dry
land."

Simon grinned ruefully back,
remembering that day at the lido. "OK. But I must do my best ever
time for this. All the top kids will be there. And some of them
will be almost a year older than me. I hate being young in my
year."

"You're as good as any of them,"
said Daniel, encouragingly.

"There's a kid my age group in
Sussex who's done a hundred yards in ten and a half seconds. Must
have very long legs."

"Well, let's hope he and his
long legs stay in Sussex then. Right! I want to see those stomach
muscles working. Sit ups!"

Simon obediently commenced sit
ups.

On the Saturday of the meeting,
they travelled in Mum's old little Ford she had bought to help her
travel for work. Mum was driving, but Simon chose to sit in the
back next to Daniel, rather than be separate. He felt nervous and
wanted the support that Daniel's proximity gave him. On arrival, he
had to find the others of his team and Mr Atherstone.

"Don't look for us, we'll be
watching, remember, concentrate!" urged Daniel.