ADC.04

4.Stirrings

'There is a spark within all men that will never be extinguished. We all cling on to the dying embers of childhood long after they are buried in ash. Sometimes the transition from child to adult is instantaneous. For Joel he had to watch helplessly as he saw his childhood slip away' - jp

One morning Joel woke, had toast and jam for breakfast and hurried out the door. A number of boys had already gathered and were playing football. What was a little surprising was the fact a girl was also playing. If that wasn't enough of a shock, she was faring well and getting stuck into tackles. Having a girl join in went against the boyhood code, but the girl's demeanour showed her to be an exception. It still rankled. Jamie broke off from the game and approached Joel.
"Who's that and why is she playing football?" Joel asked a little annoyed.
"That's Jodie and she wanted to play. The other kid is her brother Terry"
"You let her play?" Scott asked equally confused.
"She beat Jake up" Jamie said by way of an explanation and Joel looked at the girl with interest.

Jake had been teasing Jodie's brother who from a distance looked identical. Watching the siblings running around and kicking the ball, it would be an easy mistake thinking Terry was the girl and Jodie the boy.
"Thought we were going to the woods" Joel said still put out by the intrusion.
"We are"
"Is she going?" Joel asked and Jamie shrugged.

With all the boys in attendance they gathered round to discuss what to do and decided to go to the pump-house instead. It was a longer walk but it had been a long time since the last visit, and they could catch eels. If they were really lucky they could tickle a trout or two in Potter's Pond on the way back. As the group walked through the fields to the pump-house Jodie kept close to Joel. He was getting really annoyed this girl was invading his space. What was it with girls that made them so clingy with him. Jodie tried to engage Joel in conversation, even his moody one word replies didn't put her off.

Jamie could see Joel was getting more and more irritable and wasn't his usual self. Joel could be a bit of a joker, but when he was in a mood the group as a whole seemed to lack the spark that made everything fun.
"You should have seen Jodie fight Jake she was awesome" Jamie ventured.

It was exactly the right thing to say. Joel and Jake were arch enemies and whilst Joel always won their battles it was often close because Jake was no pushover. Only Jamie and Ashley of the others could beat Jake consistently. Joel looked at Jodie curiously. She was very similar in stature to Joel yet Jake was much thicker set and a little taller.
"How come?" Joel asked.
"I do judo" Jodie answered proudly.

Now Joel was interested. Both Jodie and Terry had been learning judo for almost three years, the tomboyish Jodie had long since left her brother behind in ability. She was the dominant twin by far but Terry served to keep Jodie in practice.
"I'm a green belt, Terry is orange"
"You're a green aren't you Joel?" Xander asked hearing the conversation.
"Not yet" Joel muttered and Ashley laughed.
"So Jodie can beat you up as well then" he hooted.
"Rubbish! I've only been doing it ten months not three years"
"Best of three?" Jodie suggested, eager to show Joel what she could do.
"You're a girl!" Joel snorted.

Jodie reacted immediately and pulled Joel across her body using a Tai-Otoshi throw. It caught Joel off guard but he reacted well and as he fell, he pulled Jodie down with him. He quickly had the girl in a headlock. She tapped his shoulder and he let her go.
"One to you" Jodie said facing Joel, a determined look on her face.
"I don't fight girls" Joel said and carried on walking.
"You're really good" Jodie said catching up.
"Thanks" Joel said and his tetchiness evaporated.

He had saved face and Jodie had bolstered his ego, looking at him with something akin to admiration. Suddenly Joel was happy to have Jodie walking next to him. He completely forgot she was a girl. Attraction to an eleven year old was so uncomplicated because it wasn't physical, at least not consciously. Jodie made Joel feel strange. He wanted to be near her but was scared of losing credibility with the boys. They might think he was a sissy if he hung around with Jodie too much. Jodie was probably Joel's first crush before he even knew what a crush was.

It would be wrong to think the boys from the village were little cherubs, precariously wobbling forward over the stepping stones of life. Far from it. Perhaps it was the freedom afforded them which made the boys wild, or the severity of punishments at home. Conversely those same factors may have been all that kept the boys in check. There was certainly something primeval about the boys. How many nine, ten, eleven year olds today could fend for themselves and live off the land. The games were soon to change as an insidious new enemy began to stalk the boys. Puberty.

It may still have been some way off to all appearances but the change in the boys, only noticeable in retrospect, had already begun. Joel liked Jodie but didn't know why. After all she was a girl. He wanted her around, mostly, but her presence was a restrictive influence on the boys. The old fashioned chauvinistic attitudes of the village dictated that the fairer sex was weaker and needed gentle treatment. Jodie went some way to discrediting the theory but even so, otherwise boisterous tackles at football and general rough and tumbling were minimal where Jodie was concerned. It was something Jodie hated and quite rightly so. She had earned her right to be with the boys, and could easily have bested many of them in typically male pursuits.

Joel began to visit Jodie at home, but without the other boys knowing of course. Jodie and Terry were as identical as different gender twins could be yet Joel almost ignored Terry on his visits, as much as Terry allowed him to. The twins had striking steel blue eyes with an almost hypnotic quality and Joel often found himself staring into them absent-mindedly. Jodie's parents were different to those of the other boys Joel knew. The father was a vicar who had married their Catholic mother, causing quite a stir among some parents of kids at the Catholic school. The mother made sure Jodie and Terry were baptized, just in case there is a God. Her appearance was how Joel imagined a hippie from a 60's cult would look, and she had similar attitudes.

Jodie and Terry both had to get ready for bed at six o clock, which at ten years old Joel thought was insanely early. He didn't even have to be home until 7:30pm, the time the twins actually had to go to bed. Joel always waited until the last minute to go home so he could watch Jodie changing. She didn't seem to notice Joel's curious stares and she made no attempt to hide herself. On the way home Joel would curse himself for being a freak. Why did Jodie interest him so much?  Joel wanted answers but who could provide them.

The more Joel found out the less he knew. Each answer would give rise to more questions. Joel's feelings towards his friends were mostly consistent, yet it was different with Scott and Jodie. Just being in their presence gave him a lift. Jodie tried to get Joel to sleep over at her house but he refused. The thought of going to bed at 7:30pm was a contributing factor for his refusal, but wasn't the main reason. He would have been ridiculed by his friends for sleeping over with a girl.

* * * * *

The boys were growing fast and the last snow of winter made way for the daffodils of spring as the boys lives careened from one phase to the next. They were soon to leave the comfort zone of the small village schools in which they were big fish in little ponds. The transformation to being little fish in a big pond was for many a shock to the system and quite traumatic. None more so than Joel, but he had no inkling of what lay in store for him right then. 

At least with the other boys they would have some familiar faces around them. The parents of the boys had started treating their little soldiers differently as well. Jodie's mother was an exception. She still molly-coddled the twins, perhaps it was why Terry was so babyish. It didn't explain why Jodie was so tough though. The summer crept up on them and it was to be the most memorable of Joel’s life, if only for being the last real summer of childhood. Many people reflect on what might have been and think of a point in their lives they would like to go back to, for Joel it was the summer of ’81. It is likely his friends would have picked the same time. 

It may have been the time the boys would have picked but not so their parents. The news on television was all doom and gloom. Unemployment had almost doubled over the last twelve months and rioting was happening everywhere. Even so, the village seemed impervious to the growing unrest all around. The village may have been locked in its own little time-warp but in many ways that was a good thing. It is ironic that political correctness which on the surface appears to be a good thing is in fact detrimental to the mindset of so many. It puts emphasis on differences instead of ignoring them. 

With his father away at sea and the summer holidays in full swing, Joel pestered his mother to have someone sleepover. In the end he wore her down and she said he could have someone stay at the weekend.
"Who do you want to come?" she asked.

When it came to a sleep-over Joel no longer cared if the other boys made fun of him for sleeping with a girl. She was nearly a boy in Joel's eyes. Besides he would soon be going to another school and soon wouldn't see his friends much at all.
"Can Jodie come and stay?" he asked.
"Who do you want to come and stay?" Joel's mother asked not sure she heard right.
"Jodie, a girl from school" the boy repeated and his mother was a little taken aback.
"You can't have a girl sleep over!" she said.
"Why not?" Joel asked wondering if his mother thought he was a sissy for wanting a girl to stay.
"Because she would have to share your bed" she said in a voice which suggested it was obvious.
"So?" Joel didn't understand.
"Soooo, girls don't like to sleep with boys, boys are smelly" Joel's mother said trying to avoid what she really thought.
"We can have a bath first" Joel suggested, further exasperating his mother who was adamant.
"The answer is no, now no one can stay for arguing" she said and the matter was closed.

Joel trudged off sulking, disappointed at the refusal. His mother’s reaction puzzled him.

There was little doubt the village boys were more in tune with nature than their 'townie' counterparts. It wasn't just having the countryside as their playground, they knew how to live off the land. Potatoes they dug by hand were put around the edges of the fire to cook, while pheasant, trout, or rabbits they caught were roasted on sticks. Their expertise didn't happen overnight and they made mistakes as they learned the ways of the wild. It didn't take them as long as would be imagined and not many adults could match the boys for their hunting or camping skills.

There was something about camping out away from civilization that made the boys feel alive and most important, independent. Unless a person has been in the wilderness and fended for himself it is incomprehensible the feeling such a simple pleasure affords. People are spoilt in today's modern world. Even camping has become more of a luxury with lamps, cooking stoves, air-beds, and various other accessories to make the experience more comfortable.

Okay the boys would be given sausages, tins of beans, and grandmother's rock cakes for sustenance, but in every other way it was back to basics. The woods were fine but camping on the beach was that little bit more special. Sea-food was so much easier to come by than pheasant or rabbits, and less painful than a pellet in the backside from Potter's air rifle. It was perfect, Mattie and Xander both had a four-man tent and Mattie knew of a place beyond the cliffs where the boys could camp in seclusion. He had camped there before with his father.

A couple of days later it was a rather subdued group who headed for the train station in silence. Alan had gone away with his parents to see relatives, but it was the loss of Nathan responsible for the grave mood. Nathan's downward spiral was gaining momentum and the knocks kept coming. His domineering step-father wouldn't allow the boy to camp out. The friends were angered watching Nathan pleading in tears to be allowed to go.
"You're not going" Nathan's step-father remonstrated then turned to the assembled boys "I know what you lot get up to, be off with yer!"

Joel gave the man a look of pure hatred. All the boys stood glaring at the man who seemed taken aback. They didn't approve of Nathan's treatment but could do nothing about it. The step-father ushered Nathan inside hurrying after him and slamming the door. The friends didn't move for a few seconds but gradually turned and walked away knowing protests would be futile and even detrimental to Nathan.

The long sandy beach on the outskirts of the seaside town attracted many visitors. A road ran the length of the beach before turning inland towards a golf course. The point where the road turned inland was generally as far as visitors to the beach went. Apart from cutting through the golf course and climbing over a couple of fences then walking over the top of the cliff, the only way to access where the boys were going was to trample across the rocks below when the tide was out. The group may have taken a train to the town, but still had to walk a good three or four miles to the chosen spot. It was worth the effort.

The new found wealth of some of the group did provide a few luxuries, but luxuries for the boys were geared up to play, not comfort. The boys bought inflatable beach balls, rings, beds, and the like. The friends were due to camp out for three nights. If there was a problem they were only the short train ride from home and most of the boys had money. That first day they were intent on making the most of the sea and having fun. Exploring could wait until they tired of playing in the surf. It was not something they tired of easily and the whole day was spent splashing about in the breaking waves.

The boys played with their inflatables on the main beach area where the tourists were. It was a little windy and they lost one inflatable bed, watching it cartwheel away over the sea. As the tide began to go out and the beach started to empty the boys made their way to the cliffs, still with a good walk ahead of them before reaching their campsite.

They had chosen not to gather sea-food the first day because there was plenty to cook with what was brought from home. When the tents were up and with the sun going down, the boys gathered driftwood and other combustible material to make a fire. They had enough for one night but knew they would have to go up behind the cliffs the next day to get more. Over a roaring fire they cooked sausages and beans, with rock cakes for dessert. It had been a long day and they chose not to go back into the water, it was still choppy and the wind was chilly in spite of it being summer. The clouds overhead looked threatening and the exhausted campers crawled inside their tents.

Even after the late night the boys were up at the crack of dawn and were rewarded with a beautiful day. The wind had dropped and the sea was calm. Joel, Ashley, Jamie, and Scott went to buy some breakfast from the shops in town as they had the most money. It was a long walk but worth the trip. The boys might be eating healthy when the tide went out, but biscuits, chocolate, and fizzy drinks, were on the menu this morning. The tide had come in and the boys had to take a detour up a trail that led to the cliff top, then through the golf course. Mattie, Xander, Jodie, and Terry went part of the way and set about gathering firewood for the evening. From the top of the cliffs the boys watched the fishing boats going out on the top of the tide. They would be back late in the afternoon and the boys would be there to meet them.
"Get me a whiting!" Ashley shouted at the top of his voice and the others laughed.

Whiting was the fish of choice. The fishermen wouldn't part with cod, and herring and mackerel were very boney, though they were good for cooking on a stick over the camp fire. It gave them a smokey taste the boys loved.
"Get me a crab!" Scott shouted cupping his hands around his mouth.
"Get me a lobster!" Joel shouted and the boys laughed again.

Of course the fishermen couldn't hear them but it was good fun anyway. The boys hurried on, the thought of sea food reminding them they were hungry. It was fortunate the shopping list was simple because it was deceptively early being summer, and the only shop they found open was a newsagent. The boys bought their rations and hurried back eager to divide the spoils. Each boy would have two bars of chocolate, half a packet of biscuits, and a fizzy drink. Ashley wanted his straight away but Jamie and Joel overruled him saying it wasn't fair on the others who were gathering firewood.

Sat on the sandy beach munching away, the friends imagined themselves as castaways, explorers, or pirates marooned on a desert island. The others had been fortunate enough to find a dead tree blown down during a storm and gathered plenty of wood. They resisted the urge to make a fire knowing they would need as much as possible to cook with, and for warmth when the sun went down.

Instead of going back to the main beach area which was a long unnecessary walk, the boys chose to play and swim where they were. Later they would gather cockles and mussels when the tide went out. Mussels were most prized. Cockles needed to be put in fresh water overnight to purge themselves and spit out the sand, otherwise they tasted gritty. With fresh water precious for cooking any crabs the boys scrounged, it couldn't be wasted on cockles.

Mussels could be eaten alive and straight from the shell but the boys preferred to cook them. They didn't move or anything, and didn't even taste any different, it was just the thought of eating something alive. On a previous occasion Mattie had told the boys about eating them raw and demonstrated. The others tried a raw one but decided to cook them from then on.

The day was perfect. Playing on their own secluded beach before chasing the tide out, picking up whatever treasures the sea cared to donate. It was precious little that was edible apart from the cockles and mussels. The mussels clung to a large rock formation that stuck up from the otherwise flat sea-bed. The boys only picked the biggest ones. As the tide ebbed the rocks thinned out and were replaced by a sandy bottom. It was there the boys found the cockles. They were barely covered by the sand and the boys raked them out with their fingers.

When the tide was on the rise again it was decided Scott, Ashley, Joel, and Jodie would greet the incoming fishing boats while the others went back to camp. They couldn't all go, the fishermen might get funny with so many kids hanging around. What if something happened and one got hurt. Fortunately the fishermen recognised the village boys from before and knew they were not tourist kids. Who knows, one or two might even become fishermen themselves. Scott and Ashley had been first choices because they were cheekiest, and consequently the best scroungers.

Joel earned his place with the legendary lobster but Jodie wasn't a popular choice. Jodie insisted on going and sparked a debate. It was starting to irk some of the boys. Jodie was only there because the boys had turned a blind eye to her gender, she had no right to make demands and had already disrupted the sleeping arrangements. Both Ashley and Jamie refused to share a tent with a girl, even if it was Jodie.
"It might be a good idea, they might give a girl more" Joel said trying to back Jodie up, but making it seem like good sense.

Jodie smiled and their eyes met. Joel found himself blushing and turned away before anyone noticed. 'What was that all about?' Joel chastised himself mentally. He couldn't understand why a single smile from Jodie made him go stupid. The boys finally agreed after Jamie said he was tired from going to town earlier. Jodie turned out to be a good choice. It seemed to sway the fishermen seeing a new face. The boys were well known to them by now. Perhaps it was because they hadn't seen the boys for a while, but the fishermen were easier to convince than usual, or maybe they were in high spirits after a good catch.
"Not seen owt of you lot lately" one of the men said as he picked out a crab for each of them.
"We're camping on the beach past the cliffs mister" Scott said taking his crab, barely able to stretch his fingers across its shell where it couldn't nip him.
"How long for?" a second fisherman asked.
"Three days" Ashley said proudly.
"Well you've got a crab each for supper then and if you come back tomorrow and go to my brother's boat, he'll have herring" the man said and the boys smiled.
"It's not one each" Jodie said sweetly with a hint of disappointment on her face and the fishermen look puzzled.
"How come?" the older man asked.
"Our four friends are back at camp" she explained.

The fisherman looked hard at Jodie but she met his gaze looking sweeter than candy. The man laughed and turned to get the kids another crab each for their friends. They were the smallest crabs of the catch but to the kids they were huge.
"Thanks mister!" they chorused and the way their faces lit up was enough reward for the fisherman.

The campers turned to go, a crab in each hand, legs still moving and claws trying to reach the fingers of their captors. Joel was open-jawed when he watched how easily Jodie used her 'sweetness' to win over the man. The boys would try begging the men into submission but Jodie just smiled sweetly. Was it instinctual in girls? It was the first time he saw the power they commanded but it wouldn't be the last.
"And boys......." the fisherman added seriously "....if I see you climbing on them cliffs again you'll get nowt..... from anyone!"

The boys looked to the ground shame-facedly. They knew how dangerous it was and what their parents would say.
"Yes mister" they chorused and the fisherman laughed again.
"Away wi' yer"

The kids walked past the people on the beach, everyone staring at their acquisitions. The younger kids looked at them almost in wonder when they saw the crabs were still alive.
"Look mummy, look" they'd say excitedly and point.

It made the campers feel special.

Back at the campsite their greeting was just as warm, nobody expected a crab each. It justified Jodie going and her long haul to acceptance by some of the boys was finally over. A fire was smouldering away waiting to be stoked up on their return. Jamie volunteered to cook the crabs and mussels while the others played in the sea, he really didn't like swimming much but the sea was the worst. The crabs and mussels would be cooked and stored in the tents to be eaten cold later. When the water they were boiled in cooled off, the cockles could be put in overnight to purge themselves. Fresh water was precious and none was wasted.

The boys lost another inflatable. They were cheap and poorly made. The thin material was never going to last long with the robust boys. Ashley had brought a football but they played football all the time at home and the boys wanted to be in the water. Later on they feasted on crab and mussels as they sat around the fire, poking it with sticks to watch the sparks rising into the night. Their bellies were full and all were contented.

Watching the sun going down and knowing they didn't have to go home felt liberating. At eleven years old the taste of independence and freedom was exhilarating. Being cut off from civilization was scary and exciting all in one go, but there was no doubt each and every one of them loved being there. Long into the night the boys chattered away. The day's events were discussed and retold flamboyantly. Even the simple task of collecting wood had importance and interest.

As it was getting dark the group looked up identifying the stars. Some knew more than others but without exception they all knew the North star.
"Look at that" Jodie said pointing at the sea.

The small white waves that broke on the shore were glowing a luminous blue / green in the moonlight. The boys stared in wonder. It ran the full length of the shoreline. Ashley and Scott went to the water's edge and the others watched. Ashley paddled in amongst the strange phenomenon, the others looked on thinking he was insane. They didn't know what caused the sea to glow and the first thing they thought of was jellyfish. Ashley waded in deeper and when he started washing the substance over his arms making them glow, Scott followed. They looked like something unearthly, but having come to no harm the others joined them in the water, rolling around and glowing like nuclear waste. It was surreal and something the boys talked about for years to come.

Jamie kept the fire going choosing not to join his friends. Joel looked back at him feeling a kind of pity. Jamie was reserved and frequently sat out on activities the others rushed headlong into. The boy wouldn't talk about his concerns, if he had any. Even Joel and Ashley had trouble getting him to open up, but they too were tight-lipped about the beatings at home and it is possible similar may have explained why Jamie was the way he was. Jamie was arguably the toughest of the boys and had to keep up this front, a barrier hiding his true feelings.

His friends came back to the fire shivering. They warmed up and talked about the strange event they had just witnessed and been a part of. As the night drew on, the fire died down. The boys were still damp, making even the gentle breeze feel chilly and they adjourned to their tents. They dried off properly inside, moonlight illuminating the tent through the thin material. Mattie fished out a dry pair of underpants to sleep in, but hesitated before slipping his swimming trunks off.
"You'll get a salt rash if you don't change" he advised.

The others changed and even though they were only silhouettes, Joel suddenly understood Jamie and Ashley's reluctance to share with Jodie. He felt self-conscious about being naked in front of a girl even though she couldn't possible see anything. Sometimes it was hard to think of Jodie as a boy and none was more conscious of this than Joel right now. He thought about Jodie and the smile that made him blush, still unable to make any sense of it all.

The quartet settled down, looking up at the roof of the tent. Joel drifted into a deep peaceful sleep, the like of which he would never experience again. The perfect day had ended with the perfect night.
"MORNING!!!" Mattie shouted at the top of his voice in what seemed like only seconds later.

His three friends stirred and Joel reluctantly opening his eyes. He silently cursed Mattie as Jodie and Scott rolled away from him, leaving a slight chill as their body heat was withdrawn. Although it felt like he was asleep only seconds the daylight outside told a different story.
"I was having an awesome dream but I can't remember it now" Joel said rubbing his eyes.
"How do you know it was awesome then?" Scott countered.
"I don't know... I just know" Mattie and Scott laughed at him.
"I do that all the time" Jodie said and Joel felt himself blushing again.

Luckily the others were getting dressed and didn't notice. Mattie's shout had woken the other tent as well.
"You snore like a pig!" Xander was heard saying to Ashley.
"Your feet smell" Ashley snorted.
"How could they, I was swimming all day"

A loud, not unfamiliar sound was heard and the boys looked for the origin. It was Jamie who couldn't help the lop-sided grin on his face. There was a brief pause as the noxious gas wafted to the nostrils of the others then a mass, and rather swift exodus was made from the tent. Ashley, Xander, and Terry dived from the tent holding their throats in exaggerated choking simulations.
"YOU STINK!!" Ashley shouted back at Jamie who could be heard chuckling inside the tent.
"It's all that crab" he offered in mitigation.

The others poked their heads out of their tent to see what all the commotion was about. It was easy to read the situation even without the stream of abuse Ashley and Xander hurled at Jamie. Not having had to put up with the smell themselves the others joined in with Jamie's laughter. Joel and Mattie built a fire whilst Ashley, Jamie, Scott, and Xander took the empty plastic bottles to fill with water. They used an outside tap at the golf club. Jodie and Terry set about tidying up the tents.
"Can't we get any eggs?" Mattie asked Joel.

Joel told him what the fisherman had said. The boys were faced with just cockles for breakfast and possibly just a herring for dinner.
"There's no fruit or veggies around here" Mattie moaned.
"We've still got loads of money left" Joel said.

The boys had healthy appetites and with all the stuff from home gone a crab or herring wasn't enough to feed them, even with mussels and cockles in between.
"Why don't you and Terry go into town and get some sausages?" Mattie suggested.

Involuntarily Joel's eyes went to Jodie who seemed to have the same thought.
"I'll go, I can carry more than Terry" Jodie put in quickly and Mattie looked up from poking the fire.
"Okay then, but don't be all day, and get some beans as well"

The pair hurried off before there was a change of mind. They chatted about what to buy and settled on sausages, beans, and potatoes. It would make a change for Joel to buy potatoes. The journey seemed brief as they were so wrapped up in conversation, mostly about what had happened so far. Jodie looked at Joel.
"Do you mind if I hold your hand?" she asked coyly.
"Course not" Joel said looking over his shoulder to make sure nobody could see, and also to hide from Jodie the fact he felt the heat in his cheeks again.

They walked hand in hand until they were close to civilization again, then Joel let go of Jodie's hand. That would be too embarrassing, being seen holding a girl's hand. Jodie turned to face him.
"Close your eyes" she said softly.
"What?" Joel said with a puzzled frown.

Jodie just looked into his eyes and he closed them obediently. The girl stepped forward and kissed Joel full on the lips. It was odd because Joel didn't like kissing. He was only ever kissed by his grandmother and aunts, and he had tried to avoid that for at least three years now. It was the same sort of kiss but it felt different. The kiss was brief and Jodie stepped back.
"You look like a tomato" she laughed.

Joel's face was now so red he thought he would burst a blood-vessel. They laughed and hurried off into the town.

Jodie and Joel had their first 'domestic' on the way back. Joel insisted on carrying both bags as he had watched his father do with his mother many times. It was the man's duty. Feminists would regard the boy as a budding male chauvinist pig and possibly with justification. Joel had observed the unwritten code since his eyes first opened. Men and women were different, each had their own skills. One of the 'man' things was fetching and carrying. It made sense, men were stronger.
"I only came to help because Terry is such a wuss" Jodie snorted.
"Two bags keep me balanced" Joel lied, the potatoes were okay for half a mile but were now getting heavy.
"The others will think I'm useless"
"You can have one bag when we get closer to camp and say you carried it all the way" Joel compromised.

Joel would like to have handed them both over right then but his stubborn pride wouldn't allow it. Jodie looked at him. Joel could feel her gaze but kept looking straight ahead. Was his face going red again? He didn't blush often but had blushed more times in two days than he had in five years.
"It wasn't the only reason I came" Jodie said softly.

He was definitely blushing now. Joel jabbered away, talking nervously about utter nonsense just to give himself time to think. He had never spoken to girls before, they made him feel uncomfortable. Until the kiss Joel hadn't felt awkward with Jodie because he treated her like a boy. Now he was feeling a different kind of uncomfortable. A nice uncomfortable. Joel put the bags down. When they rounded the corner they would be in sight of the camp.
"You can have one now" Joel said a little relieved.
"Thank you" Jodie said and wrapped her arms around the boy in gratitude.

The pair hugged and Joel had his head over Jodie's shoulder. She had a nice smell, it was different to boy smell, much nicer. 'The twins liked hugging people, maybe it was something to do with their hippie mum' Joel thought. Nobody else ever hugged him, not even his parents. It felt good. Jodie hugged tighter and as if coming out of a trance Joel jumped back quickly, his thoughts having blanked out the reality of the situation. He felt strange, he hoped Jodie hadn't noticed. Joel took up the heaviest bag.
"We better get back, we've been gone ages" he said trying to cover his embarrassment.

Jodie behaved like a boy and did what boys do, but it was becoming increasingly clear to Joel she wasn't a boy. A thought that worried and excited him. It didn't make sense, if he was becoming more aware Jodie is a girl then surely he should like her less, not more. Something just didn't add up for the confused eleven year old. It always seemed to happen that way for Joel, whenever he began to understand something a whole host of other questions would arise.

Back at the camp the boys ate heartily while they told of the previous days heroics for the umpteenth time.

The friends played beach football for a while. As the sun rose higher in the sky and the day warmed up, the boys blew up the inflatables to make the most of the appealing looking foam once again. It was quite incredible how simple pleasures occupied active minds, away from the corruptive influences of televisions and games consoles. So carried away were they, time flew past.

Around the camp fire's dying embers plans were made for the next day but they hadn't counted on the weather taking a turn for the worse. Jamie's mood back at the tents reflected the clouds that had slowly been gathering. The white fluffy clouds joined together and began to look threatening as the blue of the sky was replaced by an ominous grey.
"Well we've missed the fishing boats" Jamie pointed out grouchily.
"We forgot the time" Ashley shrugged.
"We've got some potatoes left" Joel said and the others nodded, potatoes would be fine.
"We've got no wood left for the fire"

Jamie had kept the fire going while they were swimming and needlessly used up all the wood. It was his fault and now he was complaining, but nobody said that to him. It was too late to gather more and the first spots of rain began to fall. The kids had an uncomfortable night as wind and rain lashed at the tents which dripped inside uncomfortably. Hardly any sleep was had and tempers frayed a little. It reminded the kids that camping for a short time might be fun, but exposure to the elements did have drawbacks. At least in the woods they were mostly sheltered by the trees. It was a relief when morning came and the kids headed off to the station. Never was a warm bed as appealing as right then.

The end of the holidays saw Joel foolishly glad he was going to boarding school, excited at the prospect of meeting new friends and having new experiences. Joel had no way of knowing what lay in store. Perhaps the worst way to ruin a person's life is when you are doing what you think is best. There was no doubt Joel's parents believed boarding school was the best thing for the boy. Joel had been happy at primary school with friends in abundance. Now Forester Grammar beckoned and happiness was soon to become a distant memory.