5. Clipped Wings'From freebird to caged parrot is not an easy transition. Those who have - from the egg - never experienced freedom may be better equipped to cope with restriction. What happens to them when they are eventually set free? The concern here is the opposite however. If a horse is tethered or a dog leashed for the first time they will rebel; if an animal is cornered and teased it will become wild and likely to bite!' - jp
Only a third of the school population were boarders and it was unusual for a boy to live close to the school and be a boarder. Joel was one of the very few. His problem was his mother working long hours and his father often away at sea. At eleven years old, he wasn't considered mature enough to organise himself, get his own breakfast, and actually go to school. So with as much fuss and ado as Joel dare display to his strict father, he protested the decision. It made no difference. The decision was made and that was the end of it. Although an intelligent man, Joel's father didn't have an education. At fourteen years old he was working down the coal mine while most of the men were at war. Joel was going to have a good education come hell or high water!
As Joel walked through the school's main gates, having trudged with his suitcase from the bus stop, he had no idea what to expect. The lack of boys in a similar position made Joel wonder if he had the right time and day. He had been the only boy on the bus. It was only when he drew close to the main gates and saw the bustle of activity, Joel realised it was indeed the right time and day.
It didn't mean anything to him at the time but Rolls Royce and Bentley cars were depositing the offspring of the wealthy at the gates, chauffeur assisted. Seeing the plush cars Joel was thankful he hadn't been given a lift to school. His father had recently bought his first car which was a beat up old Ford Anglia. Then Joel noticed the attire of his peers. Whilst Joel was wearing nine year old hand-me-downs from his brother, the other boys were all perfectly groomed and wearing the finest clothes.
In any other school it would have gone unnoticed, but the uniform had changed since Joel's brother was at Forester. In his day the trousers were grey, it was those trousers Joel now wore. He was the only one, everyone else had black trousers. Joel stuck out like a sore thumb.Thankfully three boys wore short trousers and were roundly ridiculed, Joel would be fine if he didn't draw attention to himself.
In his imagination the school gates could have been an entrance to an ancient Egyptian city, so high and vast were the walls around them. It was stark contrast to the small Catholic primary school where Joel began his education. Joel was filled with awe and suddenly felt small and insignificant. He walked through the gates where two third year boys loitered, watching the new arrivals. As he passed them they sniggered and made comments.
Joel didn't hear what was said or even know if it was directed at him, but immediately his hackles were raised. His natural reaction would have been to ask what their problem was but from being top-dog in primary school, he was now a faceless nobody. Joel was aware that he was in an alien environment and the initial excitement was replaced by a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. He held his tongue and carried on walking. The new boys were easy to spot because they looked nervy and confused. Joel mingled with them.
Eventually a prefect ushered the new boys towards their boarding house. Inside another prefect with a clipboard took names and barked directions. Joel was in a daze and didn't really listen, it was all too much to take in.
"Name?" the prefect demanded.
"Joel" he answered absently and the prefect ran his pencil down the list.
"Jacobs, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones .......Joel? There is no Joel on the list" the prefect said puzzled.
"No, Joel, Joel Phillips" Joel corrected.
"Well Joel-Joel Phillips, at Forester we are referred to by surnames only you moron, unless some other poor boy has the misfortune to share your surname, in which case you will be addressed by your initials" the prefect said somewhat harshly.
Joel was annoyed and tried to wind the prefect up.
"What if I had a twin brother called John? We would have the same surname AND the same initial" he asked flippantly.
It looked for a moment the prefect was going to hit Joel for being insolent. The prefect composed himself and barked out the instructions he had given a dozen times before. Joel still hadn't listened. As he was just about to ask again, another boy beat him to it. The prefect hurled a tirade of abuse at the poor unfortunate and Joel chose instead to follow the crowd rather than push the prefect further. Luckily, as new boys they were all in one of the two main dormitories and Joel guessed right. The boys were assigned beds and told to unpack their things then assemble in the main hall. There was a flurry of activity as the boys hurriedly unpacked their bags, nobody wanting to be left behind.
The assembly hall was huge compared to that of the Catholic school and it seemed all the older boys' attentions were turned towards the new boys. They were unceremoniously pushed to the front of the hall nearest the stage. The second years were behind, the third years behind them, and so on. There was a low inaudible murmur as boys re-acquainted themselves after the summer holidays. Only the new boys at the front were silent. Occasionally a second year would kick at the back of the knees of the younger boy in front, nearly making the victim fall over. The third time it happened to Joel he spun around and faced the boy, swearing at him. There was a shocked silence among the boys closest to Joel. He was fortunate no prefects were in earshot. Profanity was a caning offence. It took the boy by surprise and he didn't do it again.
When the teachers filtered onto the stage, a hush fell over the hall. Then the Headmaster came in. The teachers had chairs arranged in a crescent but the Headmaster had a small chunky wooden desk which was a survivor from the original school equipment now four centuries old. Only six teachers were present as they were resident in the school. They had been speaking amongst themselves until their silence signalled the entrance of the Headmaster.
The Head was an imposing looking man, his face stern and seemingly lacking in warmth. Clearing his throat he began to recite the Lord's Prayer and the rest of the assembly joined in with rehearsed precision. Being brought up a Catholic, Joel stopped when the prayer as he knew it finished, but the rest of the school carried on with the Church of England version '...for thine is the power, the glory, etc.'. It was the first time Joel had heard it and he was confused wondering how his peers knew these additional words.
As the Headmaster sat, so did the teachers behind him and then he addressed the assembly. He went on for a long time and his words didn't sink in. Joel was lost in the experience, somewhat awestruck. Various words filtered through as the Headmaster welcomed the new boys, expressed concerns about bullying, and announced targets and policies for the new school year ahead. He droned on in a monotone voice and Joel felt his eyelids getting heavy.
On completion of his rehearsed speech, the Headmaster turned and nodded to the music teacher who went to the large piano on the side of the stage. The whole assembly broke out with a rendition of Jerusalem. If the Lord's Prayer hadn't made Joel feel a little isolated, this certainly did. It seemed every boy assembled knew the words, yet Joel had never even heard the song. It wasn't among the hymns he sang in church, how come even the new boys were singing along?
The boys waited for the teachers to vacate the stage and then filtered out of the hall. Like sheep the new boys followed the procession back to the boarding houses. Joel noticed all but a few of the older boys veered off to the second boarding house. First to third years were assigned to the Lodge boarding house and fourth to upper sixth (7th years) occupied the Gatehouse.
Four upper sixth prefects were nominated Sheps (shepherds) and assigned to the Lodge. They were picked – allegedly – for their sensibilities and empathy. They 'shepherded' the new boys as they tried to adjust to boarding school life. For Joel it wouldn't be easy. The new boys were instructed to get showered before dressing for the main evening meal. It escaped their notice (or went unquestioned) only the new boys were undressing, under the watchful eye of a posse of second and third years.
"Come on, proles*, get moving, you haven't got all day" shouted one of the Sheps.
*Prole from Latin proletarius, a citizen of the lowest class. It was a term for first years but many older boys referred to younger ones as proles regardless of year.
With just towels wrapped around their waists, the boys were herded downstairs to the shower room. Joel noticed the prefects, who had their own rooms, were suddenly nowhere to be seen. This was to be common when certain initiations or punishments were about to take place. There was only one way into the shower room from the dormitory and the entrance was guarded by several older boys. As the proles hung up their towels, they were pushed unceremoniously into the quickly filling shower area. Joel wasn't at ease being naked in front of the older boys who were fully clothed. Not out of modesty, he sensed something wasn't right.
He moved to the far corner of the showers, out of the way of the older boys. It turned out to be a good decision. Pretty soon the showers were bulging with all eighteen of the new boys. There were only eight nozzles and the proles jostled for position, vying for one of the jets of hot water. Then the water was turned off. Chaos broke out as a succession of second and third years stepped forward and began pelting the shower occupants with flour and eggs.
The proles were all squeezed up tight against each other as those nearest the entrance tried to back away from the barrage. Joel was beginning to panic because he was stuck in the corner and becoming claustrophobic. At least he escaped the bombardment. As suddenly as it had begun, it stopped, and the water was turned back on. This time it was cold water and now boys were clambering over each other to get away from the icy jets. As the proles were allowed to vacate the showers, the older boys jeered:
"Welcome to Forester!"
This was a sign of what was to come. As proles or new boys, Joel and his peers were to be subjected to an assortment of torture and humiliation. It wasn't considered bullying because they were traditional initiation rituals – some as old as the school itself – which everybody had to endure, and a blind eye was turned with regard to such matters. The proles filtered back to the dormitories, a little shaken but not too distressed. Everything was happening so fast it was difficult to strike up a conversation, let alone form new friendships. Hurriedly the proles dressed and under supervision from the Sheps they made their way to the dining hall.
As boarders the boys arrived back at school three days earlier than the day-boys for a settling in period. It was a good arrangement for day-boys because it meant they had an extra three days off between term times. School lunches were for the whole school, but the breakfasts and dinners were solely for boarders. It was at the dinners another initiation was to take place. Grace was said as the boys all stood behind seats or benches according to status, then one of the Housemasters invited everyone to sit.
The meals – apart from breakfast – were three courses and although the boys could select however much they wanted, anything put onto plates had to be eaten. That first meal wasn't a problem for Joel because he was hungry, but when he rose to leave the hall two new boys were still sat at their tables with food in front of them.
On the way back to the lodge, the boy who had been assigned the bed next to Joel, walked with him. He formally introduced himself as 'Piper, William' and Joel wondered whether he should salute.
"What will happen to the two boys left behind?" Joel asked.
"Probably just washing up as it's their first day; but otherwise it would be the lash" Piper intimated.
"The lash for not eating your dinner? That sounds harsh"
"That's why it's best not to heap your plate up, they hate wasted food" Piper explained and Joel made a mental note, although he had never had a problem clearing his plate at home.
William Piper, or Willy as he somewhat aptly came to be known due to a physical anomaly which was the envy of his peers, was one of the few boys not referred to by his surname, except by teachers of course. The irony of his name was roundly appreciated by all but Willy himself. Young Piper was a good boy to know. He had an older brother at the school who was a valuable source of information. The 'lash' worried Joel, and his mind thought about his father's dreaded belt. It turned out to be what the boys called a beating off a teacher and Joel was not sure he should be happy hearing canes and slippers were used instead of leather belts. An occasional cuff round the ear was not uncommon either and one teacher was a positive genius when thinking up some quite innovative punishments. Thankfully prefects were no longer allowed to cane boys, rumoured to be on account of past abuse of their positions of trust.
With the boys at school all referring to each other by surname only (except in special cases), the whole school environment was austere and lacking warmth. Everything was so much friendlier at the Catholic school. Already Joel was beginning to regret going to Forester Grammar. He could be at home playing football with his friends right now.
Silly as it seems one of the worst things to Joel about the boarding house was the lack of a television set. It seemed like the boys were cut off from the outside world. They weren't allowed into town at all during the week (a rule many broke) and at weekends when they were allowed limited time in town, the boys had to wear school uniforms at all times. The uniforms for the first to third years had badges on their blazers and caps which had to be worn outside of the school grounds.
Those caps were hated but being caught not wearing them resulted in having to write pages (usually two) as a punishment. The main reason for despising the caps was because of the boys from the local Comprehensive school. They used to ridicule Forester boys and if they caught one alone, the least they would do is steal his cap and throw it into a stream, nettles, or even into traffic for it to be run over. It was such an incident that effectively started a 'war' between Forester Grammar and the local Comprehensive which was soon to escalate, due in no small part to Joel. From the fourth year on, long-tail suits and boater hats were the order, but unlike the first to third years, the fourth years onwards were generally proud of their uniform.
The town was fraught with danger. Particularly for younger Forester boys. A couple of teachers would patrol the town when there were breaks, just to ensure nobody broke the rules and slipped out. Sometimes it became a game of cat and mouse if the boys were spotted but not recognised. Often the teachers would wait by the gates for a return, but the boys knew a couple of different ways to get on and off the school premises undetected.
Boys from the local Comprehensive school often hunted the younger Forester boys and provoked fights, but only because the odds were always in their favour. Rarely would they face more than two or three Forester boys. Because Forester was a boys only school, pupils were all labelled as gay by the local boys. The slur hurt some of the Forester boys more than others and by consequence there was a latent homophobic element at the school which surfaced occasionally. Many thought the rumours of past atrocities committed by the Comprehensive boys were fabricated to stop illicit trips into town by the younger boys. One thing that was certain, was the animosity the local boys had towards their privileged counterparts.
As the end of Joel's first day at the school drew to a close, the proles were told to get ready for bed. Joel moaned to Willy about having to go to bed at 8:30 pm and was shocked when he was told it was usually 7:30 pm for first years, except it was Saturday tomorrow.
"Anyway, get some sleep; tomorrow is initiations day" Willy said.
Great! That was all Joel needed to hear.
* * * * *
Joel climbed out of bed reluctantly. The proles in the main dormitory had to fold back the blankets on their beds exposing the sheets. It was not uncommon for new boys feeling insecure to have problems with the night-water and a prefect would check for stains. Joel was thankful he had finally put his own period of bed-wetting behind him. The boys peeled off their pyjamas and put towels around their waists. Somewhat cautiously they headed for the showers, armed with soap, toothbrushes, and toothpaste, the events of the previous day still fresh in mind. Word had filtered to all the proles this was to be initiations day.
With the second years accompanying them, the proles relaxed a little as they realised there would be no repeat of the shower incident of the day before. The proles had to wait patiently for the second years to vacate the showers before being allowed to shower themselves. Morning and evening showers were mandatory. In the morning it was always a rush because so many boys used the showers within a short space of time. By the time the proles were allowed to shower the water was usually tepid at best. In the evening there was no set time so choosing carefully meant hot water.
Joel picked his spot at the back of the shower but only went through the motions of washing. One eye was always on the entrance waiting for an attack. It never came. Eventually he realised the others were coming and going from the showers unmolested, and vacated them hurriedly. The other proles were just as skittish. They may have heard from siblings or other sources it was initiations day but most had no idea what was going to happen. That was the problem, not knowing what to expect, or when.
"When do the initiations start?" Joel asked Willy back in the dorm.
"Straight after breakfast" Willy said remarkably unconcerned.
Willy brought it home to Joel just how different things were at Forester. The boy was eleven years old, the same as Joel, but was mentally so much more mature. Nor was young Piper unique, the Forester boys seemed to have lost the ability to be children. Everything was so formal and the overall mood sombre.
Breakfast was uneventful but as the boys left the dining hall, the proles were shepherded down a detour which was to take them past the School Cadet Force assault course in a copse. The copse as well as being home to the assault course was the venue for a lot of skulduggery, giving the boys adequate cover for illicit activities as a scattering of cigarette butts showed. As the proles filed into the wooded area they were lined up by a gang of second year marshals. One prole was taken further into the course and out of view. A few minutes later another boy would be sent for. None came back.
The proles didn't know what was happening to their classmates and imaginations were running riot. A couple of the proles tried to sneak away but the marshals roughly man-handled them back into line. Joel's turn came and he took a deep breath.
"Come on we haven't got all day" a second year said and pushed him roughly in the back.
Joel spun round and glared at the older boy who for an instant looked uncertain.
"This one has pepper in his blood" he said to his associate.
"Listen prole, you take my advice and keep your attitude to yourself. I saw you in assembly and swearing at Harris will bring you nothing but misery" the older boy warned.
The trio approached the awaiting third years and Joel looked at the huge wooden frame-work which usually housed a large rope net as part of the assault course. There was a pulley at the top and a rope was running through it. Two boys held the rope at one end. The other end was attached to a wooden board (similar to a bosun's chair). The apparent leader of the group said:
"This is a test to see if you have balls"
Another boy stood on the wood and held the rope. The two boys holding the other end hauled him up by way of a demonstration. They took him right to the top. He looked perfectly at ease and was lowered back down. 'That's not bad' Joel thought. The swings in the woods at home were higher and far more precarious. It actually looked like fun and he was ushered onto the board without fuss. As Joel took his place one of the other third years produced a blindfold and covered his eyes.
"To see if you have balls, you do it blindfolded. Whatever you do don't let go. One prole let go a few years back and fell and broke his neck. Terrible shame" the boy in charge of proceedings told Joel.
It sounded to Joel much like the rumours surrounding Forbidden Wood, the pump-house, and other places around the village. He doubted they would still be allowed to do the initiation if a boy had broken his neck. Nevertheless, he held the rope tight as he felt himself being hauled up. The hauling motion was quite jerky. Joel would be hauled up in one motion but then felt the rope slip back slightly as the boys prepared for another heave. 'Must be near the top now' he thought and held the rope even tighter. The rope stopped moving and Joel wondered how long the boys would keep him at the top.
Suddenly Joel felt his trousers being yanked down in one swift motion. Still holding the rope tight with one hand Joel lifted the blindfold with the other. He was no more than three feet off the ground and the boys holding the rope let it go. The board dropped the three feet taking Joel by surprise and he crumpled in a heap on the ground. One of the boys laughed, pointing at Joel.
"Yes, this one has balls" he said.
"Not much of anything else though!" another added laughing.
They all guffawed at Joel's embarrassment. He pulled his trousers up amid the laughter and was sent on his way, continuing through the trees as the older boys sent for another victim.
"Pssst" Joel heard, then saw a boy hidden in the bushes.
The boy waved for Joel to join him. Joel was going to say something but the boy put a finger to his lips. He moved over to allow Joel to squat next to him and pointed through the leaves. From where the boys were hidden they could see the next prole being shown how the pulley worked. The boy in the bush was the prole whose turn was before Joel. Instead of moving on and returning to the boarding house he decided to hide and watch the others. His name was Mark Kramer and although Joel didn't know it then, he was to have a major influence on Joel's life at Forester.
The pair watched with mirth at the poor unfortunates who were now experiencing the same humiliation. The reactions varied quite considerably. It was deemed Joel had balls because he peered from under the blindfold thus letting go of the rope with one hand, and therefore displaying a certain amount of courage. Most of the boys just froze and kept holding the rope even though they were debagged. It didn't seem to register that they had to be near enough the ground for someone to pull their trousers down. A couple of boys even started crying.
It was over too soon for Joel. He was glad to find a boy with a sense of fun and willing to get up to a bit of mischief. A boy who still knew how to be a kid. They walked back to the Lodge wondering what else would happen this day. Joel's concerns over the initiations seemed unfounded, if that was the best they had to offer.
* * * * *
Saturdays at Forester school were a shock to the system. Unlike other schools the boys had to attend classes until noon on a Saturday and then in the afternoon they played other schools at sports. The autumn and winter terms were rugby and hockey, the spring/summer term was cricket and athletics. Much to Joel's chagrin Forester school didn't play football and the balls were in fact banned completely. All boarders who were not representing the school on a Saturday HAD to attend whichever sport was going on, and cheer for the school team. It was just a ploy to keep all the boarders within the school grounds for as long as possible on Saturdays.
Joel made friends quite easily as a rule but the boys he was now mixing with were different. They nearly all came from wealthy families and he was a misfit from the beginning. Kramer didn't seem to have the 'plum in the mouth' like the others and Joel liked him, but they were in different dormitories. Mark Kramer was regarded a rascal rather than villain, his cherubic features and natural charm made him popular from the beginning.
As the term hadn't yet begun, a hare and hounds style paper-chase was organised. This served a dual purpose because it was enacted over part of the school cross-country course. In addition to keeping the boys amused, it also familiarised them a little with the extent of the school grounds. On the downside, it introduced Joel to his nemesis. There were bullies in all years but the worst were usually those in the year directly above.
Joel hadn't yet identified or understood his differences but they were becoming more apparent with each passing minute. As the other boys changed into their stylish new whites, Joel pulled on his tight white football shorts and vest. It was the beginning of the eighties, when it was fashionable for top football players to wear tight fitting shorts, and would have gone unnoticed in any other school. It was what all the boys wore at his last school, the girls wore navy blue knickers and a vest. Although there were no audible comments, Joel was aware of the glances and sneering undercurrent. He cursed his parents for sending him to this school.
The hares were given a fifteen minute start then the rest of the boys gave chase en masse. As they left the school grounds via the far sports field they came to a large wood. On reaching the wood the hounds split into smaller chasing groups. Now Joel was in his element. He played similar games at home, albeit without the paper trail. Joel was with three other proles. Two were unenthusiastic and just followed like sheep. The other boy was Bobby Dean, and he was game. Joel took control of the little group immediately and Dean chipped in with helpful suggestions, the other two were just happy the decisions were out of their hands.
Noticing the paper trail heading off in one direction, Joel looked at the surrounding area and thought of where he would go were he one of the hares. Off to the left the ground rose sharply and he nodded to Dean to follow even though the pack headed after the paper trail. Joel noticed three second years that appeared to be watching them, but he paid no attention. Then the heavens opened up.
Even though the trees provided some cover, there was no way the boys could stay dry. Joel's decision to climb the muddy bank looked a bad one, their now sopping wet 'whites' soon had a thick coating of mud. The downpour turned out to be just a heavy shower but it had caused chaos among the chasing hounds as the trail became harder to follow. The paper trail was swallowed up by mud but it didn't matter to Joel's quartet, they weren't following it anyway.
After about ten minutes they stopped for a quick rest. They could no longer hear any calls from the hounds and believed themselves to be isolated. That was when Harris with cronies Tyrell and Stone came up behind them.
"What do we have here then?" Harris asked smirking.
Joel recognised him as the boy in assembly he swore at. Harris tripped Dean and he landed on his back in a muddy puddle. The second years laughed. As Dean tried to get up, Harris put his foot on the stricken boy's chest and pushed him back into the mud. Joel shoved Harris roughly. There were four proles and only three second years, Joel was convinced they could beat them if there was trouble. Unfortunately for Joel this wasn't the village, and the other boys lacked mettle. They just watched as Harris, face twisted with rage, turned his attention to Joel. The other two second years grabbed Joel's arms and Harris hit him hard in the stomach taking the wind from the boy. Joel grunted and swore defiantly at the older boys.
"You all heard that!" Harris said looking around "Profanity"
The other two second years nodded gravely.
"Punishable, if I'm not mistaken, by six of the best" Harris declared smugly poutting his face close to Joel's.
Still being held by the arms, Joel spat in his face. It wiped the smile away but Harris kicked out, catching Joel between the legs and doubling him over in agony.
"You disgusting little oik. Hold him to that tree!" Harris barked at Tyrell and Stone.
The cronies pulled Joel up tight against a tree stretching his arms around it, Harris broke off a thin branch from a bush nearby. Dean tried to interject and Harris lashed out with the improvised cane. It struck Dean's face just under the eye, leaving an angry red stripe. Harris turned back to Joel and lashed out hard with the switch. It stung but Joel barely flinched. This made Harris angrier and two more hits followed. Still Joel didn't react.
Harris hadn't reckoned with Joel's stubborn pride. He wasn't going to let the bully have the satisfaction of hearing him cry out in pain. To top it all, being hit with a switch by Harris was mild in comparison to the beatings off his father.
"Pull his shorts down" Harris ordered one of the other proles who froze.
"DO IT! Or so help me, you will be next"
Joel felt his shorts pulled down and struggled but Tyrell and Stone held him easily. Moments later there was a stinging sensation as the makeshift cane struck Joel's bare buttocks. It hurt like hell but Joel's refusal to yelp made Harris even more determined to make it happen.
The 'six of the best' became eight, nine, and ten in rapid succession as the bully's frustration boiled over into rage. Joel's head started to spin and he began to feel faint. His legs buckled but Joel's arms were still pulled tight against the tree, keeping him upright. Surprisingly it was Tyrell and Stone who saved Joel as they pointed out his buttocks were bleeding. Harris seemed to regain his composure. He grabbed Joel's jaw roughly.
"I have all year to deal with you prole, and believe me, I will" he said venomously.
As Harris let go of Joel's jaw the boy spat in his face a second time. He was slapped hard for his trouble, leaving red finger marks on his cheek. It was then voices were heard and a quick glance saw the hares heading towards them. They had doubled back to confuse the hounds and were unaware of the boys ahead of them. The second years hid behind trees and told the proles to go back the way they came. Joel kept looking back and saw the hares getting closer to where the second years were hidden. It added insult to injury knowing Harris and his pals would be credited with catching the hares.
"Everybody will think they caught them now" Joel moaned bitterly.
The proles trudged somewhat forlornly back to the Lodge, each step for Joel painful, his muddy shorts sticking to the open wounds on his rear. Dean was nursing an angry looking weal across his cheek.
"You idiot!" he said "Why did you antagonise them?"
"Me, antagonise THEM?!" Joel was incredulous, he had tried to stop them picking on Dean.
"Now they will never leave us alone" Dean complained "Don't ever talk to me again!"
The other two boys were silent throughout. On their return to the boarding house the proles were greeted by a sympathetic looking Shep. They were the first ones to return.
"Never mind chaps, looks like you gave it a good show" he soothed, having no idea of what had transpired.
The boys stepped into the showers still clothed so as to wash their whites at the same time. On vacating the shower, other boys began drifting back and came into the room. They had raced back to get a shower while the water was still hot. In one corner of the changing rooms was a small drying room. Joel was hanging his whites up to dry when one of the other boys spotted his buttocks.
"What the devil happened to you?" he asked.
Joel pretended not to hear and rushed away. Dean answered questions about the mark on his face by telling them a branch whipped back when rushing through the woods. Joel managed to dry himself and cover up before anyone else saw his injuries. He went to a toilet cubicle and closed the door. Twisting his body Joel tried to look at his buttocks and could just see some red marks. He saw the skin was broken in one place but it was more a graze than a cut. It was nothing to the damage his father's belt had done on occasion, it did sting though.
Even though Dean and Joel were circumspect about what happened, the other two boys who had been with them weren't. At lunch Joel noticed boys looking at him and whispering to each other. Joel winced in pain as he gingerly sat down with his plate of food. One of the Sheps was looking at him with interest. On the return to the Lodge Joel was called into the Shep's study. All four Sheps were in there. The head boy looked at Joel appraisingly.
"We have heard reports of a rather unsavoury incident and would like to hear your version of events"
Joel was instantly on his guard, he didn't know why he had been called in but imagined he had broken some stupid rule he was totally unaware of. Perhaps Harris had told the Sheps about his use of profanity, but he had already been punished for that. Joel knew he couldn't take another beating that day and was nervous.
"Wh-what have I done?" he asked.
"Nothing, you are not in any trouble; just tell us what happened"
"I don't know what you mean" Joel insisted.
"Very well" the Shep said and stood up.
He put a plain wooden chair next to Joel.
"Sit down"
As Joel sat he couldn't help wincing and it confirmed the story the Sheps had been told.
"Now do you want to tell us what happened?" the head boy asked.
"I fell over" Joel replied rather lamely.
"Whomsoever may have hurt you does not deserve your protection. I will ask one more time, what happened?"
"I fell over" Joel reiterated stubbornly.
"Very well" the Shep sighed "You need to see matron; Dixon here will take you"
The reactions of the Sheps surprised Joel, he thought he had gotten away lightly. He had guessed the 'punishment' meted out by Harris was unofficial but this was his first day proper at the school and everything was strange.
The matron was a kindly, elderly lady. She put some cream on Joel's backside and he was sent on his way escorted by Dixon. The matron gave disapproving looks to Dixon as they left and he shrugged as if to say 'what can I do?'. Outside the sun was breaking out again and it was warming up. Joel had been excused swimming which was currently being organised. He looked disappointed.
"I wouldn't worry, just more ritualistic torture of the proles" Dixon told him.
Joel didn't answer, still feeling a little sullen about the day's events. Dixon was trying his hardest to cheer Joel up. One thing Joel did like was when Dixon mentioned how much respect he commanded from the older boys for not snitching on Harris. Yes, he mentioned Harris by name! Everybody knew by then who had done what to whom, but without testimony from the victim, nothing could be done. Joel's upbringing didn't allow him to tell tales, which in the long run was fortunate. Other boys who snitched were ostracised by their peers, making it difficult to get victims of bullying to come forward. Joel on the other hand (in the eyes of most boys) was entitled to inform, due to the perceived severity of the incident.
At the pool Joel was a mere spectator and watched as the proles filed out first. Joel was relieved he had been excused when he saw the boys in their brand new swimming trunks. His were several years old and a little too small. Although relieved in one respect, he was also disappointed. Joel loved swimming and what he saw didn't look like ritualistic torture. Initially the proles had to complete a length of the pool. It was to find out if there were any new talents among them. Joel didn't mind missing that because although he could swim reasonably well, he certainly wasn't fast, or a star in the making.
What followed was right up his street though. A long wooden pole was dragged across the width of the pool. Armed with adapted kayak oars (the ends were wrapped with linen and taped up), the proles were sent onto the pole from either end with the intention of knocking each other into the water. As Joel watched round after round, he was upset knowing he would have done well. Each loser was eliminated and the victor went through to the next round. Joel was convinced he could have won although 'Carrots' Gallagher, the eventual winner of the first years, was no pushover. As the winner of his group Carrots was invited to compete with the second years as well. He was a big lad and could have passed for a third year or maybe even fourth. His shock of flame red hair cemented his nickname. Carrots won his first bout with ease and all the proles were cheering for him.
In the second round Carrots was paired against Harris and Joel smiled. Carrots had a significant height and weight advantage despite being a year younger. As the boys stepped out onto the pole all eyes were on them. Harris was a bully and certainly no wimp. He tried to intimidate Carrots with fierce facial expressions. Unfortunately for Harris, pulling faces wasn't at all intimidating to the big lumbering prole who stood before him. Carrots knocked him off balance with his first hit and Harris wobbled ominously on the pole. Carrots swung again catching the bully square on the side of the head. Harris went down hard, bouncing off the pole on his way into the water. As he climbed out of the pool spluttering, Harris saw Joel laughing and his face twisted malevolently.
A head shot was illegal and a rematch was ordered. Harris complained bitterly, saying Carrots should be disqualified. This would have normally been the case, but the Sheps knew by the grape-vine what Harris had done to Joel and were determined to make him suffer. Harris refused to take up his position on the pole and was himself disqualified. He skulked off to the changing rooms amid jeers for his apparent cowardice. Carrots lost in the next round but to the proles, he was already a hero.
Eventually a winner emerged and time was called for the first and second years. Joel would have loved to have gone up against Harris even though the bully was bigger, and somewhat dejectedly he returned to the Lodge as his peers went to the changing rooms.
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