The Secret Catamite Bk 1, The Book of Daniel (28 page)

1. 1959/6
   Scouts
   

That Spring there were further
changes at Scouts. The Troop Leader John Riley was now old enough
for Venture Scouts and moved on. Daniel was convinced that either
Nigel Colley, Patrol Leader of the Falcons or Christopher Gerrard
of the Kestrels would be promoted. It turned out that Christopher
Gerrard was only four months away from leaving for Ventures anyway,
but still Colley was a bit older than Daniel but had not been a PL
for as long. Daniel said that Gerrard had been offered it for the
four months, but had said it would be added disruption for the
troop to have another change so quickly and he wanted to spend
those months with his beloved Kestrels. As with promotion to Patrol
Leader, Daniel again beat Nigel Colley to the prize, his prophesy
of three years earlier that he would be Troop Leader one day coming
true.

Simon sat with Daniel in his
bedroom while he unpicked the scout badge from his uniform shirt
pocket so that he could sew on the third white stripe in the
centre. The badge was then sewn on again over the top so that the
stripe went underneath it.

"I told you I'd be Troop Leader
one day," said a confident Daniel. "Remember? That first time I
carried the flag and you came along to watch?"

"Yes," said Simon. "What about
Colley though? He's older than you but now you outrank him."

"He'll be OK. He's a good scout.
I can manage that OK as well."

"I expect you will," said Simon,
poking Daniel. "I feel sorry for him though, with all those spots."
Nigel Colley was cursed by acne. One or two of the scouts were
suffering this teenage pain, but Colley was the worst
afflicted.

"Must be rotten," said Daniel.
"I've never said anything and I don't think anyone else has. I
expect he's very self conscious about it."

"I'm glad we haven't got spots.
I'd hate to be all spotty."

"Some kids get them like Colley,
others get hardly any. My Dad says it runs in families, but he
didn't have it so maybe that's why I don't."

"You've got really nice skin,"
said Simon. "I'll have to ask my Dad if he had them."

"So have you. Some kids in my
year need a shave already," said Daniel, rubbing his still smooth
chin. "I suppose that will happen one day."

"Me too, I suppose. Does Colley
shave? It must be dead awkward with spots."

"I hope not for his sake.
Anyway, I've got other things to think about now. My next job now
I'm Troop Leader is to get you made PL of Harriers."

Simon, as Second of Harriers was
now acting Patrol Leader after Daniel's promotion. "How can you do
that? It's up to Skip, isn't it?"

"Yes, but the Court of Honour
has a big say, and I'm in charge of it now."

"But I'm in that now," said
Simon. The Court of Honour was a meeting of the Troop Leader and
Patrol Leaders which formed a governing committee of the troop
under the guidance of the Scoutmasters.

"Yes, as acting PL. And when it
gets discussed, you would have to leave."

A few weeks later, the Court of
Honour was meeting.

"The first item on the agenda is
the permanent appointment of a new PL for Harriers," said Daniel,
now comfortable in his authority as TL. "I'm sorry, Simon, but you
have to leave the meeting for this section."

Skip nodded. Simon, as ordered,
got up and left the meeting.

"Before I say anything, I would
like to hear what ideas the Patrol Leaders have about this?" said
Daniel.

The other PLs spoke, two,
including Nigel Colley, making a case for their own Seconds to get
promoted, but two, whose Seconds were relatively new, spoke in
favour of Simon. Faced with this result, Daniel said he felt Simon
should be promoted.

"Patrol Leaders should really
have their First Class," said Skip.

"He's done a good job though as
Second, and acting PL," said Daniel. "Who else is there?"

"That's a problem," said Skip.
"None of the other Seconds have First Class either, but some are
older than Simon, who is what, twelve and a half, Daniel?
Jeremy?"

Jeremy, assistant Scoutmaster,
thought for a moment. "It's hard. We can't leave Harriers without a
proper Patrol Leader much longer, and it would be difficult to put
someone in over Simon now he's been acting PL. And I tend to think
he's probably the best one for it, despite the fact he's young. He
would be the youngest PL, am I right? And then younger than some of
the Seconds, not to mention other scouts?"

"Yes," said Skip. "How far
towards First Class is he, Daniel?"

"He's doing well, Skip. He's
much closer than any other Second."

"Are you sure your judgement is
not clouded by the fact that he's your friend, Daniel?" posed
Jeremy. Nigel Colley smiled to himself at this.

"It's true we're good friends,
have been for years. But that's why I know he'd be good for the
job. He was a really good second for me when I was Harriers' PL,
and I think he's doing a good job leading Harriers now, as acting
PL instead of PL."

"How will he cope with any
problems from some of the older Seconds. They might feel they've
been unfairly passed over?" asked Colley.

Daniel considered this. "I don't
think there would be a problem, and if there was, Simon would deal
with it OK. There's only Tim Lawson anything like ready for PL
apart Simon, and Tim's only just got his Second Class. He was made
Second before he'd got it, so there's a .. you know, when it's been
done before."

"Precedent?" said Skip.

"Yes, that's the word I was
looking for. And Gareth's doing OK as acting Second of Harriers as
well. I think that .."

Skip held up his hand to
stop Daniel. "A moment please Daniel. Let
me
think." Skip closed his eyes and covered his
face with hands in thought for a few moments. "Jeremy, I am
inclined to go along with what Daniel and the majority of the Court
says. Make them both up. Simon to substantive Patrol Leader and
Gareth to Second. Unless you feel differently?"

"I agree," said Jeremy. "It's a
risk, but Simon's a bright lad. And it is the decision of the Court
of Honour. Yes, I'm in favour."

"OK, that's it then," pronounced
Skip. "Daniel, all I can say is you're very persuasive. But as
Troop Leader, it's up to you make it work. And Simon's got to go
flat out for First Class."

"I guarantee it, Skip," said
Daniel.

"Better call Simon back in
then."

Daniel opened the door and saw
Simon in Harriers' patrol corner. Simon looked up at Daniel at the
top of the wooden steps.

"Come back now, please, Simon,"
called Daniel.

Simon walked back and up the
steps. He looked at Daniel for some clue, but Daniel did not make
eye contact and said nothing. Tim Lawson then, thought Simon. He
took his seat at the table, Daniel resumed his at the head.

"The Court of Honour has reached
a decision on the new Patrol Leader for Harriers," said Daniel
impassively. And then he pushed a strip of white tape across the
table to Simon, and smiled that wonderful smile.

"Congratulations, Simon," said
Nigel Colley, the first to say so. The others joined in and there
was general chatter. Daniel rapped his knuckles on the table.
Silence fell immediately.

"The Court of Honour also thinks
Gareth should be promoted to be your Second, but we would like to
hear your views before making a final decision," said Daniel.

Skip and Jeremy glanced at each
other, slight smiles on their lips.

Still recovering, and fingering
the second white stripe that would soon adorn his shirt pocket to
balance the single Second's stripe, Simon thought. "Yes, he's good
and learning fast. I agree with the Court, I mean the rest of the
Court."

"That's it then," smiled Daniel.
"Gareth Smart to be full Second of Harriers."

Later that night in Daniel's bed
taking advantage of an empty house, something occurred to Simon.
"Colley was the first to say congratulations. That was good."

"I told you he's a good Scout.
He didn't vote for you, but he accepts the Court's decision. He's
OK."

"I'm glad the Court decided to
have me."

Daniel laughed, and shook his
head. "Idiot, I knew it would."

"How?"

"I knew that Colley for one
wouldn't back you, so I had a word with Tom Rawlinson and Ladislas
Balázs coz their Seconds just weren't in it. I got them to back
you. I am Troop Leader you know."

"What did Colley say about
that?"

"No, idiot, before the meeting I
mean. A quiet word, you know? My Dad says that all important
decisions are really made before the actual meeting."

"But you looked so serious and
wouldn’t look at me when I went back in. I thought it was
Lawson."

"I know. Rotten, aren't I?"
laughed Daniel. He leaned over and kissed Simon, stifling any
reply.

"Again?" said Simon when he
could, so anxious to feel Daniel within him once more, to receive
him. Daniel smiled and reached down for the Vaseline.

The whole troop, or most of them
anyway, went away on an annual week long camp to a large scout
camp; everything, including the scouts, carried on the back of a
large lorry for the two hour drive. Each patrol had its own tent,
and the leaders had theirs. Previously Simon and Daniel had been in
the same tent with the Harriers as Patrol Leader and Second, but
Riley had slept in the tent with the Scoutmasters. They were
worried that they would be separated this time, but need not
have.

"Daniel, do you want to come in
with Jeremy and me?" offered Skip.

"I'd like to kip in with my old
patrol, Harriers, if that's OK," said Daniel.

"Of course, catch up on old
times. But it's Simon's call. If he says no, which I doubt, come
back."

"Yes Skip," Daniel replied,
knowing full well that Simon had not only agreed, but had asked
Daniel to share the Harriers' tent in the first place.

So it was that the two boys
spent the week together at camp, lucky with the weather, by day
each carrying out the roles of their ranks; by night, lying in
their sleeping bags next to each other, falling asleep with the
other's face the last thing seen, each waking in the morning, the
first thing seen was again the face of his friend. This was real
happiness.

1. 1959/9 Head
   Injury
   

It was a warm September Friday
evening, and being a Friday, Scout night. As normal, Simon and
Daniel walked together, over the footbridge, past the stream and
the church and along the lane to the Church Hall, behind which was
the Scout hut.

"You don't mind coming early?"
asked Daniel. As Troop Leader he had to arrive before the rest of
the Scouts to help Skip prepare the evening.

"No," said Simon. "I would
rather be with you and anyway, I find out what's happening before
the other Patrol Leaders, so my lot get a head start."

Daniel laughed. "I bet that's
not in P.O.R. Got to keep the Harriers ahead, haven't we?"

"You're not supposed to take
sides now," said Simon.

"Moi? Take sides? Favour my old
patrol over the others? Of course not. Anyway, I don't need to.
They've got the best Patrol Leader."

"But I'm the youngest PL, and
Nigel Colley never lets me forget it," said Simon ruefully.

"That's because he mistakenly
thinks the Falcons are the best patrol, and he thinks he should
have been Troop Leader."

"He wouldn’t be half as good as
you. Does he hate you for it?"

"No, we get on fine. I only know
that because he told me to my face, and then shook hands. I respect
him for that. He's a good Scout, you know that. And I know he
really thinks you're a good PL too."

There came a shout from behind
them. "Off to tie your little knots?"

Simon and Daniel turned to see
Fielding's little brother, as nasty as his older sibling,
catcalling from a safe distance. Dressed in their full Scout
uniforms, the two were conspicuous. Simon tried to think of a
stinging reply, but Daniel forestalled him.

"You should come along," Daniel
called back. "You would learn a lot."

Nonplussed by this placatory
answer, Fielding Jnr. just stuck two fingers up and turned
away.

"Like where his brains are,"
added Daniel quietly, and they both laughed. They arrived at the
Scout hut and went in. Colley was there already rummaging through
his Patrol Box.

"Hiya Daniel, hiya Simon, he
said.

"Hiya, Nigel," they both said
back, and Daniel nudged Simon and nodded, as if to say, I told
you.

"See you soon," said Daniel to
Simon, and went up the wooden stairs to the office. He knocked and
went in. Simon heard Skip's voice say, "Oh, hello Daniel" as the
door closed.

Simon set about checking his
Patrol box, making sure the subs book was there. He had a new Scout
still doing Tenderfoot so he made a note to go over the Scout Law
with him, and he still couldn't tie a sheepshank. Other scouts
started to arrive and were milling around outside, although there
was some time before the meeting was due to start.

"Shall we sort that lot out?"
said Simon to Nigel Colley, heartened by what Daniel had told
him.

"Yeah, set 'em up with
something," said Colley, "I'll be out in a minute."

Simon went outside, and seeing a
Patrol Leader, the scouts gathered round, waiting for instructions.
Simon quickly set up a small wide game based round the Scout hut
and Church hall grounds. The Scouts scattered to take part. It soon
became a chase, with the boys running around at full speed, Simon
included. He noticed his new boy and to make him feel included,
gave chase. The Scout took the hint and set off with Simon in full
pursuit. With Simon's speed he was soon catching him up, but at the
front of the church hall, the eleven year old boy leapt the small
wall that formed the boundary with the pavement, and Simon
followed. But he missed his footing, his feet slid back, but his
momentum carried him onward, he was falling uncontrollably forward,
too late to put his hands out he saw the pavement coming up to meet
him, there was an explosion of white light in his head and -.