Westpoint Tales - The Lost Years, 8

That night, Conrad started his show in the usual way. After the news, weather and sport, he played a piece of his theme song, Whozzat’s version of the Kinks’ ‘Dedicated Follower of Fashion’.

(“They seek him here, They seek him there,
In Derby Street and ‘round the Square.”)

“Hey People! It’s that time again. Don’t despair, the Seeker is here! How was your weekend? Cool party on Saturday, wasn’t it? Awesome fireworks! Starting the show tonight with something special, I’ve got a dedication to play.

I know, I know, we play dedications all the time, but this one is special. This one is from me. I don’t do that – but tonight I am. Nicholas, I hope you’re listening. This one is for you from me.”

He played Willie Nelson’s ‘Spanish Eyes’.

“Did you like that then, Nicholas? I hope you’re listening. He’s got great eyes, has Nicholas – Spanish Eyes. Shine on, Kid.

I do like Willie Nelson. He’s really cool for an old dude. The original rebel, and he’s an original. Rock on, Willie! Now, for a bit of this. . .”

More music started. Justin and Billy sat in their room and looked at each other.

“Wow!”

“Wow is right. I hope Nicholas heard that, he’d be delighted.”

“Was that your doing, Sweetcheeks? Did he play that because you asked him to?”

“No I didn’t. I did offer to but Nicholas said that, while Conrad playing a song for him was the one thing that he really wanted, it had to be his own idea and not a request from anyone else. Looks like it just happened. I SO hope that he didn’t miss it.”

“Yeah, that would be the pits! That’s your plan, isn’t it? Getting those two together?”

“It is. You can read me like a book, can’t you?”

“Only sometimes. It’s about time we got that boy into bed.”

“In bed? Oh – you mean Jeremy.”

“Of course!! Don’t you even think about anything else.”

“I wouldn’t, Sunny. I never would. Jeremy in his own bed, sometimes, and you in mine, always. That’s all I’ll ever want.

“Yeah, me too.”

They went through to Jeremy’s room and interrupted his playing. He was building a town again, from blocks, bricks, books and anything else he could find.

“I’m sure that this boy’s going to be a builder.”

“A demolition expert is probably more likely! He sets them up and knocks them down.”

“He’s not that bad.”

They hadn’t even got the Boy into bed when they heard a thundering coming up the stairs.

“Just – tin! Justin! Just. . in.”

Justin opened the hall-way door and they looked out to see Nicholas pounding on the door to their room.

“Justin! Are you there?”

“No, I’m not. I’m over here. Hey Nicholas.”

“Justin! Oh, Justin. He did it. Did you hear him? He did it – he played a song for me! Did you hear it? You didn’t ask him to do that, did you?”

“Whoah, Nicholas. Settle down, Boy, you’ll burst a blood vessel. Take some deep breaths and settle down. Yes, we heard it. No, I didn’t ask him to. It was all his own idea, I think.”

“But he did it, didn’t he? That was so cool. He really did it! Why would he do that?”

“What did he do? Who did he what?” Jeremy demanded excitedly. “It was good wasn’t it? Who did what?”

“Jeremy, don’t you start,” Billy replied. “The Seeker played a song on the radio for Nicholas.”

“Oh. Is that all?” Jeremy shrugged and went back to his room.

Justin said, “Don’t listen to him, he’s just a kid. It was a big deal and very exciting – very cool. Come and sit in our room and get your breath back.”

They went into their room and steered Nicholas into the visitors’ chair.

“Nicholas, tell me something. Did you run all the way here from your house?”

“I did,” he nodded. “I had to tell you.”

“That’s great. That was a fast run, I’m impressed. Don’t you ever tell me again that you can’t run – you can! I’ll be struggling to keep up with you soon.”

“Not likely! You’re the best, Superboy. No-one beats you. Why did he play my song?”

“Well, we really don’t know. You might have to ask him.”

“Oh, I couldn’t do that.”

“Sure you can. Do you want me to come with you?”

“No! I’m not going anywhere. I couldn’t, I just couldn’t!”

“Okay, don’t get upset. Nobody’s going to make you do anything you don’t want to.”

“It’s probably quite simple really,” Billy said. “People have been seeing you around with Justin. Superboy’s friends get noticed. Conrad probably saw you with him somewhere.”

“Do you think so? Oh, Justin – Thank You!”

“Thank you, Nicholas. Thank you for being my friend.”

“I’ll ALWAYS be your friend. What am I going to do about Conrad? I can’t go and talk to him.”

Justin picked up the phone, tapped out the numbers, 0800343374, and handed it to him. “Just say, ‘This is Nicholas, thank you, Conrad.’”

“Can I? Should I? I. . oh. . .Hello. Hello Conrad. Thank you for playing the song, this is Nicholas. Thank you.”

A huge grin spread across his face as Conrad spoke to him. Billy took Justin by the hand and took him back to Jeremy’s room.

“Give the Boy some privacy.”

Got Him! A few minutes after he’d played the song and dedicated it to Nicholas, the phone rang and it was him, Nicholas!

He knew that he’d ring, or, he hoped he would. People rang the station sometimes, to say thank you for playing a request or a dedication. It didn’t happen often, but it did happen.

At first he was certain that Nicholas would ring, but then, as the long minutes dragged past, he was starting to think that maybe he wouldn’t. Maybe he didn’t even hear it. So it was with great relief that he answered the phone and heard that soft, drawling, voice.

“Hello Conrad. Thank you for playing the song, this is Nicholas.”

“Nicholas! Hey! It’s so good to hear from you. It was my pleasure to play a song for you. That one just describes you so well, you’ve got great Spanish Eyes, and thank you for saying ‘thank you’. Not everyone does that.”

“It wasn’t my idea. Superboy said that I had to. He rang the number and put the phone in my hand.”

“He did? Good for Superboy then. Tell him I said thanks.”

“I will.”

“He really is Superboy, isn’t he?”

“He is. Justin is great and he’s my friend.”

“Yeah, so I’ve heard. You’ve got a good friend there.”

“I have!”

“Is he there with you now?”

“No. He and Billy have gone in the other room.”

“Oh. But he’s at your house?”

“No. I’m at his hotel. I ran all the way here after I heard you play a song for me. I had to tell him.”

“Okay. Why did you have to tell him?”

“Because he’s my friend. I haven’t got any other friends.”

“Really? Why not? You’re a nice guy.”

“Do you think so? I’m not, I’m just a Dummy.”

“I do think so and you shouldn’t say that. You’re not a Dummy.”

“That’s what Superboy says.”

“Superboy says that you’re a Dummy?”

“No! He doesn’t.” Nicholas giggled, throatily.

(‘Damm! That’s so cute!’)

“Justin says that I’m not a Dummy and I shouldn’t say that.”

“Good for him then. You should listen to him. He’s a good friend, isn’t he?”

“He is! Superboy is the best.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard that too. Look, Nicholas, can you hold on for a minute? The song is finishing and I’ve got to do a voice-break., but I’ll be right back. Please don’t hang up. Wait, okay?”

“I will wait for you, Conrad.”

“Thanks, Hold on, I’ll be right back.”

Nicholas waited patiently. He would’ve waited all night, but it wasn’t long before Conrad came back.

“You still there? Oh good. Thanks.”

“Conrad, why did you play a song for me?”

“Because I wanted to. I thought you’d like it. You did, didn’t you? Superboy said that you always listen to the show.”

“Oh. Justin asked you to, didn’t he?”

“No he didn’t! He didn’t even tell me your name. I figured that out for myself.”

“How did you?”

“Superboy came to see me. He said that he had a friend, a boy my age, who’d never talked to me but who listened to the show all of the time. You’ve been around with him lately, so I figured that it must be you.”

“And you played a song for me.”

“I did. You liked that, didn’t you?”

“I did like it, that was great! But, I don’t know why you did it.”

“I told you, I wanted to. Look, Nicholas, Superboy likes you. He says that you’re a good guy. I think that you might be too, and I’d like to get to know you. Okay?”

“Would you really? Oh shit! I. . .ah. . .you wouldn’t want to know me.”

“Yes I would! Why wouldn’t I want to know you?”

“Because you’re Conrad. You’re great and you’re really smart. I’m not, I’m just a . .”

“Don’t say it! Don’t say that you’re a Dummy, you’re not! Look, Nicholas, I’m sorry but I’ve really gotta go. I’m working here, got stuff to do. I’ll see you at school tomorrow, okay?”

“Yes, I will be at school tomorrow.”

“Good, I’ll see you then. You will talk to me, won’t you?”

“I’ll try to.”

“You do that. You try very hard, I won’t bite you. You talk to me or I’ll smack you, okay?”

“You’ll smack me?”

“If you don’t talk to me, I will. Gotta go, Nicholas. Thanks for phoning, it was good to talk to you.”

“It was good to talk to you too. Thank you for playing my song. Goodbye Conrad.”

“Later, Nicholas.”

Nicholas hung up and sat looking at the phone with a big grin on his face. Justin came back through the door.

“Everything all right then?”

“Oh yes! Thank you, Justin. Conrad is great. He’s going to smack me.”

“He what? He bloody better not! Why would he smack you?”

“He said he will if I don’t talk to him at school tomorrow.”

“Oh. Well that’s different then. You talk to him. If you don’t, then I might smack you too.”

“Would you really?”

“No, not really. But I’d feel like it. You talk to him, Nicholas. He’s a nice kid and he needs friends too, we all do.

“I don’t”

“You don’t need a friend? Why not?

“I don’t need a friend, I’ve already got one. I’ve got you and you’re Superboy.”

“No, I’m not – I’m Justin. You have got me, and that’s good, but you need more. You need friends who are your age. Billy is my best friend and I couldn’t imagine my life without him. Or want to. Don’t you want a friend like that? Don’t you want Conrad like that?”

“Justin1 Oh, Justin. I couldn’t, I just couldn’t.’

“You could and I think you will, if you don’t run away. You’re good enough, Nicky. You’re good enough for anyone and Conrad will be lucky to have you for a friend. Very lucky.”

“Do you really think so?”

“I do and I’m not wrong. Ask Jeremy, he’ll tell you, his Daddys are always right.”

“Jeremy doesn’t know. He’s just little.”

“Don’t tell him that. He doesn’t think he is. Anyway, ask Grandmother, she’ll tell you the same thing and she’s not little.”

“You’re very lucky, Justin. You’ve got all these people who love you. I love you too.”

“I am lucky. You can be too, just let people love you. I love you, Nicky. Anyone who knows you is going to love you.”

“Even Conrad?”

“Yes, even Conrad. He played a song for you, didn’t he?”

“He did! That was incredible. Thank you Justin.”

“Hey, it wasn’t me, it was Conrad who did it. Thank him.”

“I did thank him, you made me do it.”

“You’re not sorry are you?”

“No, I’m not sorry. Conrad’s great.”

“Yeah. Well tell him that. I think you’ll find that he’ll say the same thing to you.’

“That he’s great?”

“No, that you are. You really are, Nicky. You’re a great kid.”

“I’m not. I’m just. . .”

Justin clamped a hand over his mouth to shut him up.