Kaimoana Tales, 2 - Virgil & Joel

They finished off their meals and went inside to pay the bill. Virgil loaded all their empty plates onto the tray and took them in to the counter. The boy who had served them earlier, took them from him with a smile. “Thanks, Man.”

“You’re welcome. Thanks for a good meal.”

“You’re welcome too. Glad you liked it. Call again.”

They exchanged smiles, the boy took the tray out the back and Virgil went out to the front to wait for his mum.

Natasha came back, looked up and down the street, and announced. “Right then. We’ll go for a walk along the seafront – get some fresh air in the lungs.”

“Why bother, Mum? Your lungs are half-full of cigarette smoke anyway.”

“All the more reason to do it then. Come on, Virgil. Walking.”

It took about 20 minutes to walk the main street and along the tree-lined Esplanade to the end of the bay. The beach, below the sidewalk, was small and stony; it consisted of gray pebbles, mostly. There wasn’t much sand. The incoming surf was small and choppy and there were a lot of big rocks sticking up out of the water in the bay.

It was obviously not a great swimming beach, and this was confirmed by the community swimming-pool, built between the sidewalk and the beach. The pool was surrounded by old wooden bench-type seats and there was no roof over it – obviously.

The concrete walls and floor of the pool were painted, of course, but they weren’t the normal swimming-pool blue. This one was green – bright, pale green. If they were trying to match the colour of the sea out there, it didn’t work.

As they walked along the road and back again, Virgil was checking-out the people they saw, especially the males. He was not looking for Joel’s face. (But he was looking anyway).

They got back to the car, got in and went home. Natasha settled down with a bottle of wine and a soppy movie on the TV. Virgil went to his room to watch a decent one on DVD.

Next morning, after breakfast, he decided to go for a walk and scope-out the town. He missed Jimmy. He’d just have to walk without him then. His mother was still sleeping, he didn’t wake her. He figured that it was best to leave sleeping dogs, and mothers, lying.

He left a note on the kitchen table, weighted down with a coffee mug. The note read, ‘Dear Mum, I’ve gone out. Virgil.’

Well, she couldn’t say that he didn’t tell her.

He left the house quietly and walked down to the main street again. He’d seen a visitor information centre across the road from the café, at the end of the carpark. He’d go there and check it out. What better place to find out about the town they were in?

The visitor’s centre was big for a small town. Not that he’d seen a lot of them, but it was big. The walls were mostly covered in photos, posters and pictures of local attractions and history, along with a few maps and lots of tacky souvenirs and touristy crap.

Who in their right mind would be seen dead in one of those gaudy hand-knitted jerseys and things? Certainly not any teenager hoping to keep his credibility.

The service counter was just inside the door and the center of the long room was filled with long racks containing hundreds and hundreds of brochures advertising accommodation and attractions all around the top half of the South Island, arranged in alphabetical order.

He didn’t expect to find any advertising Tiroroa, but there were a couple – one for the camping ground and one for the Bushman’s Café. Hah! He could tell a thing or two about the food in that place! Gross at best. Still, it was nice to see their brochures. Tiroroa had, almost, been his home for a while. It was an okay sort of small town.

There was a large-scale map on the wall showing Kaimoana and the surrounding district. Looking at it gave him an idea and he went to the telephone kiosk at the end of the room, to have a look at the local phone-book.

As far as he knew, Joel was living with Sally’s family, and her family name was ‘Griffin’. There were half a dozen Griffins in the book, so that wasn’t much help. However, there was a listing for Griffin Marine Engineering, so that would be where Joel was working. That was in South Bay, which was a suburb of the town, over at the other side of the hill – to the south, obviously.

He was not going looking for Joel, but it wouldn’t hurt to know where he lived. Then he’d know where to stay away from.

He decided to go to this South Bay, to have a look at the business. Maybe he’d find a clue to tell him where the owner lived.

He had another check of the map, and then headed off, feeling quite proud of his detective work so far. It wasn’t too far to walk – a couple of kilometers. He had all day and nothing else to do with it.

The highway went up and over the hill to South Bay, but there was another way, a back-road climbing up from behind the Esplanade, so he went that way rather than back-track where he’d already come.

On the way along the Esplanade, he passed the girl who he’d seen yesterday, with Sally, but he couldn’t remember her name, so he just smiled, said ‘Hi’ and kept walking.

The back-road joined the highway at the top of the hill and he walked down there, turned left at the bottom and walked along into South Bay. There was a racecourse, with old stables and grandstand etc., just next to the intersection with the highway, and then a couple of blocks of small houses on the left of the road and the sea to the right.

The sea was calm and flat enough at the moment, but it was so close to the road that waves must wash across it at times.

Near the end of the houses, there were a few buildings, mostly big sheds, on the sea-side of the road with a couple of slipways and a small jetty poking out into the water. One of the sheds had a big sign across the front, above the open door, proudly proclaiming, ‘Griffin Marine Engineering’. Success!

Now, if he could find the owner’s home phone number, he’d be able to work out the address – so that he’d know where to stay away from, of course. What a great detective he’d make!

He crossed the road and went along for a nearer look. He stopped in front of the open door and looked up at the sign. Sure enough, there were several phone numbers up there. Dammit! He didn’t have a pen and it was a long way to go back and get one.

‘Ah, of course!’

He took out his cell to send a message to himself and started recording the numbers. A yard-broom appeared out of the shadows inside, closely followed by a young guy in blue overalls.

‘Joel! Oh, dammit.’

His first impulse was to flee and run back up the road where he’d come from, but, he couldn’t. His legs weren’t taking any messages and it was like he was glued to the spot. Joel leant on his broom and they stood and stared at each other, for ages.

It seemed like hours, but it was only a couple of minutes, before Joel sighed, smiled and said, “Hello Virgil.”

“Hey Joel. How’re you?”

“I’m good. You?”

“I’m fine. We’re living here now, in Kaimoana.”

“Yeah, I know – Sally said.”

“Yes, well. I might see you around then. Goodbye Joel.”

He turned to walk away but stopped and looked back when Joel called.

“Virgil?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you, Virgil. I’ll love you ‘til I die.”

“Joel! Oh shit, Joel. I love you so much.”

Neither of them knew why, but they stood staring and tears ran down their faces. Joel stumbled a tentative step forward. Joel leaned towards him, and then they rushed at each other, threw their arms around each other and hugged hard. They stood sobbing and bawling on each other’s shoulders.

Their heads swiveled, their mouths came together, and they kissed. And kissed. And kissed, pouring their souls into each other. They backed off and grinned widely, still crying.

“So,” Virgil said. “Pulled anyone out of burning cars lately?”

“Not for a while, no,” Joel replied. “You’ve got taller.”

“You think? I’ll be patting you on the head before I’m done.”

“You can pat me anywhere you like.”

“Anywhere?” Virgil reached out and gently patted Joel’s butt.

“Anywhere!” Joel agreed. He reached around, grabbed his buns and pulled him into a close embrace.

They kissed.

“Cynthia’s gone?” Virgil said when they separated again.

“Cynthia who?” Joel replied with a grin. “You’re the only one for me, Virgil. Always have been, always will be. I told you that.”

“You did? When did you tell me that?”

“In the letter I left you. Didn’t you get it?”

The letter. Oh!”

“Oh?”

“Oh. I didn’t read it. I threw it in the fire.”

“You didn’t read it and you threw it in the fire. Stubborn Little Sod.”

“Well, I wasn’t very happy at the time.”

“I know. I’m sorry. That was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. I’ll never do that again, if you’ll take me back.”

“Take you back? Okay, I’ll take you back, on trial.”

“On trial?”

“Yeah. You’ve got 50 years, and then we’ll see.”

Fifty years, is that all? Okay then that’ll do for a start. I love you.”

“I love you too, you big lump! I’ll always love you – always!”

They clinched again. After a couple of minutes, Joel said, “Oh Damm!” He pushed Virgil off and turned him around.

“Virgil, I wish you hadn’t worn a white t-shirt.”

“What do you mean? Why not?”

Virgil looked down at his shirt, he couldn’t see anything wrong with it.

“Come here, I’ll show you.”

Joel took his hand, towed him through the workshop and out to the smoko-room out the back. “There.” He indicated the mirror on the wall. “Take a look at the back of your shirt.”

“Why?” Virgil stood back-on to the mirror and twisted his head around.

“Oh yeah,” he grinned. “You’ve got your big greasy paw-prints all over my back.”

“I did. I’m sorry, Virgil. I forgot that my hands were dirty. Take it off and I’ll try washing it. There’s a washing machine here.”

“You will not! I’m not taking it off and you’re not washing it. I’m never going to wash this shirt – ever! When I’m old and getting doddery, I’ll have it to remind me of when I got my Joel back.”

“Oh sweet Boy! I love you.” Joel left some more paw-prints on the shirt.

“Give me a couple of minutes,” he said, breaking away again. “I’ll wash-up, lock-up and we can get out of here.”

“Great. But, I don’t want you getting in trouble – you’re working here.”

“Not really. I’m not getting paid, it’s Sunday. I just came in to clean-up and mess around for something to do.”

“Really? Haven’t you got anything better to do on your day off?”

“I didn’t, until now. Now I think I’ve got much better things to do,”
Joel grinned.

“Oh yeah!” Virgil grinned back. “Me too!”

A few, long, minutes later, they walked together back up the highway into the town, chattering and delighting in their reunion. They belonged together; both of them knew that.

Joel didn’t have wheels – yet. He soon would, his dad was going to give him the Chevy for Christmas. He just needed to get a new car for himself first. Dick was tired of driving the old gas-guzzler. Joel didn’t mind, he was delighted to get the Chevy, he loved that car, it was special.

Virgil agreed. It was special to him too.

Joel said that he was living with his uncle and his family, in Torbay Street, in town, but he wouldn’t be for long. He wasn’t comfortable there and he’d be out of there as soon as he could.

Sally was okay, she was great actually, but her brothers were a pair of pains in the butt. Aunty didn’t like him at all. She didn’t say anything, but it was obvious that she had no time for him.

Virgil said that she must be nuts then.

Uncle, on the other hand, did like him – too much. He suspected that Uncle had the hots for him. He hadn’t done anything, but Joel could tell.

Virgil said that was quite understandable and – eww!

Back at his new house, his mother wasn’t at home. Where would she be? Shopping probably, that was her favourite hobby. He gave Joel a quick tour of the house and yard and they soon finished up where they wanted to be – in Virgil’s room and in his bed.

It’s not easy getting naked when you’re lying down and your lips are fused to someone else’s, but they managed.

Busy hands were everywhere. They were in such a hurry that they didn’t even notice that the door wasn’t closed properly.

They made sweet love together until they lay cuddled in post-coital bliss and drifted off to sleep. Life didn’t get better. Sweet!

The partially closed door blew wide-open when Virgil’s mother returned and she opened the back-door. She had been shopping and was laden with packages, mostly groceries though.

Natasha dropped everything on the kitchen table, switched on the kettle for a coffee, and went back to the car for the rest of the shopping. Back in the kitchen, she sighed as she surveyed all of her spoils.

She’d spent more than she should have, but there were just so many bargains! The bank balance had had a bit of a battering. Mr. Grumpybum would not be approving.

She was quite aware that she was the mother and she didn’t need to get Virgil’s approval, but he always made such a fuss. Also, her boyfriend, Barry, would be arriving today sometime. What she spent her money on was none of Barry’s business either, but she could do without the pair of them ganging up on her.

Well, what they didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them. She collected up her clothes purchases and took them to her room to leave them away out of sight.

She left them all on the floor, on the side of the bed away from the door. Coming out of her room, she looked across into Virgil’s and shook her head at the sight. He was back in bed already. Teenagers! They lived in a different time-zone.

He should’ve shut the door if he was going to sleep the day away. She wouldn’t disturb him, they’d been working hard and he was on holiday after all.

She reached into his room to close the door and stiffened when she realised that there wasn’t just one person in the bed. There was two of them!

“Virgil Cain!!” Natasha roared. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing? Who have you got in that bed with you?”

“Mum! Hey,” Virgil’s head appeared from under the covers. “I . .umm. . .Can you shut the door? I’ll talk to you later.”

“You will not! You’ll talk to me right now! Who is that in your bed?”

The covers stirred again and another bright-red face appeared.

“Hello, Mrs. Cain.”

The three of them stood/sat staring at each other – two naked, embarrassed boys in the bed and the irate mother in the doorway.

“Oh. It’s Joel.” She relaxed suddenly and a big smile spread across her face. “Hello, Sweetheart. How nice to see you. Carry on, Boys. I’ll leave you in peace.”

She closed the door and went back to the kitchen.

“Wow.” Joel sat up and looked down at Virgil. “I thought we were dead.”

“Yes, wow,” Virgil grinned. “That’s my mum.”

“Not your average mother.”

“She’s certainly not! But she’s my mum and she knows me. She knows that I love you.”

“I feel like we’ve slipped into the Twilight Zone,” Joel shook his head.

“No we didn’t.” Virgil sat up and kissed him, briefly. “I love you, Joel Stafford. I love you and we belong together. I know that and so does my mum. Actually, I think that’s why we moved here. I think Mum took the job hoping that we’d get back together.”

“Well, not quite,” Joel grinned.

“What do you mean?”

“I started working on it 6 months ago.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, I did. Dad heard that Mr. Henderson was retiring, so I got him to write and ask him to recommend your mum for the job. He did and the school wrote and offered it to her. That was long before we broke up. Didn’t you notice that I was always singing the praises of Kaimoana?”

“No, I didn’t. I wasn’t listening.”

“Well, your mum was, obviously. I told you that we could work something out.”

“You did say that. You crafty beggar! Devious, aren’t you?”

“No, My Love, not devious, just desperate. I love you, Virgil.”

“Oh Joel! I’ll love you forever.”

They kissed.