and they were crying and weeing themselves and running off, so we had to try something else. One of the boys suggested that we light a fire and Stu could leap over that. Even Stu thought that sounded a bit toodangerous. Then somebody found some plastic guttering, and we decided to fashion it into an archway. We set it at the top of the ramp so Stu could come through it. Then someone found some blue plastic sheeting. We could stretch it over the arch and Stu could come flying through it, like someone off TV. It was going to be perfect.
‘It was then I think I heard the sirens.’
He had a drink and thought for a moment.
‘Stu didn’t want to get stopped, so he went back and revved the bike. The sirens were getting louder, and there was someone running down the hill shouting at the top of his voice. Stu revved and revved, and then he was off. He was going really fast with his head down, to make himself as aerodynamic as possible. Then, I don’t know why, he sat back and made himself as tall as he could. He was showing off most probably. Anyway, he totally misjudged where the guttering was.’
He looked Davidde in the eyes.
‘I know plastic guttering doesn’t seem very solid, but when you drive into it at sixty miles an hour without your helmet on, I can assure you it is sturdy enough. It caught him right under the nose. His head stayed still for a second while histeeth flew on ahead of him, like brown wonky marbles. It was a terrible thing.
‘He was on his back, there were sirens and there was shouting. I didn’t know what to do. Everyone else pegged it, and I wanted to as well, but I also wanted to see if Stu was OK. I feel ashamed to this day about it, but I rode off as well, and left Stu there.
‘When I was safe, I looked back, and I saw an amazing thing. Remember I told you about Stuart and his oral hygiene problems? Well, imagine that with blood and loose teeth and cut lips. And remember I told you about the angry shouting man? About how annoyed he was at us? Well, the old man gave Stu the kiss of life. It’s the most selfless thing I’ve ever seen. Definitely the most courageous.’
‘Who was the shouting man, Dad?’
‘Have a guess?’
Davidde thought for a moment, while Ralph flicked his eyes towards next door.
‘Mr Leighton?’
‘Explains a lot, don’t it?’
And then it was Friday.
The school was abuzz. There were a few youngsters who were going to take part, but everybody knew that really it was going to be Lyndon versus Davidde. Dwayne wasn’t in school that day, but Davidde was used to not seeing him on the day of a race. Dwayne was undercover with Lyndon’s gang, and hopefully he’d get to sort Lyndon’s bike like he did last time. Davidde had confidence in how Dwayne was operating, though it did make him feel uneasy. After all, technically, it was cheating.
The day passed quickly enough, and Davidde actually got some decent work done in Art while Dwayne wasn’t there to distract him. Miss was still concerned about Davidde, but he did enough to keep her at bay. Kaitlinn was experimenting with clay and her work was showing a lot of promise.
Back in the house, his father was back before him.
‘Davidde, I got something for you, for tonight.’
This was unusual. His father wasn’t usually one for giving presents outside birthdays and Christmas, and he wasn’t very keen on it then.
‘I been up the attic. They’re my old boots and gloves. I would have got you my helmet but therewas a pigeon nesting in it. Made a hell of a mess, he did.’
They were black and scuffed and undeniably cool.
Davidde thanked his father and put them on. He looked at himself in the mirror and seemed to grow two inches. He felt bullet proof.
‘Get out there and show that Lyndon what you can do. You show him. And his father. Especially his father. He’s the best mechanic I know, but my God, just try spending five minutes with him. He makes you evil, mun.’
At the Rec there seemed to be
‘It was then I think I heard the sirens.’
He had a drink and thought for a moment.
‘Stu didn’t want to get stopped, so he went back and revved the bike. The sirens were getting louder, and there was someone running down the hill shouting at the top of his voice. Stu revved and revved, and then he was off. He was going really fast with his head down, to make himself as aerodynamic as possible. Then, I don’t know why, he sat back and made himself as tall as he could. He was showing off most probably. Anyway, he totally misjudged where the guttering was.’
He looked Davidde in the eyes.
‘I know plastic guttering doesn’t seem very solid, but when you drive into it at sixty miles an hour without your helmet on, I can assure you it is sturdy enough. It caught him right under the nose. His head stayed still for a second while histeeth flew on ahead of him, like brown wonky marbles. It was a terrible thing.
‘He was on his back, there were sirens and there was shouting. I didn’t know what to do. Everyone else pegged it, and I wanted to as well, but I also wanted to see if Stu was OK. I feel ashamed to this day about it, but I rode off as well, and left Stu there.
‘When I was safe, I looked back, and I saw an amazing thing. Remember I told you about Stuart and his oral hygiene problems? Well, imagine that with blood and loose teeth and cut lips. And remember I told you about the angry shouting man? About how annoyed he was at us? Well, the old man gave Stu the kiss of life. It’s the most selfless thing I’ve ever seen. Definitely the most courageous.’
‘Who was the shouting man, Dad?’
‘Have a guess?’
Davidde thought for a moment, while Ralph flicked his eyes towards next door.
‘Mr Leighton?’
‘Explains a lot, don’t it?’
And then it was Friday.
The school was abuzz. There were a few youngsters who were going to take part, but everybody knew that really it was going to be Lyndon versus Davidde. Dwayne wasn’t in school that day, but Davidde was used to not seeing him on the day of a race. Dwayne was undercover with Lyndon’s gang, and hopefully he’d get to sort Lyndon’s bike like he did last time. Davidde had confidence in how Dwayne was operating, though it did make him feel uneasy. After all, technically, it was cheating.
The day passed quickly enough, and Davidde actually got some decent work done in Art while Dwayne wasn’t there to distract him. Miss was still concerned about Davidde, but he did enough to keep her at bay. Kaitlinn was experimenting with clay and her work was showing a lot of promise.
Back in the house, his father was back before him.
‘Davidde, I got something for you, for tonight.’
This was unusual. His father wasn’t usually one for giving presents outside birthdays and Christmas, and he wasn’t very keen on it then.
‘I been up the attic. They’re my old boots and gloves. I would have got you my helmet but therewas a pigeon nesting in it. Made a hell of a mess, he did.’
They were black and scuffed and undeniably cool.
Davidde thanked his father and put them on. He looked at himself in the mirror and seemed to grow two inches. He felt bullet proof.
‘Get out there and show that Lyndon what you can do. You show him. And his father. Especially his father. He’s the best mechanic I know, but my God, just try spending five minutes with him. He makes you evil, mun.’
At the Rec there seemed to be
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