Date: Fri, 7 Dec 2007 13:16:50 EST
From: Djedoric58@aol.com
Subject: The Only Way To Fly Chapter 5

Two days after Billy's pronouncement about the weather closing in, the band
arrived, bringing with them the new lead guitarist and Jake.  Billy knew
some of the band and there were hugs all round, but on being introduced to
the new lead, his manner changed abruptly. For some reason he took an
instant dislike the poor guy despite his efforts to be friendly. His name
was Ken and, according to Trilby, was a very good guitarist. When Ken held
out his hand, Billy stepped back a pace, scowled, and placed his right hand
against his chest and pushed it away from him in a downward motion.

	There was a painful silence for a few seconds, broken only by a
deep "Woof!" and the biggest Old English sheepdog I had ever seen bounced
out of the bus to pounce on Daley, almost knocking him to the ground. This,
I guessed, was Jake, although Boot would have been a better name for him as
he looked just like the dog in the strip cartoon, "the Perishers". By the
time Daley had calmed the dog down, Billy had disappeared. Once we had the
band settled in the lounge with tea and coffee, I drew Daley to one side
and asked him what Billy's sign meant. Daley said, "He doesn't like the new
guy."

	"But he's only just met him." I exclaimed.

	Daley shrugged his shoulders. "Well, you ought to know the kid by
now; he's a pretty canny kid."

	I went in search of the boy and, after searching the bedrooms and
studies, I looked in the music barn, He was huddled in a corner, his arms
tight round his knees, with his head resting n his arms. I called to him,
not wanting to startle him, but he gave no sign he had heard me. I walked
up to him said his name. He raised his head to look at me then looked away.

	I sat down on the floor beside him and touched his shoulder, and
felt the tremors coursing through his body. "Billy, do you know that guy?"
He shook his head and leaned it back against the wall, his eyes shut
tight. "Did he remind you of someone?" Again he shook his head. "So what
made you frightened of him?"

	Billy frowned and shook his head again. He clenched his right hand
and lifted his little finger, moving it from side to side while the middle
finger of his left hand stroked his chest in an upward motion. In the short
time I had been at the house, Daley and Billy had taught me some of the
basics of sign language. "You have a bad feeling about him?" Billy nodded,
and then a tear trickled down his left cheek. He touched his left middle
finger with his right index finger, signing the letter I, then stroked his
open right hand down his right side and finishing palm down, meaning want,
then he brought his closed hand to his chest then signed the letter D
twice.

	"You want your dad." I said softly. The tears flowed and I pulled
him into as warm an embrace as I could muster, and let him weep against my
chest. In the market he had shown an amazing maturity, now he was just a
little boy grieving for is dad. I held him close, rubbing his back, and I
felt him pushing into me, finding a refuge while he got rid of pent up
emotions. When he was finally in control of himself, he pushed away and got
to his feet.
	Sniffing back fresh tears he tapped his fist against his forehead.

	"No," I said, "you're not stupid at all." I stood up and adjusted
my jacket. "Some people are sensitive to the vibes others radiate, some
good some bad. My dad only had to look at someone for a few seconds to know
whether he could trust them. You might be the same. But I promise you, no
matter what you feel around this new guy, or anyone else, I won't let
anyone harm or hurt you. Okay?" Billy looked at me, his eyebrows raised in
a question. "Yes, Billy, I really mean that." It wasn't a confession of
love, as such, but the nearest I could say without making a fool of myself.

	Billy nodded, wiped his eyes on his sweatshirt sleeve and headed
for a door at the far end of the barn. I followed him and he opened it to
reveal a short corridor at right angles to the door. I closed the door
behind me and followed Billy to another door. This opened onto the hall by
the kitchen. I had wondered about that door but had been too polite to ask
about it. I guessed that the corridor had once been a storage room but now
created access from the house to the barn without having to go across the
yard. No getting soaked just to play music. I followed Billy into the main
lounge where Daley had made tea for the band, and on seeing Jake, toasting
himself in front of the fire, Billy's eyes widened.

	He signalled to Daley who said, "This is Jake, my dad's mutt. You
don't have to talk to him, just whistle, like this." Daley whistled softly
and Jake's head came up. Daley whistled again and Jake went to him and
pushed his snout into Daley's outstretched hands. Daley scratched him
behind the ears then said, "Whistle him, Billy. Let's see if he likes
you. If he doesn't, you'll soon know about it."

	Billy squatted down and whistled the same way as Daley, and Jake
turned his head to look at him. Billy whistled again and Jake came straight
to him, gave him a good sniff then sat down and raised a front paw. From
then on, Billy was captivated, especially when Jake endured a fierce hug
from him.
	Billy looked up at Daley for an explanation and Daley said, "It's a
long story. He lived on a farm for a few years and was trained to respond
to whistles rather than voice. Then the farmer died and he was passed on to
my dad. We'll take him out for a walk tomorrow and I'll teach you some of
the whistles. If you want full control, put him on a lead. He knows he has
to behave then, otherwise he's a free agent. Just give him some food for
now, and he's your friend for life. Trilby brought some with him; it's in
the kitchen. Just click your fingers at him."

	Billy stood up and clicked his fingers, and Jake was at the door
already, his tail wagging frantically. Billy followed the dog out into the
hall and all eyes were on me. "He wants his dad," I said and the band made
muted comments. I had noticed a few of the band members eyeing Billy,
specially Ken. Now he was watching me and I stared right into his eyes. I
didn't like him either. "And if any of you have any ideas about getting too
friendly with him, he's off limits." Was that a flicker of annoyance I saw
cross Ken's smug face? I'd met up with guys like him before - handsome,
immaculate woman chasers who didn't understand the word "no".

	I turned to Daley and said, "You're the boss, Daley, and I trust
you'll back me up on that."

	Daley nodded. "He's right, boys. Any of you touch him and I'll
personally see you in court, after a trip to hospital first. There are
enough of us in the band to keep us satisfied, and enough rooms stairs to
disappear to. Now, some house rules for you to observe. We're here to rest
up and rehearse for the new season. The house belongs to the kid now, and
it's up to all of us to respect that. We're here as his guests so, if you
make a mess, clean it up, if you break anything, you either fix it or
replace it. We all, and I repeat ALL, of us will help around the
place. We're in for a bad storm and may have to lock ourselves in and ride
it out. Don't know for how long. The kid has stocked the place with enough
food in the freezers and the cellar to keep us going for a few weeks but
that doesn't mean pigging out whenever we want. Be sensible is all I'm
asking. Anyone not happy with that, they can leave now before the weather
sets in. If you stay it means you agree with the house rules."

	The only one who seemed uncomfortable with the rules was Ken, but
to be fair he had only just joined the band.  I had got used to being part
of the "family" and liked the idea of comradeship, but there were some men
who wanted to be apart, be on their own.  That didn't work with Daley's
outfit, and Ken would have to learn fast; and if Daley allowed it, I would
take great delight in teaching him.

	The funeral went smoothly, even though a gale had sprung up,
heralding the storm to come. Mr and Mrs Watson took charge of the wake,
which we held in the barn so that Billy would not be inundated with too
many people in the house itself. Almost all the villagers came up to pay
their respects, and Billy tolerated the attention as long as he could
before disappearing upstairs with Jake for company. Halfway through the
afternoon I pulled Daley to one side and asked his opinion of Ken.

	Daley grimaced and stared down at the glass of beer he as
holding. "I haven't made my mind up yet. Of course I'm uneasy about Billy
not liking him, but Trilby says he's an excellent guitarist so maybe we
have to compromise. We can't afford to lose him, Mags, we haven't the time
to look for anyone else. He knows there will be little reward, as we all
do, and he could easily have stepped into a professional band, there's no
question of that."

	"Well I don't see why Billy should have to compromise. Just keep
Ken away from him, okay?"

	Daley gave me that strange look of his, hinting that he knew
something I didn't. "What?"

	"Nothing."

	"Come on, Daley. You know something."

"That's for you to find out." Daley said with a crooked smile.