Inheritance

Chapter Six. Confirmation.

Chapter Six 

Confirmation 

Ray Harrison was one of John's former classmates, but unlike John, he was not very studious. After a miserable performance in his "O" level exams, he had wisely decided to leave school, and take up an apprenticeship in the shipyard. Free from the strictures of school, Ray satiated his pent up desire for broad shouldered brightly coloured jackets, string ties, drain pipe trousers, and winkle picker shoes. He could have doubled for Elvis with his "DA" haircut and long sideburns. Dark haired and swarthy he looked far older than eighteen.  

Ray fancied himself a ladies' man, and had often thought of attempting to gain admission to the Sixty-nine club, a local nightclub of dubious reputation. Frequented by the well heeled, it featured live entertainment, gambling tables and dancing, but was far too expensive for the grammar school set. It also had an age restriction. Patrons had to be aged twenty-one and over, but the rule wasn't strictly applied, especially in the case of attractive young ladies. 

Instead of attending the Boxing Day dance at the Coro, Ray decided to try his luck with the older ladies at the 69. He had no problem gaining admission, and chose an ideal position at the bar, where he could simultaneously watch the entrance, the exotic dancers on stage, and sweet talk the bar maids. His brazen attempts to seduce one of them was interrupted, when he saw Tanya, John's girlfriend, enter the club on the arm of a silver haired man, conspicuously dressed in an evening suit. Ray looked on in amazement.  

He knew she was supposed to be out with John that night.  

At first Ray thought she might be entertaining a relative from out of town, but. Tanya's limpet performance on the dance floor, and the couple's frequent, passionate, public embraces soon dispelled that notion. The nature of the relationship was obvious. Especially when the overheated couple retired to one of the upstairs rooms, which could be rented by the hour, and remained sequestered there, far into the night. 

Intrigued, Ray trawled for information. A barman, compliant after a substantial bribe, told him that this torrid affair had been going on for several months. The man involved was a top executive at Vickers. Married with two children, he was separated from his wife.  

Wait until John heard about this. It was going to be fun to see the egghead squirm. Maybe tomorrow, before the match at Craven Park.  

***** 

John stood alone in the mizzle, waiting for the bus outside the Miner's Arms, the gloomy weather matching his mood. Never before had he been stood up. He should have expected it, after that bedroom farce. Tanya was obviously expecting so much more. She had probably been with other guys. Hopefully she wouldn't tell anyone of his inept performance. Did girls talk to one another about such things? Whatever, it was over, and he intended to act as if nothing had happened. 

The bus ground to a halt, spraying his recently laundered cavalry twills with ice cold rain water. Just his luck.  

Had Ray missed the bus? The fogged up windows made it impossible to tell. John boarded anyway as he didn't want to miss kickoff. He clambered the stairs to the upper deck. Ray sitting at the front, directly above the drivers cab, turned and gave a wave of greeting. 

"Bloody Hell, mate. What have you being doing to yourself? You look like death warmed up, and what's with that huge plaster on your forehead?" 

John sank into the seat next to Ray and explained how his route on Christmas Eve had ended in the emergency room at the cottage hospital. 

"So that is why you didn't go to the Coro last night." 

"I was at the Coro.'" 

"Really, did you go alone?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"I thought you were hot to trot with that sex pot Tanya Taylor." 

"No. I finished with her just before the holidays." John hated lying, but there seemed to be no alternative.

"I thought that must be the case 'cos I saw her at the 69 Club last night." 

John felt his stomach contract, his heart pound. Not daring to speak, he played for time by wiping the condensation off the bus window. When he felt a little more composed he posed the dreaded question. 

"Who was she with?" 

"Does it really matter, John? It's over and done with." 

"I have to know. Was it anyone I know?"  John crossed his fingers, dreading the worst. 

"Somebody from Vickers, an older guy. I think she's been going out with him for some time." 

At least it was no one from school, but it was still a shock ,producing an increased hammering of heart on chest, a constriction of his throat, and a rising blush. John turned away from Ray, striving to control his anger. A nervous cough, followed by a swipe across his snivelling nose with the back of a hand, brought some composure. Best to change the subject - put on a brave face.

"I met Leggy Atkinson at the dance last night."

Ray took the hint.

"Leggy Atkinson. I've heard that she's quite something. Another couple of years and she'll be quite a knockout. I hear she already has a lot of the sixth formers drooling. How about you? She's probably more your type than that floozy Tanya." 

A week ago he might have floored Ray for such a comment about Tanya, but now it seemed appropriate.  

"She's okay I guess, but I have my eyes set on one of the Edgar girls." 

"That's the spirit. You show them. Now what do you think of Barrow's chances against Bradford Northern?"