The Special Years

         John was sitting in his father’s chair in his father’s study. The house had a damp, unlived-in feel about it. His mother had died a couple of years earlier and his father, Bradley, had lived alone there since her death. John imagined he could smell roast dinner being cooked by his mother in the kitchen and hear his father shouting at a political broadcast on the television.  As he surveyed the room he spotted a ball of screwed-up paper lying on the floor where his father had attempted to throw it in the bin.  Near the bin, a bookshelf in the corner housed some repair manuals and a copy of the Boys Own Annual. He remembered, fondly, as a child sitting on his father’s knee and reading some of the stories. It was then that a shoebox on the bottom bookshelf caught his eye. Looking closely he saw that it had ‘Memorabilia’ written in black marker pen on the side. He reached down, picked it up and, carefully resting it on his lap, removed the lid. Inside were various items that he recognised: his grandfather’s watch, which had been given to him for long service on the railway, several photographs of his mother, anda hand-drawn birthday card which John had given to his father when at junior school. It was then that he noticed a bundle of envelopes in the corner with a single ribbon tied around it. He looked more closely. A luggage label was attached to the ribbon. It read ‘The special years.’ A shiver ran through his body from the cold and, reaching for his father’s overcoat from the back of the chair, he covered himself. Undoing the ribbon he could see that the envelopes were all handwritten, each with an old four and a half pence stamp in the top right-hand corner and marked ‘local’. He carefully opened one of them and removed the letter. A single shaft of light was streaming through the window, and a thousand particles of dust released by time could be seen rising from the paper. He slowly started to read it. Why would his father keep these letters, he wondered …

        Bradley, known as Brad, lived in the village of Stud Burton with his family. This was a fairly small community with a village church. It also had its own junior school, built in the last century. A bell tower complete with a bell stood at one end, but the bell was never rung. The old entrances – on the left for boys and on the right for girls - still existed. The classes were mixed but the girls and boys had separate playgrounds which were strictly enforced by the teacher and monitors. The exception to this was a small playground which joined the two where both sexes could play. One of the girls who had attended this school along with Brad was Jackie, a pretty girl with long pigtails. Brad and Jackie sometimes used to play together in the small playground - hopscotch, skipping, marbles, sometimes kiss chase, the friendship glued together with the innocence of childhood.

        Jackie lived around the corner from Brad with her family and sisters. Her father was a stern man and, as a college lecturer, would have long summer holidays, most of which he would spend traveling with his family in their motor home. Brad and Jackie had graduated to different Secondary Schools in the nearby town, and it was the start of the fifth year. A new young vicar had taken over the Anglican Church and was keen to establish himself. It was September and the Vicar had arranged a gathering on the common, to which everyone from the village was invited. Brad had gone along as well. His mother had suggested he should help out with the games because he was captain of the rugby team at school but Brad had become bored and had wandered off, unnoticed, into the nearby wood. As he entered the wood he saw someone standing by a large oak tree. Drawing closer he realized it was a girl that he recognized. It was Jackie! He had not seen her for some time but she was different now. Gone were the pigtails, and in their place flowed long blond hair. She had lost her plumpness and was now slimmer and was wearing a loose blouse that showed off her curves. Brad said hello, which startled her. His voice was much deeper now, which seemed strangely attractive to her. He was well dressed in slim jeans, and rugby had made his body more muscular. His curly hair was still the same, but he had darkness around his chin where he had started shaving. Jackie had been picking blackberries and was holding a small basket that she had picked.. She picked a juicy blackberry from the basket and offered it to Brad’s lips. He chewed slowly, and she popped a second, then a third into his mouth. A small amount of juice started to trickle from the corner of his lips and she tenderly wiped it with the side of her finger. A sudden compulsion overtook Brad and he instinctively put his strong arms around her and pulled her body into his. He could feel her breathing and her heart beating against his chest. Her bright blue eyes were looking straight into his, and she started to close them. Before they both realized what was happening his hands were running through her golden hair and their lips were touching. It lasted only a few seconds but it was a kiss, and the feeling was electrifying. Jackie’s emotions were not limited to her lips, but traveled through her body. It was very disconcerting, and she felt out of control. Brad on the other hand found himself trembling with excitement as he held Jackie close. He was aware he was becoming a man. They never said anything as they walked back to the common, but that kiss would remain with them for the rest of their lives.

        A while later a letter arrived through Brad’s letterbox. It was handwritten and firmly stuck down. As he opened the letter his heart jumped. It was from Jackie, inviting him to a firework party organized for the teenagers at the vicarage. Brad immediately put pen to paper and accepted. Later at the vicarage, he found himself standing by the bonfire watching the fireworks with Jackie. As he did so, as if by fate, their hands touched, and Jackie wrapped her hand around his fingers. Before they knew what had happened they were holding hands, it seemed so natural, and the start of a lovely friendship. Although they did not live very far apart they took delight in writing letters to one another. Sometimes they would phone and have long conversations, but this would often be disturbed by Jackie’s younger sister who would insist on listening in. At the weekend's Brad had a Saturday job at the town market and Jackie would meet up with him when he had finished work. They would go for long walks looking in the shop windows. Occasionally they would meet at a local Wimpy Bar where Brad would spend half of his wages on a meal for them. They would chat for hours. Most of the time they chatted about school and their friends, but sometimes they imagined that they were married. Then they would imagine the things they would do together. On some evenings they would meet up at each other’s houses and help one other with homework. Jackie did most of the helping and had ambitions that she would go on to Oxford. She had a good relationship with her mother and would sometimes talk to her about her feelings for Brad. Her mother would listen intensely but drift off into a daydream about her own teenage years. On the other hand, her father was not happy about her friendship with Brad, as he thought her far too young to date. He had much greater ambitions for his daughter.

        It was the end of the summer term. Jackie had finished her exams and had just come home from school. Her mother was in the kitchen and looked concerned. She explained that her father was anxious about her growing fondness for Brad and that he wanted to see her in his study. Jackie went in and closed the door behind her. After a few minutes, she came out shouting to her father, accusing him of never liking Brad and slamming the door behind her. She ran upstairs to her room, crying. Her mother followed her and, on opening the bedroom door, found her sobbing on the bed. She put her arm around her daughter and said that her father loved her and only wanted the best for the family but that his word was final. She explained that it was hard growing into a woman and that Jackie must break the news to Brad gently.

        At the next Sunday service, the vicar announced that there would be games for everyone on the common on the following Saturday and that those attending should bring a picnic. When the time came Jackie arranged to see Brad and prepared some food for the two of them. It was a bright, sunny day and every one was laughing and happy. Jackie took Brad’s hand and they went off to find the oak tree where they first kissed to have their picnic. She laid a blanket on the ground and carefully spread out the food. There were chicken sandwiches, biscuits and severalhome made scones that she had made that morning. There was also a small pot of blackberry jam made from the blackberries she had picked. As they ate, Brad chatted excitedly but Jackie was quiet. What her father had said was spinning in her brain. She was hoping it was all a dream and she would soon wake up. How was she going to tell Brad? When they had finished eating they both lay down on the blanket looking at each other. It was then that Jackie had a strange impulse to take Brad’s hand and place it on her breast. Such a display of affection would have been unthinkable before that afternoon, and Brad had never tried to touch her, but she wanted to give him something to remember her by. She wanted to show him, love. As she did so she whispered

“I love you, Brad”.

        Brad’s mind was racing. He had never touched a girl like this before but he had often wanted to touch Jackie this way. It felt so soft, it felt so right.

“I love you Jackie” he replied.

This was an intimate moment between them, one they would never forget.

        Just then they could hear someone calling for them. They quickly packed up the picnic and made their way back to the common. When they arrived Jackie’s family were standing by the vicar and he beckoned to Jackie to stand with them. Brad joined the rest of the crowd who were gathered around them. The vicar then said

“Many of you know this family and the joy they have brought to this village. Well, a new job has been secured in Wales and the family are leaving on Monday. I am sure all of you will join me in wishing them all the best in their new home, and every blessing for the future.” With this, the crowd gave a round of applause.

 Jackie was motionless. She was looking at Brad. He was still the strong, curly-headed boy she knew but there was something different. He was trying to clap, but a tear was falling down his face. He looked so sad. At that point, he raised his hand and wiped the tears with the corner of his finger, just like she had done to his lips when they first kissed.

        That night, both Jackie and Brad lay awake, thinking of each other. Brad never went to see Jackie off. Somehow he couldn’t bring himself to say goodbye. Jackie looked out for him but she knew in her heart that he would not come. Their friendship together was unique. It was a precious moment in time that they would never forget. It was their ‘special years’.

--------------John suddenly opened his eyes, realizing he had drifted off to sleep. Who was this Jackie, he thought. Neither his father nor his mother had ever mentioned her. He pushed the letters to one side and started to search for any further correspondence, but there was nothing. He was just starting to replace the lid when he spied something in the corner of the box. Picking it up, he saw that it was an old, used railway ticket, marked Llandudno. Did his father go and see Jackie, he asked himself. He would never know.

The end