ONCE UPON A PRANK

“Are you coming tonight?” Tamnor asked. Justin was swirling his reading chair gently and staring down at the open page of the leathery notepad laid before him on the table. The notepad was a last day of the year gift from Nancy and it was easy to notice his sentimental attachment to it. If Tamnor didn’t know better, he’d think that justin had a thing for the giver of the gift as well.

“Are you?” Tamnor pressed. Freshly bathed and sprawled across the center of the bed, Tamnor was in the 11^th minute of his customary late evening rest. Soccer training could be draining, and every evening he would lay himself down, alarm clock set to ring up and get him off the bed in an hour. He needed it, even the ever-burdensome Coach Wangell had recommended it.

“I haven’t hit my daily target today” Justin looked up grinning “besides I won’t be missed at the party, it’d be a surprise for me to show up there”

“yeah right, a surprise. A very pleasant one for everyone. So why not give it to us all like a rare gift tonight?”

“there’s a lot at stake – “

“Come on pal, a few exciting hours of social activity won’t harm you. You gotta loosen up a bit.” He picked up the invitation card and placed it in front of Justin.

“Can’t see where the venue is written” said Justin as he eyed the invitation, his eyes resting on the picture of the birthday celebrant.

“Not written there, Shirley’s decision…...Raymond will be here to drive us to the venue.”

Four friends arrived at the Mayfair Garden in a green colored Taxi at 10:30 pm. Raymond and Tamnor led the way with Qwaffie and Justin taking the rear as they walked in at the entrance of the Mayfair Garden’s annex. Their's was a late arrival and the party was already winding down to a close. Raymond’s car had malfunctioned at the worst possible moment. “Bad thing about moving around without your own car” Ray had said as they opted to use a taxi “Is you run into trouble with the cops, and they milk your pockets dry for it.”

“yeah, the Government approved armed robbers.” Qwaffie added

The music wasn’t so loud when the the four friends walked in, the lights in the room mirrored the perfection of the rainbow’s blend of colours. And as expected, the hall was not crowded. They moved in slowly, eyes adjusting to the lighting. They did exchange quite a number of greetings, received taps and hugs as they mingled. Tamnor whispered to justin “look buddie, go grab a dance with shirley…and don’t think of lying to yourself, to her or to me about the extra feelings”. Tamnor broke away and Justin watched him lead a curvy shape to the dance floor, one whose face he couldn’t quite make out. Ray and Qwaffie had made their way to the bar, Justin knew that they would be there for a long time, good thing about them staying there is, it always made them easy to find. Justin had a present for the birthday celebrant, he scanned the hall in search of her.

 The four left the venue of the party in another Taxi at 12:00 A.M and headed west, thankfully they were all going to spend the night at the university campus. About halfway through the journey, they were halted by a patrolling police van. “Trouble, at last!” Ray said with slight frown.

“hey quick, gather up the ‘cheese’ everyone, lets pay them and be on our way” Quaffie suggested. There were four policemen seated at the back of the van, the driver and the occupant of the passenger’s seat made up the two at the front of the van. The four at the back jumped down quickly and were soon at the sides of the taxi, neither of the two policemen at the front did as much as open the vehicle door.

The first policeman peered into the vehicle “who are you?” he barked.

“Officer, we are students” qwaffie played the spokesman.

“students from where?”

Quaffie opened the door and got out of the car, he flashed a smile and his identity card at the intrusive policeman, “Officer, we are returning to the Campus from a friend’s birthday party.” He slid the identity card over to expose the cash underneath, the policeman stretched his hand and receive the bounty, walking briskly back to his three waiting colleagues. “thumbs up, Quaffie” Tamnor said inwardly. A brief moment passed and then the sternest looking of the standing policemen started walking towards the students. “These boys are not serious!”, he declared, “get out of the Taxi.” His voice very aggressive this time, there was no disobeying him.

The drive to the station was a short one, shorter even to the four and to anyone in the Van who’d rather not be on the way to the police station. The four were profiled and booked down at the station, there was no turning back now. Too late, they would spend the night at the police station; amidst the inmates, sprawled on the cold hard flour and inhaling the stench that was a constant in the contaminated air. Their respective bails would be posted the next day, a healthy profit, the night patrol being the police officers’ investment. Justin gasped incredulously; Raymond’s body language spoke of venomous anger; Qwaffie would make a desperate plea every now and again for mercy, while Tamnor appeared uncharacteristically clueless.

The boys were getting stripped, they would be sent to the cells clad only in their boxers’ shorts. Justin could hear his own heartbeat, it was loud now and deafening in his ears. “oh lord, please send me an angel” he prayed silently; his prayer a first in a long time. And like a spiteful answer to his prayer, he heard a crashing sound. Tamnor had slumped against a chair, one of it arms lay broken and fallen away now. “little wonder he had been quiet all through the police saga, he must have been very sick.” Tamnor rolled from side to side, shivering violently, his every breath was labored and his gasps for air were loud.

“let this one act out his drama on the floor, send the others into the cells” came an order from the man who must have been the most highly ranked police staff on duty.

“Is he epileptic” enquired one of the only two policewomen on duty.

“No, but he’s suffered a respiratory disorder on occasions and he has strange allergies” Justin offered.

“Damn, why did you let him come out?” Quaffie is less than pleased.

“But” justin began “ I –“

“No man, you shouldn’t have let him out” Ray can let out some of his pent up anger out now. “accusing fingers will come pointing if anything goes wrong here.”

Suddenly Tamnor’s body spasmed violently and spread horror across the entire room, bringing to submission even the most hardened and unyielding of police’ hearts. Tamnor would mutter bare audibly “call Dr. Berezi.” “Call Dr. Berezi.”

Justin had begun sobbing, his cries getting louder and forming backup sounds that harmonized into a rhythm with the agonizing groans of Tamnor. The police were soon on the move, driving off to the nearest Federal Medical Centre with their emergency case on board, how they’d wish that they had brought this burdensome lot to their station. The police were eager to drive off after Tamnor had been wheeled in at the hospital, they obviously wanted to be as unconnected to the case as possible.

 Tamnor was glad that he friends had been brought to the hospital, now they’d all spend the night at the hospital ward. He had been healthy after all, even the nurses found the story amusing and everyone laughed. The nurse with her hair styled into a ponytail was at his bedside to remove the intravenous fluid which would no longer be required. Tamnor was proud of his feat tonight, an additional trophy to store in his prankster’s cabinet.

And Hopefully, the prank at the police station would not be his last.