About a boy part 1

A five year old boy, could be any boy. Was sitting outside on the front steps smiling. Flashing his missing two front teeth enjoying the weather. It was a nice summer day, sun shining and birds singing. He was there in black long pants and a yellow polo shirt. Even at the age of five, he knew that wasn't right but his mother had specifically told him to wear it and considering the circumstances he thought he'd humour her.

In his hand was a red rose. He'd been told to sit on the steps until everyone else were ready. His older brother waiting in his room and his father in the kitchen. All waiting. His mother was in the bathroom putting the last touches on her hair. Now, something you have to realise, is this was back in the early to mid eighties so styling hair took multiple layers of aerosol Elnett and mousse. Those poodle curls didn't just settle that way, they had to be arranged. Arranged carefully. Then finally sealed with extra strong Elnett. It always took her ages to get ready, but today was special.

She finally came out, high poodle hair, black dress, black heels and waterproof mascara. You could feel a chill in the air a mile away. His dad went out and started up the brown Ford Escort. His mother rounded up the older brother and he joined the boy on the backseat. The backseat, usually the battleground of siblings trying to annoy each other until someone got blamed. Nobody said a word, they drove in and out between other families doing their thing on Saturday mornings.

They were however, not like any other family. After ten minutes of silence they arrived at the church. It wasn't an actual church but rather a chapel. Outside they joined a few close friends and immediate family. The older brother, John met up with their three cousins who were throwing rocks at the big oak tree. All while his parents greeted their friends and family. Not everyone were informed, let alone invited to this intimate gathering. He had heard his mother Angela say "The less commotion, the better" to her sister Sally.

His father had gone over to talk to his sisters, one of which had come home from Miami. She had recently married and had a baby. Not in that order, much to the displeasure of Angela. Angela might have come from a working background, like her husband Kenneth, but that didn't mean they couldn't strive to better things, perfection.

Like her hair, Angela had made sure the day would go by without a hitch. First chapel, then place the stone, and finally lunch at the riverside restaurant. The riverside restaurant had been almost impossible to get on such short notice. That had really been an imposition. Finally she had gotten the 40th birthday of some cow bumped and she'd gotten the good room. The one with the riverside view. That had been a good day.

Suddenly the bells started ringing, and people started entering the chapel. He felt his mothers hand around his upper arm and was escorted into the chapel like the perfect family. Even the clothes matched, although there was only so much you could do with black. His father was in a black suit and a hideous yellow tie, and John was in black pants and a black polo. The walked the long way up the aisle to the front where they took their seats.

It was the day they would say their final farewells to Sean. The priest had a moving speech, there were people crying all around the chapel. He sat there with his rose, still in his hand, turning his head now and again. Not looking at or for anyone in particular. It was just a long time to sit there, on the old chairs listening to organ music and priests talking about God Almightys way. He spotted a few classmates and a teacher who had somehow found out it was today. They were crying, everyone were. That is, except his mother and him. His mother sat there cold as ever worrying about the flowers. Were they too much or too sparse?

You realise, it could easiely become too gaudy and it could look like they weren't caring. The carnations really bothered her. She'd specifically asked them not to include purple. One little thing and the look was ruined. For a moment Angela considered going up there, removing them. They were so distracting, what was the priest saying, she thought.

Kenneth grabbed his wife by the arm and motioned for her to get up. It was time to leave a flower on the casket. They each had one. He, the young boy, was the only one who had a red rose. The others had yellow flowers. Everyone had mistaken Angelas hesitation for sorrow but Sally knew better. She knew that Angela would not be sad today. Possibly ever. She had always been good at keeping her emotions at bay.

After the flowers had been placed they walked the casket up to the stone where it was placed. People gathered around hugging and telling the family that everything was going to be alright. You see, there was a reason why God had taken his 11 year old boy. The casket was not lowered into the ground, it stood there for a while, and then everyone went back to their cars and drove off to the riverside restaurant. Sean would be cremated and set into the plot the following weekend in the presence of only Angela, Kenneth, John and the boy.

The now little family of four, would leave last, telling the priest thanks for the lovely ceremony. Before they left, the boy ran back to the casket and took back the red rose. It was going into the ground and what was the point in that? Angela was furious, she yelled at him from the front seat about common decency. It was not proper etiquette to take back something you'd already given to someone else. The boy blurted out "but he's dead! He's not gonna use it". After that, they drove in silence.

The heat was overwhelming by the time they arrived at the riverside restaurant. Angela immediately rushed to the back to make sure the drinks were served before greeting the guests. This time, it was an even more select crowd. Kenneths family would not be attending, and the classmates and teachers had been told it was strictly family. No freeloaders, and no riff-raff. This would be the funeral everyone would talk about for years. The boy was kept close, at the adults table while his older brother and cousins were at the childrens table. She would not make the rookie mistake of placing the two of them at the same table.

She only made mistakes once and everything worked like a charm. By the dessert she went to the loo. Made sure she was alone. Went to the last stall and had cried. Only for a minute. Angela composed herself. Fixed up her makeup and went back to the table like nothing had happened. The boy, with his mothers iron hand away, relocated to the terrace to be alone.

He sat there all by himself enjoying the sun and the view of the river. Boats would sail by and he would wave. Sometimes the people onboard would wave back. It made him smile. His mother noticed he was missing and sent aunt Sally to find him. Aunt Sally brought an orange soda and her fifth gin and tonic out on the terrace. She staggered over and handed him the gin and tonic. He laughed. She always did that, but this time he took a sip. It wasn't nearly as revolting as he thought it would be, but it was strong. Sally gave him the soda and they sat there drinking in silence. They understood each other, and sometimes he wondered what it would be like to have Sally as his mother.

Sally had never married, she had always been the gorgeous one in the family, the one who could get any man she wanted. And she did. Married, rich and beautiful. Tall, dark and handsome. There had been so many gentleman callers, that she'd been asked to leave the building she'd lived in before buying her own penthouse appartment downtown. Now in her fourties she was still desirable but had decided to take it easy. She'd started to enjoy a drink, a bottle of red wine or Champagne instead. Sally didn't particularly like children, and in fact she had never liked John. However she had a special bond with Perry, the young boy. She let him do and get away with anything and what boy doesn't like that.

Perry went for her drink again, this time taking a big sip. She grinned and patted him on the head. He smiled back at her. This time it tasted even less revolting. "Your mother is looking for you" she finally said, "we'd better get in before the ice cream melts, she'll have a fit if that happens". Perry smiled and said "we are not having ice cream, it's sachertorte". She laughed, took his hand and they went back to the room. Kenneth had just thanked everyone for coming and hoped they'd enjoy the rest of the day as there would be drinks after dessert followed by an assortment of sausages and cheeses.

Suddenly the boy of a couple of Angelas best friends came in. Blue around the mouth, looking a little queazy. He was followed by John who was grinning to himself. His parents ran to him asking what was wrong, and then they smelled it. It turned out John and one of his cousins had convinced the poor boy to eat a urinal mint. A blue one "it's blueberry" he'd said, "we've all tried them". He was immediately rushed to the hospital for a check-up but they were harmless. It was only quite disgusting.