Jay reflected on the meeting when he got home. He placed things mentally into their own little boxes, analysing their possible impact and consequences. He didn’t want to lie to people but he knew but he convinced himself that it was a necessary evil. Jay just hoped he could lie convincingly.
Jay didn’t understand why he had agreed to help the S.I.S. It wasn’t like him to be spontaneous, and it definitely wasn’t as if he needed any new challenges in his life. Jay concluded that he probably - subconsciously - wanted to make a clean sweep of things; he didn’t want to have the police case hanging over his head for the rest of his life and he definitely didn’t like the thought of nuclear weapons getting into the wrong hands. Maybe, just maybe, he was taking responsibility for his own life for once.
Jay’s thoughts wandered a little as he remembered the encounter with the old man. He started scribbling on a block of paper.
The Drummer
I who once was a young drummer boy
Played regimental rhythms in comfort and joy
I quickly grew up looking down at his face:
Fourteen years as his life ceases
I carried him back in several small pieces
I who invested my life in this way
Proud feelings turned guilty, a perennial shame
As I asked the crucial question, why?:
If we have the power to talk things through
Why don't we? Why can't we? Are our intentions so untrue?
I who had faith, have faith no more
No forced opinion ever gave justifiable war
A lack of compassion with no compromise
Just feeds the demons within;
It’s a war we never can win
“Hello darling”
“Hi Jay.. I’ve missed you.. What’ve you been up to?”
“Oh.. nothing much.. Just work.. the usual.. you know” Jay tried to act naturally and not to think about the other stuff.
“Zu?”
“Yes my dear?”
“What do you say to eating dinner with me tonight?”
“That would be nice.. Can you come and pick me up?”
“I’m already on my way.. See you in five minutes!”
“See you soon darling!”
Jay was already out of the door before Zu had switched her phone off. He stood outside Zu’s door eight minutes later.
“Wow! That was quick.. I hope you haven’t been speeding?”
Jay kissed Zu before she could say anything else.
“No no.. I just did the usual ninety-five all the way”
Zu squeezed Jay’s right buttock as he stepped through the doorway.
“Where is everyone?” asked Jay, noticing how quiet it was in the house.
“They’re out shopping and Sharif hasn’t come home yet.. It has been very peaceful.. so I’ve got loads of Uni work done”
“Sounds good.. Maybe we should sit in your room?” Jay gave Zu a big hug and attempted to lift her up.
“No Jay!..” Zu slapped him lightly on the shoulder “..We can’t.. and besides, I’ve got my period unfortunately for you!.. Well.. actually.. it is fortunate for you that my period came!”
“Oh yeah.. I hadn’t thought about that.. I’d better buy some condoms I suppose?”
“Yes.. you’d better had!..” Zu gently pinched Jay’s cheek “..Come on.. I’m hungry” Zu grabbed her jacket and bag and turned Jay round, pushing him towards the front door. Zu started typing a text message in the car.
“Just letting my parents know where I am Jay”
“Good to hear.. You are a dutiful daughter Zu” Jay clutched her knee and gave it a squeeze.
“I am.. I don’t want them to worry.. which is why I tell them everything”
“Everything Zu?.. Not everything I hope?”
“No.. not that type of thing.. of course not!.. That would be sick!..” Zu put on faked nausea ”..No.. I tell them what they need to know”
“So ..do you have any secrets?”
“If I told you they wouldn’t be secrets any more.. But no.. none that I’m aware of.. I’m obviously not going to share details of things like that with my parents!”
“Do you have any secrets Jay?”
Jay couldn’t believe his own stupidity for having started the conversation. His voice became more tense and his face reddened slightly “No.. I don’t think so..” He looked across to Zu to see if she was looking at him. Luckily she hadn’t noticed his embarrassment or the change in his voice “..But everyone has little secrets or tells white lies.. don’t they Zu?”
“Yes.. I suppose they do”
“But don’t worry Zu.. If I ever keep anything from you..” Jay patted Zu’s thigh “..it’ll be for your own good”
“For my own good?! ..What do you mean by that?”
“Oh look!.. Here we are.. my place.. á droit..” Jay parked in a space outside his flat and turned to face Zu “..What I mean is.. I will always tell you about things at some stage.. sooner or later.. not necessarily immediately.. but I promise that I will never be unfaithful to you or anything like that..” Jay took her hand and brought it up to his mouth, kissing it gently “..that’s all I meant”
“Good to hear darling” Zu kissed Jay solidly on the lips.
“But there is something I’ve got to tell you!”
“What?” Zu made no attempt to hide her annoyance at yet another unexpected surprise.
“I’ve taken up Tae Kwon Do.. to keep fit”
“That sounds like a great idea Jay..” Zu grabbed hold of Jay’s extra tyre through his shirt “..We don’t want you getting any flabbier.. do we?”
“Oh.. you are so sweet!..” Jay tickled Zu in her ribs “..I’ll have to do lentils for dinner tonight then!”
“Don’t you dare!..” Zu climbed out of the car “..I’m expecting a three course luxury meal..” Zu followed Jay into the apartment “..When are you going to be doing this ‘Tie quand dough’ thing anyway?”
“It’s Tae Kwon Do.. and it’ll be every Thursday evening for about ten weeks”
“Ok.. I’ll change my cleaning times at Globus to Thursday then”
“Good idea Zu.. You are so sweet!” Jay placed a big sloppy kiss on her lips.
“Maybe we could go together ..on the tube?”
“Arh.. no ..it’s unfortunately at the other end of town.. But we could maybe meet up somewhere afterwards?”
“We’ll see.. Let’s see how it goes” Zu hung her jacket up and headed to the kitchen “So.. Mr.Jarrett.. Let’s see what you can do in the kitchen shall we?”
Zu noticed the solicitor’s letter on the breakfast table “Have you heard from your defence lawyer by the way?”
“Oh.. yes.. yeah I have.. They’ve written to me.. but that reminds me.. I’ve got to call them back.. “ Jay picked up a pencil and began writing a note on a block of paper “..to confirm a time”
___________________
“Wallis Greene Solicitors”
“Yes.. hello.. My name is James Jarrett.. I’d like to speak to Rupert Osborne please”
“One moment please sir” the receptionist put Jay on hold. An unknown melody bearing eighties overtones blasted down the phone “I’m afraid his line is busy.. Can I take a message?”
“Err.. yes please.. Could you tell him that I won’t be needing his services anyway? ..inspector Meldova can give him the details”
“And your name is again?”
“James Jarrett.. and he needs to speak to police inspector Meldova.. M.E.L.D.O.V.A”
“Ok.. I will pass that on”
“Thank you”
“Thank you.. Have a nice day”
“Err.. thank you.. You too”
Jay lamented the good old days when people just said goodbye. It now seemed compulsory to have a nice day or a wonderful time. Gone were the days of anything being ‘normal’ - that would be too mundane. And wishing people ‘a normal day’ would sound stupid too. Instead, the human race
would continue to dish out the daily dose of adjectives – a fix of superficiality.
“Good morning Jay!”
“Oh.. hi Paul.. How’s things?”
“Very good.. very good indeed!.. I got a couple of hits with that script of yours yesterday.. I’ve asked Simon if I can carry on analysing them.. Hope that’s ok with you?”
“Yeah.. sure.. no problem.. no problem at all.. I was just going to carry on with CHAPS anyway”
“Alrighty.. This should keep me out of mischief for a while then”
“That’s got to be good!” Jay winked over to Paul “Have you seen Simon around?”
“Yeah.. he’s in his office I think”
“Any problems Jay?”
“No.. just want to book some holiday ..that’s all”
“Holiday?!.. You’ve only just started!” Paul smiled through his sarcasm.
“Yeah.. I know.. But I’ve worked so hard I now need a break!”
“Jeez.. all these part-timers!” Paul shook his head with a wry smile as he carried on typing on his keyboard.
Jay went over to Simon’s office and walked in.
“Morning Simon.. I saw the door was open.. so I allowed myself in”
“Oh.. Hi Jay.. Yes.. just come in.. What can I do you for?”
“I’d like to book a couple of days holiday if I may?”
“No problem.. When are you thinking of having your holiday?”
“May”
“Yes.. you may!..“ Simon grinned “..But when do you want your holiday?”
“Ahh.. very good Simon!.. From the tenth to the fourteenth of May please”
“Only four days?”
Jay nodded.
“Ok.. Yes.. no worries Jay.. It is hereby noted in the calendar.. Where are you going?.. Anywhere special?”
The question caught Jay off-guard. He was unsure about what he should say.
“Oh.. it’s just a seminar.. some sort of CE-BIT type thing one of my friends has arranged”
“You should’ve said Jay! You probably would’ve gotten it covered by the bank.. Let me know next time.. right?”
“Yes.. will do”
Jay’s web of intrigue was even beginning to test his own memory. He decided to note what he had said and to whom on his mobile phone. He saved it as an encrypted file.. He made a note that he had to tell Zu that he was going on an extended weekend course in May.