Chapter Fifteen – Back at Sea

“Just look how buff you are now, man. I can’t wait,” said Jed. Matt gave Jed his signature whatever look. “Seriously, man, you look totally buff. You’ve even got taller! Bet your trousers don’t fit.”

Matt laughed. “Dunno, haven’t worn trousers in ages.”

“We won’t need the rack at school man, we’ll just smash ’em. Imagine when we are both kicking ass, no one will bother us. It will be AWESOME,” said Jed as he put his hands in the air.

“We can’t just go smashing people, Jed.”

“I know, you have to wait for them to ask,” said Jed as he laughed loudly.

There was a thud as a bag hit the floor behind them. “Morning, boys.” Matt and Jed turned around to see Gary stepping aboard, with Dylan and Jude close behind. “All set to go, skipper?”

“Yep.”

Gary put his hands on his hips. “Let’s go, baby. Show Jed how to let the bow go while I help the others aboard.”

Jed followed Matt to the front of the boat and listened carefully to Matt’s instructions. “No goofing,” said Matt, “Gary takes safety very seriously.”

“All good,” replied Jed, Then with a laugh, “Not at school now.”

Matt headed back to let the stern rope go and turned to the others. “Ready?”

“And waiting,” replied Dylan, “let her rip, skip.”

Gary, Dylan and Jude sat back in the sun while Matt and Jed took control of the boat. Matt carefully drove the boat out of the marina, explaining every step to Jed, including how to make a radio trip report. Gary beamed a big smile to Dylan and held a fist in the air. Matt was back.

It was another quiet day. The sea was glassy with only the slightest rise and fall from a long exhausted swell. Matt and Jed chatted between themselves about the boat controls and the navigation tools. Jed took a great interest in the depth sounder and reported the depth each time it changed. It was, he noted, ‘Over our head.’ Gary lay down and snoozed, content to listen to the banter from the boys and the chat between Dylan and Jude, who seemed to be circling each other, coming closer and closer. Soon Gary, content that everything was as it should be, drifted asleep.

Matt throttled the motor back. “We’ve arrived,” he called.

Gary rolled his head over to face Matt and stretched his arms above his head. “Reckon you and Jed can safely drop the anchor?”

“Yep.”

Gary smiled and gave Matt a thumbs up. “Good, I’ll sort the rods. Don’t forget the burly!” Gary sat up slowly and looked around, before settling his gaze onto Jude and smiling. “It’s your first time on the Eldie, so you should catch the first fish. Let’s get you started.”

“I’m not sure about that, Gary, I’ve never fished before.”

“Well it’s an important tradition, so do your best.”

Jude leaned over the side of the boat and looked into the water. “Can’t see any,” she said. Gary winked at Dylan and Dylan smiled back. Dylan knew the drill, only Jude’s hook would have bait on it until she caught a fish. It was a great trick that worked wonders for making visitors feel useful. Beginners luck ran strongly on Eldie.

 

Once the rods were set and the lines in the water Gary turned to Matt and Jed. “Would you two like to do some snorkelling?”

“Yep,” replied Matt, “sure would.”

“Great. Have you snorkelled before, Jed?”

“Nope.”

“That’s fine, Matt will show you what to do. Give him a compensator, Matt and show him how to use it.”

“I felt something!” called Jude.

Dylan reached over and lifted Jude’s rod. “Actually, I think you’re right, pull it up.”

Jude slowly wound the line up while looking over the side. “There it is,” she called.

Gary leaned over with the landing net and scooped up the fish. “Well, you hooked the first fish, well done. It’s even a snapper, however, it is a wee bit small. This one will be heading back. Anything you wish to tell it first?”

“Sorry,” said Jude.

Gary let the fish go and it vanished in a flash, he baited Jude’s hook and let the line back down. “Hopefully that fish doesn’t post anything too negative on Fishbook.”

“Now, boys, all set to go?” asked Gary.

“Yep,” they chimed together.

“Good. I’ll keep an eye on you. Jed, just practice clearing your snorkel and mask. If you can master that on your first splash you’re doing well.”

Jed nodded. Both boys sat on the side of the boat with their backs to the sea and looked at each other. A muffled, “Three, two, one,” came through Matt’s snorkel and they rolled backwards and hit the water with a splash. Gary leaned against the cabin watching the boys swim and practice diving. Each time they surfaced there was a burst of laughter and chatting.

“Can you remember learning to dive?” asked Gary.

“Sure can,” Dylan replied, “thanks for that.”

“You are most welcome, I enjoyed it too.”

“Hey, hey. This is bigger,” called Jude excitedly. Then laughing. “MUCH bigger.”

“Indeed it looks so,” said Gary.

The fish was much bigger. Gary clapped his hands together as Dylan scooped the fish out of the water. “Now we’re in business. Dylan, check your line, you’ve probably lost your bait.”

“I suspect you are right,” replied Dylan, “but first I’ll get Jude baited up and back on the job.” Unsurprisingly Dylan’s bait was missing and Jude took great delight in teasing him for not even noticing he’d lost it. Gary smiled to himself and looked out to sea. The water was cold, so it was not too long before the boys were ready to get out and warm up. Gary reached over and lifted them by their arms, casually hoisting them onto the boat.

“Great news, you’ve got some cooking to do, boys.”

“Cool,” said Matt, “I bet it was Jude.”

“How did you know, Matt? It was Jude!” Jude looked over at Gary and Matt trying to work out what they were smiling about. There was a joke going on, but she didn’t know what it was. Matt and Jed made a great team with Jed taking orders and preparing the buns as Matt cooked the fish. Before long they were all sitting in the sun, enjoying a much-appreciated lunch. Once the lunch banter settled down Gary got everyone’s attention.

“Now, there’s a rule at karate. What happens on the mat, stays on the mat. We don’t take any issues from karate outside. If there are scores to settle from training, they get settled in training. Understand?”

Matt and Jed nodded.

“Today there will be another rule, what is said on the boat stays on the boat. Understood?”

Again Matt and Jed nodded.

“That means you don’t even discuss it between yourselves, not a word.” Gary looked at Matt and Jed in silence until they nodded again.

“Okay. Dylan gave Ru a little bump. The bump was to make sure that there is no misunderstanding whatsoever what the consequences will be if things don’t go well.” Gary paused and looked down for a moment. “Ru will never bother you again, I am certain of this. But you need to be sure never to bother him either. If you meet when out and about, ignore him, walk away. Don’t make eye contact, don’t put him in a position where he has to back down, because you cannot deliver on that. I don’t want there to be any further grief with Ru and you need to play your part. Understood?”

Matt and Jed nodded in silence.

 

“Now young Rooster is another story, I have no idea what he’ll do if he sees you. But the same approach is best, just walk away and don’t put him in a position where he has to back down. He’s young and hot-headed, he might just blow up. In the meantime train very hard.” Gary smiled and raised his eyebrows to Matt. “But I think you have that bit sorted already eh.”

Matt smiled and nodded. He had been thinking about Rooster and was no longer scared. If it was just Rooster he was confident he could stay safe.

“Anything to add, Dylan?” asked Gary.

“Actually,” Dylan began, “there’s a little history that should be on the table.”

“Here we go,” said Gary smiling and shaking his head. “A fly in the ointment I didn’t know about!”

Dylan smiled. “It’s only a little fly.”

Jude shook her head. “There always seems to be a little fly.”

“Matt, do you remember what I told you about Simon in the car after training, right at the start?” asked Dylan.

“About the guys hassling Simon and you?”

“Yep. Well, Ru was one of the worst and he was on my list. However, he was a bit hard to track down and by chance when I finally met him…” Dylan paused.

“How do I put this? Have you ever needed to do a poop so bad that you’re sure it’s about to pop out and there seems little chance that you will make it to the toilet?”

Matt and Jed nodded smiling.

 

“So bad that you start sweating and you think maybe if you just slipped a little into your butt cheeks it would relieve the pressure and you could perhaps get a bit further?”

Matt and Jed started to giggle and nodded again.

 

“Well, that was me. I was crossing the car park in town, heading for the toilets. I was thinking any moment I’m just going to crouch down between two cars and let it loose. I’m sure my mouth was wide open, I was probably crying.”

“Please tell me you made it,” said Gary.

“Just then I hear a voice from behind, ‘So I heard you were looking for me’, it was Ru. Now under normal circumstances, this would have been fantastic. But what do I do? I could not throw a single technique without pooping myself and I was wearing shorts, with no undies. So there would be no hiding the evidence. Ru would forever be able to say that I was so scared I pooped myself. The only fight option was a leg sweep, drop my shorts and dump right on his head. But we never trained for that.”

“No,” interjected Gary, “we most certainly don’t train for that.”

Jed put up his hand. “Couldn’t you just poop, slide it down your leg, and flick it in his face?” he suggested as he stood up, demonstrating the technique.

“No and we won’t be training that option either,” said Gary with mock indignation. “You know what I would have said if I saw you do your leg sweep and trouser dropping manoeuvre, Dylan?” asked Gary.

Dylan smiled and shook his head.

“I would say your technique was just crap.”

Dylan, Matt and Jed roared with laughter. Jude grinned and shook her head.

“Actually, what happened is I simply turned around and continued to the toilet. Fortunately, I made it, but by the time I got out, things took a while you see, Ru was gone. He told everyone that I backed down from him, which greatly piddled me off. We never met again, he left school early for some reason.”

Jude put her arms around Dylan and pulled him close. “Well, I am proud of you, honey. For making the more dignified choice.”

Gary leaned forward and looked closely at Matt and Jed. “Just a reminder, not a word once off this boat. Loose lips could really blow this up.” Matt and Jed nodded. Gary stood up and clapped his hands. “Any more flies, Dylan?”

“Nope.”

“Righto, thirty minutes to hook a couple more fish and we’ll head back. Let’s get something for you guys to take home.” Gary pulled out another rod. “Okay, boys. You can fish off the bow.”

Dylan put his rod in a rod holder and came and sat next to Jude. He put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek. After a period of sitting in silence, Dylan spoke. “It was just one tap,” he said quietly.

Jude turned and looked at Dylan in silence for several seconds. “You know I’m not hanging around boys being boys? I’m over that rubbish.”

Dylan nodded. “Yep, I know. It was for Matt, not me.”

“No mistakes.”

“No mistakes,” replied Dylan as he kissed Jude again and pulled her close.

The chatter from the front of the boat grew more excited. “YEAH,” yelled Jed, “look at this beast!”

“Don’t lift it out of the water Jed, pull it around the side gently,” called Gary as he leaned over with the landing net. “That’s good, just a bit closer, got it. That’s a beauty! Well, Jed, you’ve caught the fish of the day so far.” Gary hoisted the fish over onto the chopping board and put the tip of a knife in the back of its head. “Okay, team. One more and we’re good to go.”

Gary put some fresh bait on Jed’s hook and the boys enthusiastically headed back to the bow. Gary sat down and leaned forward toward Dylan and Jude.

“Just listen to those boys. You don’t even need to know what they’re saying to know they’re happy. Isn’t it great? Makes it all worthwhile.” Gary leaned back and smiled. “I can remember going fishing and diving with my dad. Some of my best days, now best memories, of my life.”

Dylan nodded slowly as he thought. “I guess I never really had a dad, Mum had partners, but they were never fathers to me. I think mum tried to do that bit too. I got closest to Art, but he’s more of a friend.”

“Yes,” said Gary, “that’s how it seemed to me. You always seemed a bit wild and unbounded.” Gary smiled. “Lots of horsepower, but a bit of trouble staying on the road. Like a 1970s Ford Falcon! Young Matt though is more like a nimble sports car. Cautious, but balanced. Once he lets the handbrake go he’ll be hard to catch.”

Dylan grinned and nodded. “Matt is great, I love Matt. He so SOOO like Simon but doesn’t know it. Simon would have been the most fantastic big brother for Matt.”

“Well that’s you now, buddy,” observed Gary, “you need to be Matt’s big brother for a bit.”

“Until the start of school, then I need to start my new job.”

Gary leaned back and put his hands behind his head. “That’s plenty of time, Dylan, he’ll be on his way by then. We’ll make sure school is a positive experience next year.” Gary brought both hands down with a slap on his thighs and looked at Jude. “Now, Jude. What’s happening in your world?”

Jude smiled a very controlled smile. It was a practised smile. A ‘keep moving, everything is fine’ smile. “The life plan is to avoid dickhead men. Kinda hoping the next one will be alright.”

Gary noticed that Dylan was now looking down and quite uncomfortable. “I recall Heather saying something like that to me once. It was a while ago, I believe I still had hair. Maybe you should have a chat with Heather. She may be quiet, but she’s very smart and considered. I do believe she has some of this stuff sorted. Did a world of good for me.”

Jude nodded. “I just might do that.”

“You know that old saying? Behind every successful man is an astonished woman,” asked Gary.

Jude laughed loudly. “No, but so true.”

“Well,” Gary continued, “behind every good man is a strong woman. Sometimes men need a little kick in the pants.”

Jude put her hand on Dylan’s neck and shook his head gently. “Well, Dylan. Maybe we should try that? So, Gary, do you kick the front or back of the pants?”

Dylan shook his head while Gary laughed. “You’ll have to work that out, I suggest giving both a go and seeing what works best,” said Gary.

“GOT ANOTHER ONE,” yelled Jed.

“You good boy,” Gary called back. “Well, guys. Let’s sort this and start heading back.”