Autumn to summer in Penny Lane

October Part two

The light morning sun weakly shone through the kitchen window as Thomas made himself a cup of tea prior to taking Fudge out for her annual morning walk. In the living room he could hear the pompous tones of Piers Morgan talking loudly over one of his guests. Normally the mere sound of Morgan's voice would be enough to irritate the life out of him but his thoughts were elsewhere.

Stirring the cup as Thomas took a sip he thought over how impotent he had felt after trying to sort out the matter of that racist taking Calam to Court for assault. The news had taken him and Holly by shock and if they had been asked which of their children would end up in Court and certainly for thumping someone would have put money on Calam's younger brother Charlie. Their eldest son was laid back and hated violence whereas Charlie and indeed Calam's twin sister were both hot heads who took after their Father.

Thomas smiled ruefully when Calam had confessed when he was ten that he didn't really like boxing. It had slightly hurt him as he wanted his sons to enjoy and be engulfed in the highs that boxing could give. Calam had also a natural talent which had made Thomas proud as he thought his oldest boy would follow and even eclipse his own achievements. He was proud at how handled his own disappointment. Not to be like his old man who would have smacked Calam and then took a perverse pleasure in forcing him into the ring and fighting. Besides to succeed in boxing you not only had to accept pain but have that brutal killer instinct to finish your opponent off. Calam albeit through his confession didn't have that.

Still they had football to share as they went the match and even now were sat together in the Kop. Thomas had enjoyed taking him to watch Liverpool and watching him play. Admittedly Holly was quite glad that Calam no longer wanted to box but Charlie did and even played football. However he was not as good as his older brother although he could hold his own.

It had to be Sod's law that Calam had to be involved in a fight that got him into trouble. When Charlie was a kid he knew his younger son had been involved in brawls but nothing had come of it thankfully. But Calam who was doing what he expected any man to do was protecting his girlfriend Caitlin and now he could be punished for it.

The unfairness of it pressed down on Thomas's chest as he felt the rage whirling around his body. When Calam had told him there was the immediate urge to batter that racist. Another surge hit him as Thomas knew he would have pummelled the racist if it had been him and not Calam. There would not have a 'minor facial injury,' meaning a fat lip and a broken nose but a smashing of bones and knocking him into next week.

If the racist had even been stupid enough to press charges well he would have been persuaded to see the error of his ways. Some people were dense and needed to be enlightened and Thomas had done a bit of teaching of that in the past when he was younger, especially when he had been living in London. Consequently it felt perfectly natural to try and sort out this arsehole for Calam. 

Only like old age time had caught up with Thomas.  Whereas even ten years ago a quiet word would be enough to make someone to have a re-think of events it went Pete Tong.  The not so subtle hint was taken straight to the Police with the added weight of intimidation.  Luckily Thomas had ensured he had enough witnesses to confirm he was elsewhere but he had exacerbated the wound and dug a deeper hole for Calam.

Grimacing, Thomas could hear the loud Cockney voice of his wife Holly calling him stupid and that times had changed.

'This ain't the 1970's when you were working for Harry and a quiet word would be enough.  Jesus Christ Thomas what were you thinking of?  You've only made matters worse!'

Calam it had to be said had carried it all with dignity and his son certainly knew how to act.  It had all been professional and he just hoped that as him and Holly said 'it would be all right.'