A Worthy Opponent. The Real Story of James Hook

Pherick Bellanger

To begin with I must tell you that this is what I think happened not what I know happened. There is a large gap between think and know. Also, we don't know James Hook's real name because Mr. Barrie said that even to this day it would set the country ablaze so we will have to settle for calling him Pherick Bellanger in the meantime.

  The Bellanger family were a very well-to-do family with a good reputation.  

Mr. Bellanger was a retired sea captain and Mrs. Bellanger a pretty girl Mr. Bellanger found in France, but though I mention them here I don't think I'll mention them very much as the story will proceed.

This scene will take place in the Bellanger's parlor and as now we peep in on them you will see Mr. Bellanger leaning against the mantel (he had found in it China) smoking a pipe (from America) and talking to Mrs. Bellanger who was perched on a deep red sofa (from Japan) and sewing a small rip she had found in the kitchen curtains (from India). Now if you look a little to the left you'll see a lovely little boy of about fifteen years bent over (well now sitting up strait because Mr. Bellanger told him too) a bit of homework (from Eton college where he attended) at a lavishly carved desk (a gift to Mr. Bellanger from the Ambassador of Turkey) and trying hard but unsuccessfully to be polite and not listen to his parents' conversation which was about him and though you may think bad of him doing it I would like to see you not listen to a grownups' conversation about you.

The conversation went as follows:

"But of course he'll be a sailor and take after me," said Mr. Bellanger.

"Love, I'm not saying vaying a sailor isn't vright but I just don't sink it's vright vor Pherick," Mrs. Bellanger replied in a voice so smooth you could spread on bread.

"Is a sailor's path not good enough for the boy, Lucindia?"

"Not vright vor 'is education, my dear."

"Well then! What do you suggest?" Mr. Bellanger puffed at his pipe heatedly.

Mrs. Bellanger (or Lucindia) looked up at Mr. Bellanger with her large brown eyes and brushed a lock of jet black hair behind her ear and smiled sweetly but seriously with her beautiful ruby-red lips.

"Mayve a Voctor or perhaps even a Lawver?" (If you're confused she has a very thick French accent and this her way of saying, Doctor and Lawyer).

"There are far too many of those and I don't think-."

"Vell, dan sink! Sink avout his vuter and vat vill be the best vor 'im!"

I sink-I mean-think we shall stop listening to this conversation and turn our attention to the little boy (or Pherick as we now know his name).

Pherick didn't like any of this talk of when he grew up any more than you would.

What if he didn't want to grow up? What if he wanted to stay young forever? And what happened to the thing the teachers says -what was it? - About choosing what you get to be when you grew up.

You may think this childish but he didn't.

This talk made him feel as though his parents didn't love him and were trying to rid of him (not true in the slightest).

Then a thought occurred to him that I hope never has and never will come to you.

Pherick Bellanger had decided that he would run away and not grow up. Who could tell him what to do if he was living by his self?

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