The Dragon of Nottingham - The Beach Recordings - Part Two

We entered Uncle Jack's Crab Shanty and saw that the Sampson's were already seated. Mr. Sampson had just whacked George over the head with a Crab Shanty menu and Mrs. Sampson was using her menu to cover little Celia's eyes. When they saw us coming they were all smiles and Mr. Sampson put his arm around George and smiled even harder. He even tousled his son’s hair.

Celia pushed the menu away from her face and looked right at me and smiled. I don't ever remember being smiled at by a girl before, but there it was. The most beautiful smile I ever saw. And it was all for me. I froze for a moment and my dad had to nudge me into my seat. And not once did Celia take her eyes, or that beautiful smile, away from me. Not once. She was seated right across from me and I couldn't help but smile back. That's when I felt the pinch on my leg. It was her brother George saying hello. He was seated to my right, and when I looked up at him I wasn’t expecting a pretty smile in return. He did have a wicked grin, though. And he flashed it my way as he kicked me in the shin with the back of his foot. It hurt like heck, but I never once broke the boy code of suffering in silence until you could figure out a proper revenge.

As the pain to my shin eased up a little, George began to crack his knuckles. One knuckle at a time. Right in my face. And not once did his parent's ask him to stop it. They were too busy trying to entertain my mom and dad to pay much attention to their half-witted son. Besides, kids sit pretty low in their seats. It’s easy to miss us if you’re not paying attention. Then, while George was busy with his menu, I dared to take a glance over at Celia, and darn it if she wasn't still looking back at me with the most amazing look in her eyes. Like I was the first boy she ever laid eyes on and she wasn't going to take them off until she knew all about me.

I didn't know what to do about that smile. So I hid behind my menu. I tried reading it, but the words were just a blur. I couldn't think straight. When the waitress asked me what I wanted, I said I'd have a salami sandwich. Then everyone laughed. Except Celia. The waitress told me it wasn't on the menu,  I could have a fish-stick sandwich instead.  And that's what I ordered. 'I'll have a fish-stick sandwich, too' said Celia. That's when my heart started beating real fast.

When the waitress took the menus away I had no place to hide. I was out in the open again with those smiling eyes watching my every move. That's when George decided to re-introduce himself to me by sneezing in my ear. His mother noticed and told him to use a napkin next time. That’s when Celia got out of her seat and came around to my side of the table. 'Let me help,' she said to me. Then she when she dabbed her napkin in my water glass and started wiping my ear. I must have fainted or something, because everything after that was pretty fuzzy.

The next thing I remember is Celia asking me how I got to be so cute. I mean, how does a guy answer that? I didn’t know. So I didn’t answer. I just looked down at my plate as George was helping himself  to a handful of my french fries. ‘Thanks, Isaac,’ he said. ‘How kind of you to offer.’ Then he scooped up a spoonful of his peas and carrots and dumped them on my plate. He whispered in my ear that a weakling like me could use the nourishment. That’s when I said  a big slob like him could use some manners. Unfortunately, that’s the only part my dad heard. I was told to apologize. Which I did. When I looked back at my plate there was a pile of curly fries on top of my peas and carrots. When I looked up at Celia, there was that smile again. I tried to say something but couldn’t. ‘You’re welcome,’ she said.

Desert was uneventful. I think George got tired of playing with my food. So, when I finished my apple pie, I excused myself to go to the bathroom. On  my way I could feel Celia’s eyes on me the whole time. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face if I tried.

But the smile left me when George entered the bathroom behind me. He came in like a wild tornado bent on destruction. Before I knew what was happening, George had me seated on the toilet and was wrapping a roll of duct tape around me and the bowl. ‘I told you you’d get it,' is all he said. Then he left. That's when something special happened.