What Goes Around Comes Around

"?and you never contribute any money! You're happy to eat food from
our cupboards and use your mother as a laundry service but we never get
a penny in return. Not even a thank you!"
He was off again. Adam had become used to his father's rantings but it
didn't make them any easier to bare.
"?and that college course was a waste of time. I mean, one year! You
only lasted one year! You'll never get anywhere in life if you can't
stick at anything for longer than a year! You're a waste of space
boy."
It was pointless trying to reason with him when he got wound up like
this. Adam just didn't have the energy to explain for the umpteenth
time that it had been his tutor at college who had been the waste of
space, not Adam himself. He'd tried to stick at the course, really he
had, but Mr Stern by name, Mr Stern by nature and Adam wasn't the only
one who'd dropped out. His Mum understood but his Dad wouldn't even
try. Suddenly a newspaper was thrust in front of him.
"?and there's no point whining that there's nothing suitable for you
again this week, I've already looked and circled at least 6 jobs. Jobs
that a disabled monkey could do! See, I'm taking an interest in your
future even if you're not!"
Bollocks! Thought Adam. He doesn't give a shit about my future, he just
wants me out of the house, out from under his feet. He swallowed the
urge to point this out to the fat, balding tosser yelling at him with a
face that looked like a beetroot on acid. Instead, he obligingly
glanced over the circled situations vacant spread over the kitchen
table.

Wanted. Hard working person for kitchen position in a busy fast food
restaurant.

Yeah right, Adam rolled his eyes. Minimum wage for maximum hours in
Mcdonald's. Not my idea of a future thanks Dad.

Street Manager required to oversee and maintain the quality of
Parkstone streets.

A road sweeper then. This time Adam sighed, it was no use. With only
half a mechanics qualification and nothing else to show for his
nineteen years on the planet he was never going to get anywhere. Even
if he did manage to scrape a living from somewhere it would never be
enough for his model citizen, hard working,
never-had-a-day-off-sick-in-his-life father.
"?and it's no use sighing and rolling your eyes like that boy! If you
want a life kicking around the streets, turning to crime to fund a drug
habit then so be it. But you won't do it under my roof!"
Finally Adam snapped. A year of the same monotonous lecture every
weekend got the better of him and he stood up to face his father (but
was actually looking down on him being 5 inches taller).
"You think you're so perfect hey? It's easy for you to lecture me
about finding a job and bringing home the bacon but that won't
necessarily make me a better person! You might have had a regular wage
since you were eighteen, a nice house and a loving lap-dog wife but you
ain't so perfect mate. I know?" He was going to say it. The secret he
had known for years but had decided long ago never to tell. He didn't
want to bring it up now but this ignorant twat had to be silenced.
Thank God Mum was out. Before his father had the chance to utter words
from his gaping mouth Adam continued. "I know about Julie."

And that was all he needed to say. His father was stopped in his
tracks. They maintained eye contact while his old man searched for a
comeback. But none came. He couldn't even be bothered to defend
himself. Sad bastard, thought Adam as he slammed the front door behind
him.

Adam wished he wasn't wearing his jumper as he stormed down the street.
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon with not a cloud in the sky. It was a
shorts and T-shirt day, perfect picnic weather but this notion was lost
on the youth stewing in his own self pity.
He turned the corner and without much enthusiasm headed for the park. A
group of younger boys were kicking a ball around and laughing without a
care in the world. Adam would have given anything to be twelve again,
worrying only about how pocket money should rise with inflation and the
prospect of spots one day. As he sat on a bench in the quietest corner
of the green his mind wandered away from gloomy thoughts of his father
and on to more pleasant nostalgic ones. Once upon a time it was he who
took pride in scoring a goal during a kick-about with his mates in the
park. The long summer evenings of the school holidays were filled with
tree climbing, slug races, smoking for the first time when no grown ups
were watching and discussing which girls had the biggest boobs
(actually the latter was something he still did with his mates). Never
once did they consider having to go out to work one day or needing
money for anything other than buying stink bombs and gobstoppers.
Then during his early teens his worries consisted of how to ask a girl
out, what he'd do if she said yes and then what to do when the time
came to actually kiss her. There were only so many things you could
share with your mates and kissing techniques wasn't one of them.

Then Adam's afternoon took a brief turn for the better. In the distance
he clocked a lycra clad beauty roller blading towards him. Time stood
still as he made no effort to conceal his gaze. This one was a fox. She
had a tanned, toned physique that would make any girl green with envy.
Her pert bust was barely being restrained by the strip of material
surrounding it and her long blonde hair billowed behind her like
something from a shampoo ad. The climax came for Adam when, as she
bladed past - she smiled at him! Wow, life is beautiful after all, he
thought and couldn't resist a gawp at her perfect arse as she left the
scene.
Then Adam was aware of smaning and smooching noises to his left and
turned to see the younger boys jeering at him, hugging themselves and
kissing the air. Little shits, he thought but smiled at the irony of
the difference a few years make.

An hour passed and Adam remained in his seat. The perfect blue sky was
now strewn with clouds and a dark atmosphere rolled through the park.
In typical English fashion it looked like it would rain. People came
and went and took little notice of him. The few passing people who did
acknowledge him looked away too quickly and increased their speed, as
if he were dirt, or worse, dangerous.
This is what my life will be like he mused sullenly. A disgrace to
society, rubbish on a bench, not worth a passing glance. But the
seconds that followed were to change Adam's destiny. Or maybe it was
always his destiny that in the park, late on this Saturday afternoon
his neighbour, Mrs Fletcher, would have her bag snatched by another
youth and that Adam would make chase and that this chase would lead him
to his future.
Mrs Fletcher had shrieked. No distinguishable words but a shriek that
Adam identified as a shriek for help. He looked up and saw the frail
old woman he'd known since childhood (and who had always seemed frail
and old) wrestling with her assailant. It was quite a sight. He was
lanky but much taller than she. She didn't give up without a fight
though, clinging to her bag with Supergran strength. Inevitably, her
grip on her possession eventually weakened and the youth ran off with
his prize. Adam was already running after him, past Mrs Fletcher who
was now being tended to by other park users and past her yapping
terrier dog.

Adam wondered what the hell he was doing. Chasing a potentially
dangerous criminal through the streets of Parkstone wasn't a regular
activity for him. What would he do if he caught him? Wrestle the bag
back and let him go? Knock him to the ground and sit on him until the
police arrived? Adam pushed his questions to the back of his mind and
concentrated on the chase. He may be a layabout with no job or money
but he had kept himself fit and was thankful for that now.
He didn't know how long he'd been running, only that he and his target
were now out of the park and heading for the end of Fortescue Road.
Being local, Adam knew that the only way to go at the end of Fortescue
Road was down. Down a very steep hill. Did the assailant know that? He
must have been suicidal if he did. But there was no time for second
thoughts. Adam had started the chase and he would make sure he finished
it. What did his Dad know about him not sticking at anything?

The youth in the distance made a brief glance backwards. A risky move
that cost him valuable seconds. Adam was gaining on him now. It crossed
his mind that whatever the outcome of his actions, his Dad would have
to admit that he was a good guy after all. But he wasn't doing this for
his Dad. The decision in the park to chase this nasty piece of work had
been split second, it was for Mrs Fletcher and all the other people in
the world who had suffered at the hands of thugs. There had been no
doubt in his mind, it was just what he had to do.

Adam's heart was beating so hard and fast it could have burst in his
chest. His legs were burning from the exertion and he wasn't sure how
much longer he could go on. But his objective was slowing, he was
tackling the steep hill now and quickly disappeared from sight. Adam
was determined not to be beaten and he hit the hill running. With each
step the ground disappeared from beneath him and where his head told
him to slow down, his gravity said "no chance!" He picked up speed
until the thug was only feet away.

But then it all went wrong. His right foot slammed down hard on a rock
making the leg give way. His left leg, still in motion, flew up caught
his right knee, then the ground came rushing towards him at what felt
like 100 MPH.
Adam was aware of somersaulting down the remainder of the hill, rolling
for a distance and coming to a stop on a hard concrete floor.

He didn't dare open his eyes. The pain shooting around every inch of
his body was enough to tell him he was still alive. It started to rain,
big, wet droplets splashing hard on the ground close to Adam's face but
he remained dry. He cracked his eyes open at the sound of a man
whistling through his teeth.
"Well, it's fair to say I ain't never seen a man fly quite like that
before and I was in the Air Force for twenty years."
"Wuh?" Was the only reply that Adam could manage.
"You alright mate? That was quite a tumble." The figure standing over
him was helping him to sit up. Adam assessed the situation. His head
was pounding but his arms and legs seemed to still be working.
"Uh, I think so."
"Just a few cuts and bruises, you'll live." The stranger continued to
help him to his feet and after a wobble or two, offered him a seat.
"Theo Watkins." He said offering his hand.
"Adam Clarke." He said, shaking it.
"I'll put the kettle on, typical English attitude, a nice cuppa tea'll
make everything better."

Adam was still too dazed to argue. He took in his surrounding. He was
sitting in a mechanics garage, Watkins Motor Care, the one at the
bottom of the hill, Adam realised that now and wouldn't forget in a
hurry. Theo Watkins was a softly spoken man with a large belly and
tattoos up both forearms. On the walls around the garage Adam noticed
several pictures of what must have been family members; a lady around
the same age as Theo (possibly his wife), three kids in various stages
of life but none older than ten or eleven and an older couple on a
cruise somewhere sunny (possibly his parents).

As it happened, Theo was right. A nice cuppa tea did make Adam feel
better and it wasn't long before the two men were in
conversation.
"I saw you chasing that guy." Theo shared. "Any particular
reason?"
"He swiped an old lady's bag in the park."
"And you chased him all the way here?"
"Yep."
"Good for you kid, there should be more people like you in the
world."
Adam remembered his earlier encounter with his Dad. You're a
layabout... Can't stick at anything... Never gonna get anywhere in
life. His Dad's words swan round his head.
"I wish my Dad saw it like that." Said Adam glumly and when Theo
raised his eyebrows to show an interest in the lad's story, Adam
proceeded to tell it. When he got to the part about having done a year
of a mechanics course at college, Theo smiled.
"This is your lucky day kid. I had to sack my junior last week, now he
was a layabout. You know what that means?" Adam was slow on the uptake,
after all, he had had rather a nasty bump to the head. He shrugged, not
wanting to risk shaking his head in case it hurt. "It means I'm looking
for a trainee mechanic and you my friend, have just passed the
interview. The job's yours. I knew you were somethin' special when you
flew into my garage chasing a thug, that deserves respect." Adam
managed a smile. "You believe in Karma? What goes around comes around?
Well, you're livin' proof kid."