Hidden Friendship

Aaron had to fend for himself, no parents to help him or guide him, no one to love him.  He had to fight for everything he needed, from the food he stole to the clothes on his back, right through to a place for him to lay his head for the night.

He would sit on the top landing of a fire escape and watch the world go by far below, as he ate his stale supper.   Down on the street, the traffic flowed, people driving back home from work to loved ones, a hot meal and a comfy bed.  He didn`t hate them, he wasn`t even jealous of them any more.  Over the years he had grown hard to his situation and just managed to live day to day. He wasn`t ruled by society, he didn`t work nine to five, he could go where he wanted and do what he liked when he pleased.  He was a free spirit.

Tonight he had a large old battered cardboard box and a pile of newspapers, and no one was going to take them away from him.  He had also found a pizza box, which still contained a few slices of ham and cheese pizza.  he could eat like a king this evening.

So as he sat in his usual spot, on the fire escape landing and watched the stream of traffic crawling home, and heard the distant blasts of impatient horns, he listened to some music that drifted up from one of the apartments further below, some rock and roll.  Aaron leaned back against the wall and smiled to himself.  This was cool ... this was the life !

Down below him, in another world was a lad about the same age as Aaron. Jason had a home, hot food and a warm comfy bed.  So why wasn`t he happy ?   Jason was  lonely, he didn`t have friends and his parents were always too busy to pay him any attention too.

that`s not quite true .... he had a few, but they were kids his parents approved of and thought would help them with their future through these kids parents.  He heard the other local kids playing on the street or in the park, he heard their laughter and happy squeals of pleasure as they played, but his parents told him that these kids were not his type and he should continue with his studies so he would make his parents proud.

Tonight he was sat at his bedroom window, watching the world go by, wishing he could join in with it and have some fun.  Instead he had to stay in on his own, while his parents were at some posh function again.  He has finished his supper and was listening to some rock and roll, but still he was very lonely.   The evening rush hour was almost over now and Jason loved to watch the city lights flicker through his window.  He would imagine other people`s lives, the dramas and adventures they would have.  He hated his life and was very jealous of others lives.

Aaron finished his pizza and as it was a lovely warm evening, decided to go and meet up with Zippy who squatted in a cellar about three blocks south of here.  As he made his way down to street level, he wondered if Zippy had any of his homemade brew, maybe they could sit and talk over a drink.

He  down to the street level and darted past the apartment with the music, ran to the end of the block, nipped around the corner, turned on to Maine Street and was gone.

Jason watched a lanky scruffy kid run past his window in the evening light, his eyes darting all around him as he stuck to the shadows and continue down the fire escape ladder to street level, then run to the corner, pause for a moment before disappearing around it.

before Jason realised it, he was out of his window and following this scrawny kid through the shadows and round the corner. He stayed in the shadows as much as he could, eyes glued to the kids.

Where was he going, what adventure would he have ? he didn`t know where he would end up or what would happen to him, but it had to be better than just sitting at his window longing for things to happen and dreaming.

Aaron continued on down Maine Street, three blocks wasn`t far and would soon be in the warm with Zippy.  As he darted along, ever watchful for trouble so that he could stay out of it all.  While he was running through the shadows he spotted a small gang lurking in one of the alley ways and so he paused for a few moments, until he knew it was safe to go on.   Phew .....  safely past and on he went.  Aaron was only a little further down the street, still continuing to keep an eye out for trouble, but no one was after him, he was okay! 

He was just about to carry on down the street, when he heard a shout and then a scream !  He hesitated, listening and then did something he knew he would regret !  Aaron turned round and ran back along the way he had come from and around the corner in the alley way he saw the small gang stood over a limp body of a kid about his own age.

Aaron thought quickly and then shouted  " Ok Mr Cop man, he`s around the corner ..."  then he stamped his foot hard on the ground !   In the alley way, the small gang froze, then they ran away up the alley way as fast as they could.  Aaron slowly turned the corner and walked up to the kid.  Crouching down, he could see the kid had been beaten and was bleeding from a few small cuts.  Luckily he hadn`t been beaten up too badly.

Aaron asked him what his names was,  Jason opened an eye and tried to get up to run away from the kids as he thought this was another member of the small gang.  Aaron held out his hand to help Jason up and smiled at him  Jason realised this kid wasn`t going to hit hi,.  He took the hand that was offered and got up.    Together they walked out of the alley way and into the light of Maine Street,  Luckily, Jason wasn`t badly hurt, just mostly his pride.

Jason had a few dollars on him, so he offered Aaron the money as a thank you.  He took the money and they walked back along Maine Street talking all the way.  Jason found the Aaron was easy to talk to and asked him loads of questions.    They came to a Hotdog stand that Aaron knew, he ordered two hotdogs  and the two boys found a park bench and sat and ate them, still talking.

Later, they walked back to the fire escape where Jason`s window looked out onto and Aaron told Jason where he sort of lived.  they agree to meet again and both knew a friendship had been formed.  they said goodbye and Jason climbed back into his bedroom window and as he smiled, he knew his world had just changed..  

Jason didn`t feel so lonely any more, he had wished for a friend and now he had one.

This was his secret friend ..... !

(c)  Lissie Bull 2018