Billy Thomas stomped up the lane, kicking anything in his path, muttering away to himself, frustration written all over his face, every muscle tensed. She had been right again. Even when he made gestures behind her back, she knew. It wasn’t fair. Everyone else got away with things, but not him. She caught him every time.
Plonking himself down on the river bank, he gave vent, screaming at the top of his voice, ”My mother is a witch,” over and over. Behind him, a gruff voice asked what his problem was. Turning, he saw old Mr Morris stood behind him, dressed as usual in clothes that looked too large, a wrinkled face like the bark on the trees, a flat cap, but eyes that were clear and bright. Billy didn’t know him that well, but he always had a couple of pennies when the boys went round with penny for the guy and carol singing. Embarrassed at being caught, Billy grunted. The old man then motioned him, ”Come and walk awhile and tell me your problem, bach, I may be able to help.”
Reluctantly, Billy rose, following the old man. He started to tell him all the times things happened as his mother said they would. Like climbing in the quarry when he fell, nearly broke his neck, went home, she clipped him round the ear then cleaned him up, saying, ”What did I tell you?” Getting stuck in the bog, nearly losing his shoes, and it took days for them to dry out. Lots of other times, she had told him the consequences of his actions before he had done them.
Turning, Billy looked for sympathy. The old man laughed. ”Oh Billy, bach, I knew your Mam and Da when they were your age and they did all the things you do.”
Astonished, Billy stared at him. ”Your parents were young once, you know. Your mam is trying to protect you, give you a lesson that she learned in her childhood.”
Thoughtfully, they wandered back to the village. Turning, Billy thanked the old man. ”Were you a child once?” Smiling, the old man said, ”Yes, Billy, and I did climb the quarry until my cousin Dai fell and killed himself, so a hard lesson learned.”
Pushing open the gate, the old man disappeared, leaving Billy to contemplate all he had been told.
