Edsel Grizzler by James Roy Read Free Book Online

to look after yourself better, and listen to your mummy and daddy,’ she scolded him.
    He closed his eyes and tried to shut out the sight of his parents’ concerned faces. He wished he could close his ears just as easily, so he wouldn’t have to hear Kenny and Mikey laughing so hard that they were beginning to wheeze. So he wouldn’t have to hear the footsteps of other kids and their parents arriving, to be greeted by the spectacle of a slightly damp boy with his parents fussing over him, with the father shaking his head with a fiercely concerned frown on his face, and the mother with her hands up the boy’s shirt, rubbing away any chance of catching his death.
    He was also thinking about Mr Sullivan’s composition piece again.

M s Finn held the classroom door open for Edsel and his parents, and as they entered, Edsel saw a man waiting over by the little circle of chairs in the middle of the room. He had longish sandy hair and a greying goatee, and was wearing a vest that looked like it had been made from a rug.
    Ms Finn closed the door and followed them over to the chairs. ‘Mr and Mrs Grizzler, this is Graham Boyd. I hope you don’t mind him sitting in on our chat.’
    â€˜No, of course not,’ Dad said cautiously, and Mr Boyd stepped forward and shook hands with Edsel’s parents. Dad went on, ‘But I have to ask, Mr Boyd—’
    â€˜Please, call me Graham.’
    â€˜I have to ask, Graham, what’s your role here?’
    â€˜I’m the new school counsellor. It’s late in the year, so I’m just trying to get a feel for the students.’
    â€˜Please, have a seat, everyone,’ Ms Finn said. ‘No point standing around.’ Then she laughed self-consciously, which made Edsel feel embarrassed for her.
    They sat down, and Graham picked up a large notepad from beside his chair, took a pen from his pocket and crossed his legs. He was wearing brown hiking boots and thick orange socks.
    â€˜Thank you so much for seeing us,’ Mum said, once she’d positioned herself on her chair.
    â€˜That’s … that’s fine. It’s just a regular parent-teacher night.’
    â€˜Is there anything in particular you needed to talk to us about?’ Dad asked, and Edsel saw his eyes flicker in Graham’s direction. ‘The letter that came home was kind of … well, direct, I suppose.’
    â€˜Was it?’ said Ms Finn with a smile. ‘Oh, it wasn’t meant to seem direct, as you put it. It’s just that while we try to see as many students as we can, it’s not always possible to give everyone as much time as they deserve. But in Edsel’s case, we thought we should really encourage you to come in.’
    â€˜Is … is something wrong?’ Mum glanced at Dad, then at Graham, then back at Ms Finn. ‘Oh my, there is something wrong, isn’t there?’
    â€˜No, not at all,’ Ms Finn was saying, but Edsel could see that his parents weren’t convinced. ‘No, nothing’s wrong, as such. I mean …’ She licked her lips as she fumbled at the blue folder in her lap. She opened it and ran her finger down the page. Then the tip of her tongue darted out again. ‘I mean, Edsel’s marks are good, and he’s been doing all his homework.’ She flashed a quick smile in his direction. ‘No, there’s nothing wrong, except that … well, let’s put it this way … Edsel, do you think anything is wrong?’
    Edsel frowned. ‘Like what?’
    â€˜Friends, for example?’
    â€˜I don’t understand.’
    â€˜A few of the teachers have noticed that you spend a lot of time by yourself.’
    Edsel shrugged. ‘Yeah, I guess that’s true. I don’t mind.’
    â€˜You like spending time by yourself?’
    â€˜Sure. It’s fine.’
    â€˜Fine, or good?’
    Edsel shrugged. ‘Fine, I suppose.’
    â€˜I’m