Little Croker by Joe O'Brien Read Free Book Online

Cedars.
    * * *
    Saturday arrived and Uncle Larry and Jonathon arrived with it. They weren’t in the Bentley this time, but in Regina’s BMW x5. According to Regina that morning, you never know how a twelve-year-old boy will pack, or what junk he will want to drag along with him, so Larry brought the car with the bigger boot!
    This was to the great disappointment of Splinter who was waiting anxiously on his wall to catch a glimpse of Larry’s car, as never had a Bentley driven down his road before.
    As Larry drove through Littlestown Lawns and by Danny’s football pitch, Jonathon got a reality check as he looked out at broken trees and burnt patches of turf where night fires had been lit to warm the hands that held the cider cans that were still smouldering in the ashes.
    ‘Take a good look, Jonathon,’ said Larry with a smirk on his face. ‘This is how life could be for you, if you don’t keep up your studies, or if you waste your time on pointless sports, or whatever these people get up to.’
    Jonathon was embarrassed by his father’s words.
    ‘But this is where you’re from, Dad, and you’re successful,’ he muttered bravely.
    His dad gave no reply.
    Larry had been warned by Regina not to leave the x5 unattended, so he sat reading his paper while Jonathon helped Danny bring his stuff out.
    ‘You’ve a lot of posters on your walls,’ observed Jonathon in Danny’s room.
    Danny’s room was plastered from wall to wall with GAA posters, all of the Dubs, of course, and he’d have covered the ceiling as well if Mick had let him.
    ‘Give us a hand, J?’ asked Danny as he started to strip some of the posters to bring with him.
    ‘“J”?’ replied his cousin. ‘Who’s “J”?’
    ‘You, ya’ spanner!’ laughed Danny. ‘Jonathon takes ages to get out. Just “J” sounds cool!’
    ‘Well! I suppose “J” is better than being called after a tool,’ replied Jonathon and the two cousins laughed while rolling up Danny’s favourite posters.
    Finally, after Larry had read his paper twice from cover to cover, Danny Wilde locked the door of his home behind him.
    ‘Come on, Heffo!’ yelled Danny and his Jack Russell appeared out from under the hedge of next door’s garden.
    Danny opened his door and Heffo jumped straight up onto Regina’s cream leather back seat.
    ‘Get that mutt off the seat,’ grunted Larry. ‘You didn’t say anything about a dog.’
    ‘You didn’t ask,’ replied Danny and he closed his door. ‘Down, Heffo. I’ll keep him at my feet, he’ll be no trouble.’
    Jonathon was trying his very best not to laugh or even smile as he appreciated that his father was struggling with his cousin. Jonathon was beginning to think that Danny coming to stay at his house was going to be very exciting indeed!
    With great discomfort, every now and then Larry looked into his rear view mirror to see a sight he was neither familiar with nor happy with – his son and Mick’s son horseplaying together and having fun.
    ‘That’s enough, boys!’ corrected Larry.
    ‘We’re only messing!’ tutted Danny, and he caught a glimpse of Larry glaring at him in the mirror.
    Jonathon never spoke a word to Danny for the rest of the journey and this made Danny very uncomfortable and very angry with his uncle. My dad wouldn’t treat me like that, thought Danny. Uncle Larry’s nothing but a bully, and Jonathon is terrified of him.
    Danny pressed his nose against the glass and huffed steam all over it and then wiped it making squeaky noises that he knew would drive Larry mad.
    Larry retaliated by putting on one of Regina’s opera cds.
    Heffo began to howl.
    ‘Is that meant to be music? Your woman sounds in pain!’ Danny giggled to Jonathon and he gave him a friendly elbow to try and make him join in.
    Jonathon held back the smiles that were bursting at the seams of his mouth to get out.
    Danny continued the banter as Uncle Larry was now humming along with the cd.
    ‘Are there any puke bags in the