GONE SWIMMING
Jamie looked good like that but, if the truth be told, he would have preferred still to have been on his way to the pool. He couldn’t even ask his mates why they were treating him like that; not with that red rubber ball stopping his mouth and forcing his jaws wide open.
Jamie would have been suspicious if it had been the Sea Scouts who had drawn alongside him as he was walking to the local swimming baths but he simply didn’t suspect the members of his own Troop. Now he had been stripped down to his black jammers and bound securely and waiting to learn his fate.
His tanned skin was stretched tightly over his increasingly impressive musculature and, with his wrists tied to the opposite elbows, his biceps were being displayed to good advantage. He couldn’t figure out why his captors were making frequent references such as, “Must have you looking your best” as they forced him to strip and applied the box tie. He only knew that they were waiting for something to happen or for someone to arrive at the Cottage.
Jamie gave up trying to make himself understood and tried to co-operate with the traitors in order to ease his suffering as much as possible. Scott decided that he needed to be less mobile and carefully wrapped a rope round his legs just above Jamie’s knees for three turns before knotting it and cinching it between his legs.
Other than to dispense his famous “poisonous look” generously to his assailants, there was little for Jamie to do while the others engaged in desultory conversations which did nothing to cast any light on his situation. It did seem, though, that he wasn’t going to be leaving any time soon. That was really going to go down well with Tracey, he’d promised to take her to the cinema after he’d been for his swim and, having been late for their previous date, he knew she was unlikely to be in a forgiving mood. Especially today!
After what seemed to be an age, Long Tom approached Jamie with a “Sorry, mate, the time has come.” and jammed an over-sized beanie down over his helmet of straight hair and over his eyes. Jamie heard the dreaded noise. The beanie was soon taped into place with micropore tape and Jamie felt something looped over his head before he was pulled along like a dog towards what he guessed was the kitchen.
A silence fell over the assembled company until Jamie heard the outer door open. Then the singing started, “Happy Birthday to you . . .” as Jamie was made to take dolly steps out of the kitchen. There was a hysterical shriek.
Jamie heard Vic’s voice, “Oh, hi Trace, glad you got the message. Here’s your birthday present. We’re off now. Enjoy!” Jamie wasn’t even aware that, when Scott had slipped his collar and lead on, it had a large, glittery pink bow attached to it.
THE END