Freshers Ch. 03

"The train now arriving at platform five is the 15:25 service to Edinburgh Waverley. Calling at Darlington, Durham, Newcastle Central, Alnmouth, Berwick upon Tweed, Dumbarton and Edinburgh Waverley. Passengers for services to Carlisle and for Tyne and Wear Metro services should change at Newcastle Central. Platform five for the 15:25 service to Edinburgh Waverley."

"Well, this is their train." I said with excitement in my voice.

"I can't wait to see them again." Tommy said by my side, "It's a pity Terri can't be here."

"I hear you." I replied, "But she'll be home later in time for dinner. Our little pad's gonna be pretty busy for the next few days - I hope the two of them will be okay sleeping on the improvised bed I made for them in the living room."

"After a whole summer and most of the Autumn roughing it around the youth hostels of Europe, I expect it'd be luxurious in comparison!" Tommy said as the train glided into the station and slowed down to a halt.

Once the train stopped in front of us, we both strained to see up and down the platform for the first glimpse of our friends. It was Tommy who spotted them first, as he caught sight of Alex opening the train door several carriages down from where we were stood and then hauling what looked to be two large and very heavy rucksacks onto the platform. Jenny, having obviously passed the rucksacks out to her brother, stepped off the train a few moments later. We both dashed down the platform excitedly to greet our friends and welcome them to the city of York that had become our home.

They looked almost exactly as we remembered them from our holiday in France, except for the fact that instead of shorts and t-shirts they were dressed in jeans and were both wearing thick jackets against the autumnal chill. Jenny was wearing a grey bobble hat with a Union Jack and the wordLondonembroidered on the front, Alex meanwhile was wearing a bright blue baseball cap.

"Ohhh man it's great to see you guys again!" Alex enthused warmly as we exchanged hugs and friendly kisses. Jenny echoed her brother's sentiments as we greeted our American friends.

"It's wonderful to see you two again!" I beamed as I wrapped Jenny up in a hug, "Welcome to York guys!"

Same Name, Different Games (Tommy)

It was wonderful to see our American friends again, especially Alex. You see, I had sort of... fallen in love with him during our holiday in France. My discovery that I was attracted to other boys every bit as much as I was attracted to girls had come as a shocking revelation to me at the time. But it also answered a lot of questions I had always asked about myself. I know I should've known all along, but then, how well do we truly know ourselves? It was Beth who noticed I was, in fact, bisexual. The rest of that holiday, as I grew ever closer and closer to Alex, had been the most confusing yet amazing journey of self-discovery I had ever been on. And I was still discovering.

My heart skipped several beats as I caught sight of Alex for the first time in months - he looked just as beautiful and sexy as when I had last seen him, albeit a little more road-weary than when we said our goodbyes to him and Jenny in the village square of St Jean su la mer as we headed home to England. I gathered Alex up in a bear hug as soon as he had finished greeting my sister - man, it was good to feel his body against mine after all this time! I breathed in his familiar scent and I looked deeply into his eyes. And we kissed, right there on the station platform. There was still quite a bit of background homophobia back then in the mid 1980's, especially with the hysteria surrounding the'gay plague'of HIV and with it being a near-constant news item on every bulletin, but I simply didn't care about any of that at that moment in time. I had missed Alex, and I wanted to know if he'd missed me too. His returning my kiss answered that question in no uncertain terms almost immediately.

"I've missed you Alex." I sighed into his ear once our lips parted.

"Missed ya too Sport!" He replied with a grin.

He was wearing a blue baseball cap with the letters'PSU'embroidered on the front in an elaborate raised script in bright white with a grey border. On the peak of the cap was another smaller inscription in the same font that read'Soar Condors!'.

"Cool hat." I said conversationally as he picked up his obviously very heavy rucksack.

Doing the gentlemanly thing, I picked up Jenny's rucksack. She protested a little, saying that she could manage just fine, but I insisted nonetheless. It sure was heavy, 30 kilos at least or so I estimated, but I could still manage it... just.

"You like it?" Alex answered as we headed down the platform towards the footbridge over the tracks, "It's the Playa State Condors."

"The what?" I asked.

"The Playa State Condors - that's my football team, dude." Alex replied, tapping the logo on the front, "The Condors are the football team of Playa State University."

"Oh, I see." I responded.

"That's what you guys'd call American Football of course." Alex went on.

"Oh, like the NFL, you mean?" I asked.

"Nah dude, the NFL is cool an' all, but therealfootball fans all follow the college divisions."

"College divisions?"

"College football is huge back home - some college football games attract more'n eighty thousand fans, and it gets shown on prime time TV too."

"I had no idea." I said as we walked up the steps of the footbridge, "I thought American Football was just the NFL."

"College football is where you find all the history and traditions of football." Alex went on, "Some teams go back a hundred years and more. Every team has their own little rituals and chants. At the start of every Condors game, they release a Condor to fly around the stadium. He's the team's mascot y'see - Cornelius the Condor. Well, Cornelius the third to be more precise. Oh, and a marching band too - every team has a marching band that plays fanfares and stuff from the stands and each team has its own special chants. Whenever the Condors make a touchdown we sing Soarrrr Condors, Soar!!!"

Alex tapped the inscription on the peak of his cap.

"Hence this." He continued.

"So how old are the Condors then?" I asked.

"Well, not as old as the likes of Harvard or Vanderbilt." Alex replied, "PSU was only founded in the 1950s. Our mom attended there y'see and when she graduated she stayed in town. That'd be the city of Playa Arenoso, or just Playa for short. That's our hometown - it means'Sandy Beach'."

"Bit of a coincidence." I replied, "Our hometown, Westborough-on-sea, has a sandy beach too."

"Cool!" Alex beamed, "Anyways, the Condors are only a small division I-AA team, so not as big as the I-A teams, but what we lack in size we more than make up for it in passion! We only get around twenty five thousand at home games, but you should hear us roar - Soarrr Condors Soar!!"

Alex pumped his fist in the air as he cried out his team's traditional chant.

"Twenty five thousand??" I gasped in astonishment, "For a'small'team? That's more than the entire population of our home town!"

And so the conversation continued until we reached the taxi rank at the front entrance of the station.

"So I guess you're more into soccer, huh?" Alex said as we set the rucksacks heavily down on the pavement as we waited for a taxi.

"My dad and I follow our local team." I replied, "Westborough United."

"Soccer's cool." Alex nodded in reply, "Used'ta play a little in high school with some of the other guys, but football is always where my loyalty lies."

"Same here." I replied, "Different football though."

"Listen to him!" I heard Jenny snort, "Only off the train less'n five minutes and already he's lecturing about football!"

"Hey, I'm interested okay!" I retorted jovially.

"So you're interested, huh?" Alex continued, "Know how it's played?"

"Well, sort of like rugby, I suppose." I answered, "Only with shoulder pads and helmets."

"Oh Lordy, here we go - time for Alex's lecture of the day!" Jenny teased.

Ignoring his sister, Alex went on.

"It's way more different than that." He said.

"So, do enlighten me then." I said as I sat next to Alex on a low bench while we waited for a taxi to show up.

"You really wanna know?"

"Sure I do!" I replied, "I've always been one for broadening one's horizons. I'm all ears - so go on, tell me how it's played."

"Okay, since you asked." Alex answered, "So, just like in soccer you have eleven guys against eleven, but that's where the similarity ends. You have one team on offence, and the other team on defence. The offence's job is to get the ball towards the defence's end zone and score a touchdown, and the defence's job is to try and stop 'em.

"The offence starts with four downs - a down is basically one chance of moving the ball ten yards up the field. The Centre snaps the ball to the Quarterback and he then tries to throw the ball to a Receiver to get the ball down the field, or he can hand it off to one of the Running Backs whose job is to try and charge through the defence.

"If the offence can't get the ball ten yards past the line of scrimmage - that's where they all line up at the start of a play - they go to second down and have to try again from where the ball is judged to have gone out of play. If theydoget the ball past the ten yard marker, they get another four downs, or chances, to get the ball towards the end zone. And the stadium announcer calls out'first down, Playa State!'and we all cheer'Soar Condors!!'"

"I see." I nodded in reply, "I guess that kind of makes sense. I'd have to see it for myself though."

"Hey, one day when you finally make it over to California I'll take you to a game." Alex beamed.

"Cool, I'd like that." I replied, "It'd be a few years before we could afford that though."

"Ah, you will." Alex smiled, "And Jen and I will be only too happy to put you guys up at our place. Anyway, so if the defence manages to prevent the offence from gaining ten yards by the fourth down, the offence usually brings out their kicker to punt the ball down the field as far as possible, so that when the opposition gets the ball it's as far from their own end zone as possible."

"Kicker? You mean there is a guy on the team whose only job is to kick the ball?" I asked.

"Well, not hisonlyjob - the kicker can tackle players during a punt return if necessary." Alex replied, "But yeah, he pretty much does all the kicking. Usually for punts but also for attempting field goals and touchdown conversions."

"Field goals? Like a drop goal in rugby you mean?"

"Well, I've never seen rugby before so I can't say for certain." Alex answered, "But what happens with a field goal is when the offence is at third or fourth down and they're within field goal range, which can be up to fifty yards, depending on how good the kicker is, they'll snap the ball to the kicker, who then tries to kick the ball between the goal posts. A field goal is worth three points, while a touchdown is worth six. If a touchdown is scored, the kicker comes on to convert it for an extra point. Of course, the offence could also attempt a two-point conversion."

"Two-point conversion?"

"Yeah, instead of kicking the ball between the posts, the offence can try and get the ball into the end zone a second time, but teams only really do that if they really need the points - it's a riskier tactic y'see. Of course, a team can also score with a safety but you don't see that so often these days."

"A safety? What's that?"

"Oh, it's a little complicated, but basically, if the offence's ball carrier gets tackled in their own end zone, the opposing team picks up two points. Doesn't happen very often though. There are a couple other ways a safety can be scored but I don't wanna fry your brain with too much just yet!"

"Taxi's here boys!" Beth called over to us as a minicab pulled up to the taxi rank.

"Coming!" I replied as I stood and hauled Jenny's rucksack off the ground, "So, you ever go to see your team play?"

"Most of the home games, yeah." Alex answered as he stood up, "But Dad and I like to also get to at least one road game a year. Back when I was a kid, he took me all the way to Tuscaloosa to see the Condors play against Alabama. The Crimson Tide they call 'em. They're a multiple championship winning team, so of course, they kicked our asses 53-12 but we had a great time anyway. It was cool to see 'lil ol' Playa State go up against the mighty Crimson Tide. Ah, 1978 - the Tide had an awesome team that year, went on to win the national championship game 14-7 against Penn State."

"So you didn't mind losing to them then?" I asked as I helped load the heavy rucksacks into the boot of the car.

"Well, I was just a kid at the time so I was a little pissed that we lost." Alex replied, "But just scoring against the Tide was a big deal for the Condors. We scored more against 'em than Penn State did in the championship game, so I guess it wasn't so bad."

"A bit like when Westborough United beat Newcastle in the FA Cup in 1972 - nobody expected us to win but we beat them 3-2 and knocked them out." I replied, recalling my local team's proudest moment in its 103-year history. I was just a kid myself at the time and too young to have gone to the game, but I could still remember my dad lifting me up on his shoulders and dancing around our living room when the final whistle sounded on the radio commentary and Westborough United progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first, and to date, only time in its history.

We all piled into the taxi, Beth sitting with Alex and Jenny in the back with myself in the front with the driver. Taking a taxi was something of an extravagance for us, what with living on a tight budget, but it was far easier than taking the bus, and walking back to our flat with those rucksacks would've probably damned near killed us, or at the very least ruined my back. Quite how our American friends managed to haul the things around Europe for the best part of four months, I'll never know.

It was nice to get the old gang back together - the next few days were going to be very interesting. Especially for Alex and me.

Close Encounters of the Skinhead Kind (Beth)

"Well, here we are!" I said to Alex and Jenny as I escorted our American pals up the flight of steps that led up to our front door, "Home, Sweet Home!"

Alex and Jenny surveyed the kitchen as I showed them in.

"Cute 'lil place!" Jenny enthused.

"And this..." I said as I opened the living room door, "Is where you guys will be sleeping. It's not exactly the penthouse suite at the Savoy or anything, but it'll have to do I'm afraid."

"Nah, it'll be fine!" Alex shrugged, "Can't be any worse than that hostel in Athens we stayed in, huh Jen?"

"Ugh! That place was a total dive." Jenny said as a look of distasteful recollection crossed her face, "looked like it hadn't had a lick of paint in more'n sixty years. The city was gorgeous and the people there were real friendly, but that excuse for a hostel was a total dump!"

"It was so bad we hauled ass outta that place as quick as we could!" Alex took over, "Spent our whole week's accommodation budget on two nights in a little hotel instead - more expensive, but at least there weren't any stains on the mattress and the water coming out of the shower wasn't tinged with brown!"

"It meant we had to cut our visit to Athens a little short, but there was no way I was gonna stay another minute in that hellhole of a hostel!" Jenny chuckled.

"Nah, this..." Jenny continued as she surveyed the temporary bed I had made using the cushions from the settees covered with a spare bedsheet and some blankets, "Is luxurious by comparison!"

"Well, just as long as it's comfortable enough for the two of you." I said as Tommy came and stood beside me.

"I'm sure it will be!" Alex assured me, "Thanks for putting us up, you guys."

"You're welcome." Tommy said, "Now, I'd best get some food sorted - you two fancy trying my homemade lasagne?"

"Sure, if it's just like a-mama used'ta make!" Alex grinned using a comedy Italian accent.

"Well, it's likemymama used to make!" Tommy replied, "She gave me the recipe herself."

"Huh! I like the way Mum trusted you with it!" I snorted, "She never gave it to me!"

"That's 'cause you're way better at painting than you are at cooking!" Tommy scoffed, poking his tongue at me cheekily.

"Just shut up and get in that kitchen you!" I chided playfully and patted his bottom.

"Better do as she says..." Jenny warned him, "Unless you want her to... y'know withhold certainprivileges."

-- -- -- -- --

Half an hour later Terri returned home. Without even stopping to greet Alex and Jenny, she immediately excused herself and went upstairs to her room saying that she needed to change. Well, it seemed a little odd, seeing as how I could see nothing wrong with what she was wearing, but I simply let it go. She came back downstairs a few minutes later wearing pretty much the same clothes as when she went upstairs - it seemed that the only thing she had taken off was her coat.

It was then that I figured she might not have meant changing clothes - she was probably on her period and needed to change tampons. But then, I was sure she'd only had her last period only a couple of weeks ago - a girl notices these things. I remembered reading once that if a group of women lived together for long enough their menstrual cycles actually synchronise. While I was sceptical if there really was any truth in that theory, I couldn't help but chuckle at the sudden mental image that conjured itself into my mind of a house full of pre-menstrual women - and feeling sorry for any man who happened to stumble into such a snake-pit of simmering pre-menstrual tension!

Terri came into the kitchen just as Tommy was serving up the lasagne he had made. She greeted Alex and Jenny properly, with warm hugs and friendly kisses all round.

"This smells fantastic!" Jenny enthused as Tommy set a plate of piping hot lasagne before her.

Sure enough, over the course of the following ten minutes or so, Tommy's lovingly homemade lasagne was devoured by five hungry young adults, with both Alex and Terri having a second helping each. As we sat back in our chairs that only just fitted around our small circular dining table in the kitchen, our thoughts turned to what to do that evening. Simply sitting around in the flat just watching TV didn't seem like a worthwhile enterprise.

"Why don't we go clubbing?" Terri suggested, "I've never been clubbing before - Mum would never let me go out to a nightclub. Umm... Yorkdoeshave some nightclubs... right?"

"A few." I replied, "There's a place calledIgnis Domumnot far from where I work, I think the drinks there should be reasonably cheap."

"Sounds cool!" Jenny replied enthusiastically, "Let's do this! Let's party!"

So as soon as Terri and I took care of the washing up, we all went our separate ways to change into suitable attire for a night out. Terri, still having only a fairly limited wardrobe of just the things she had crammed into her rucksack when she left home and the few items she had bought since she got her new job, didn't have anything appropriate for a night out so I lent her one of my dresses to wear. We were both about the same size so she looked okay in it, even though it was perhaps a little more revealing than she would've chosen for herself.

"It's fine." She reassured me, "Believe me, I've had to wear far worse things than this!"

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, after the other... No, it's nothing, ignore me." Terri stammered, "This is really nice, far too nice for me."