SURGERY
A short story by Mick Macve
Part 3
Zoe looked up as Steven walked into John’s house. She had just finished telling the story of "The Storming Of The Butcher’s Shop" to six of her friends, one of whom was John’s girlfriend. She had described each part of the story exactly as it happened, without embellishment. The only part that she had omitted was the conversation she had had with Steven in the police station. She had not noticed Steven before that moment. If she had, she was sure she would have remembered his muscular frame, dark eyebrows and shoulder length, dark hair. She had been pleased to find out that he was full of common sense too. He was a vegetarian, a member of Amnesty International, and he had been on several demonstrations for racial equality. He was just the sort of guy she had been hoping to meet at College.
"Here’s the criminal," she bantered as he set himself down on John’s couch.
"Huh! Don’t talk about that. My Dad’s furious."
"Surely he realises that the fight is worth it."
"Oh yes," Steven improvised, "but he hates going to police stations."
"Well it’s about time that people like your Dad confronted the police a bit more and made them stand up for what’s right."
"Of course," said Steven, although he was a little taken aback to find his Dad being criticised. On the other hand, he really really fancied Zoe and didn’t want to upset her. She did have very forthright views.
"Who wants coffee, then?"
John was giving him a strange look. Although Steven didn’t like coffee, he went with John to the kitchen, while the girls chatted in the front room.
"What’s going on?" John demanded.
"Huh?"
"What’s happened to you? Vegetarian? Demonstrations? The demonstration you’ve been on before was when we had to demonstrate our shooting skills and you missed eight penalties out of ten."
"Shhhh! She might hear. Gorgeous, isn’t she? Do you think I’ve got a chance?"
"What, with Zoe Johnson? If you want her. She may have the body of a goddess, but she’s got more gob than my little sister."
They took the coffees into the front room. the girls were debating whether to go to "Kongos", a local club, the following Friday night.
"You’ll come, won’t you Steven?" Zoe asked.
"Of course," he replied. It would be O.K. He would just tell his Dad another white lie. He was seventeen anyway. He didn’t need to explain his every move to his father.
When he got home there was a message pinned to the front door.
"YOUR FATHER HAS BEEN TAKEN TO HOSPITAL"
Surgery part 4
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