Catch Us If You Can - Chapter 19

‘CATCH US IF YOU CAN’
By
Catherine MacPhail

Chapter 19

Scene at one of the room in the van. Rory just awake and as he smells of bacon frying and the sound of pop music on the radio. He tries to memories what had happened last night. He looks at Granda who is still asleep beside him. He draw aside the curtain and watch the scenery of the road. Suddenly, Ruby pops in her head round the door and smile.

Ruby : Let your grandfather sleep. You come and have some breakfast.

Rory moves out slowly not to wake Granda. There is Tyrone’s dad (Sammy) in the kitchen-cum-living room sitting drinking tea.

Sammy: Morning.
Rory: Morning.

Ruby put a roll filled with crusty bacon in front of Rory. Rory eats hungrily.

Rory : This is awful good of you. (He splutters crumbs (tersedak serpih) all over the place.

Sammy shrugged (jungkit bahu) and nodded to Ruby.

Sammy : Thank her. She is the softie in the family.

Ruby turns back and laughs loudly.

Ruby : Don’t you believe a word of that, Rory. This man of mine, Sammy, he cries at soppy films. He can’t resist kittens. That advert with the tiny pun and the toilet paper? He sobs at that one. He’s the one that says. “Oh, we can’t leave them here. We’ve got to help.” As if we don’t have enough trouble with the police.

Rory : Oh, I don’t want us to cause you any trouble with the police.

Sammy glares at Ruby.

Sammy : Ach, don’t listen to that woman. She’s a trouble maker, like most women.

Ruby laughs even more.

Ruby : I’d like to see you do without a woman. You big useless lump of lard.

Sammy tries to smack (tampar) Ruby’s bottom but she dodges (mengelak) it and wallops (membantai) him with her tea towel instead. They are both laughing.

Sammy : What a way to talk to the head of the family. Eh, Rory? What’s the world coming to?

Ruby : The head of the family! You know who the boss is in the family. So eat up and then get on with your work.

Sammy : Yes, boss. (He pretends to be afraid as he winks to Rory)

Rory : I’m sorry my granda wasn’t very nice to you the other day.

Sammy : Ach, he’s an old man. My pa was the same. He was an old ba _ . .

Ruby waves a warning finger at Sammy.

Ruby : Language, Sammy!

Sammy : An old bandit (penjahat). I was going to say he was an old bandit.

At the same time, Granda appeared at the door.

Granda : Do I smell bacon? Where am I? How did I get here?

Rory pulls a chair to Granda has a seat.

Rory : What question do you want answered first?

Granda eyes Sammy suspiciously. Sammy held his stare.

Sammy ; Aye, it’s me, old man. The tinker.

He sputs with indignation (kemarahan).

Granda : I didn’t say that. Tell them, Rory. I didn’t call him a tinker, did I?

Sammy lifts a newspaper and pretends to study it.

Sammy : My name’s Sammy if you’re interested.

Granda hadn’t come round to Sammy. Ruby suddenly put a hand on his shoulder.

Ruby : Do you fancy a bacon roll, handsome?

Granda’s eyes light up.

Granda : That would be lovely, sweetheart?

Sammy glance up at Granda.

Sammy : Sweetheart, is it? That’s my wife, you know.

Granda : Aye, and you’re lucky to have her.

Ruby only laugh.

Ruby : You tell him, Granda.

Granda wants to eat his bacon without his teeth.

Rory : Granda! Where’s your teeth?

Granda : There're in my pocket.

Rory takes Granda’s teeth and washes them. Tyrone suddenly appeared, carrying eggs and potatoes.

Tyrone : Mr. Harrison says we can stay here for a couple of days if we want. We’ve been here before. My dad does odd jobs for him. He’s really handy, my dad.

Sammy put his paper down.

Sammy : That’s good of him, but we’re moving off tomorrow. Up north. We’ve got family up there. It’s your cousin’s birthday.

Sammy turns to Rory.

Sammy : It would be safer for you as well. As far away from here as possible.

Ruby : The other caravan went another way. They’ve gone south just in case we’d been followed.

Tyrone switch on the television.

Tyrone : Have you seen yourselves? You’re famous.

Val Jessup appears on the screen, pleads to them if they are watching to get in touch. Darren’s mum suddenly appears to the screen.

Granda : How did that baggage get on there? Look at her! Loves being on television. Thinks she’s a film star.

Darren’s mum : It was my son, Darren, who gave the keys of my caravan to Rory, his best friend. He didn’t mean any harm. Thought he was doing the right thing. Of course, as soon as I realized the spare key was missing, I knew what had happened. (Pause, glance to the side and nodded as if she was receiving directions) I deduced that Darren had given Rory the key so they could hide out there.

Granda : She deduced! Who does she think she is? Sherlock blinkin’ Holmes!

Darren’s mum moves closer to the camera.

Darren’s mum: Come back, son. Bring your granda. He can’t take this. He’s not well. You know that.
You’ve got to come back.

Rory sat back in his seat. On the screen came the photograph of Rory and granda.

Granda : I’m never going back. I’d rather die of cold and hunger, and be free!

                                                                  ~ END OF CHAPTER 19 ~

Selamat tinggal kawanku III

Hah! Tedia! Nak buat apa la ni??

Masa tu dah dekat laluan berbumbung depan kafe. Beberapa langkah lagi ja nak sampai Blok Puteri. Cikgu ni muncul pulak. .

"Kamu buat apa dekat B.A ni ? Tau tak waktu sekarang tak boleh masuk blok?", Cikgu tu menyoal. Cikgu Azurayana nama dia, mak homeroom Izzat tahun lepas.

"Tadi depa buat announcement suruh tunggu dekat kelas. Nak jumpa untuk persiapan drama malam ni. Tak tau tiba-tiba tak muncul pula". Aku cuba control suara yang memang sedu di hujungnya.

"Dah, balik cepat. Pukul berapa dah ni. Lambat kena tahan pula nanti." Baik la cikgu. .

"Terima kasih cikgu". Aku pecut !

Dua langkah baru aku buka, aku toleh ke belakang. . Bengong!

Izzat dah turun. Cikgu Azurayana buat muka pelik tengok Izzat, lepas tu paling tengok aku. Aku sambung pecutan. Entah apa yang dia kata kat cikgu, lama la cikgu. Aku dah tak nak ambik tahu, kun fayakun !

Masa kaki aku nak masuk Blok Aspuri, tiba-tiba aku dengar nama aku dipanggil. Aku toleh kebelakang. Izzat ada dekat laluan berbumbung, lambai dekat aku lepas flying kiss. Aku buat-buat tepis, tangkap lepas tu baling balik. Dia tangkap, letak dekat dada dia. Then, dia senyum. Aku jelir lidah. Menyampah. Aku lambai balik, dan terus masuk blok. TEngok dia okey ja, tak ada pape la tu.

Malam tu, habis persembahan cari dia. Kelibat dia langsung tak nampak. Dan itu saat terakhir aku tengok dia minggu tu. Masa cuti, kami selalu contact. Dia kata dia akn datng balik walau macam mana pun. Untuk ambil barang. Huwaa. .  Tapi bila buka sekolah, seminggu dia tak muncul-muncul. Aku dah cuak. Itu kali terakhir aku tengok dia ke? Semalaman aku nangis,aku terpaksa redha yang dia dah pergi jauh. Jauh sekali. Sejauh yang aku tak mampu pandang.

Seminggu dia tak ada, aku cuba biasakan diri. Tanpa Izzat di PH rasa janggal sekali. Mana tidaknya, selalu jalan dengan dia. Kali ni sorang-sorang. Selalu pi kafe denagn dia, sekarang tak pi dah. Hahahahaha. .  Dan aku biasa dengan kebiasaan tanpa Izzat.

Suddenly, hari Isnin minggu kedua. Prep malam. Aku tengah sedia buku nak start study. Tiba-tiba, Tasya (roomate aku) panggil. Aku kalih tengok luar kelas, terkejut beruk Izzat ada dekat sebelah dia. Izzat tengah senyum sambil angkat tangan dekat aku. "Aina, I'm back".

Air mata mengalir. Terus aku keluar kelas cari Farhah. Semua orang cengang tengok aku. Izzat apatah lagi kan.

Aku menangis dekat Farhah. Then, dia pujuk dan suruh jumpa Izzat. Mungkin ni last chance aku nak bersua dengan Izzat. Aku pun bingung sebenarnya kenapa aku nangis. .

Aku balik kelas, tapi Izzat tak ada. Tak apa ar, malas nak cari dia. Aku cuba fokus pada kerja sekolah. tiba-tiba dia masuk. Buat-buat tak nampak aku, jalan straight ja masuk kelas. Suddenly dia reverse, senyum meleret. . toink ! Mencangkung depan meja aku.

"Kenapa ni? Aku tak balik, nangis. Aku balik pun nangis. Ke nak aku mati ja?", Izzat senyum lagi. Dalam hati aku balas, 'boleh jugak'.

Aku diam aje. Tan kat sebelah pon buat bodoh ja. So, sama-sama lah membodohkan diri noh. Izzat bersuara lagi, "Hari Rabu ni last day aku. Aku mai balik pon sebab nak ambil barang ja. Tata."

Izzat still senyum. Aku apatah lagi, hah tedia! Ternganga luas, terkejut beruk ba'ang!

"Hang tipu!", keras suara aku.
"Betul. . . "
"Lantak pi mati la kat hang!"
"Suka hati hang la Aina. . ", Izzat bergerak pergi ke tempat duduk dia. Aku?

Dibiakan sendiri menjawab permegian dia nanti. .

To Be continued. .