- Hi, after thirty years in computer sales I have taken early retirement and now live in Spain.ÌýMarried (3rd time lucky!). Assorted offspring - his and hers.ÌýLove to hear from anyone.ÌýI was the sinner who always bunked off sports day! -Ìý "Well, well, well!" Old Dave's on Friends Reunited.ÌýHe's living in Spain." "Who's Old Dave?" "Kid in my class.ÌýWe used to hang out together.ÌýDon't know why - he was a bit of a pain, really.ÌýThought he was the class joker but wasn't really funny." "He sounds like a natural for Friends Reunited.ÌýWhy don't you drop him an e-mail?" -ÌýHi, Dave.ÌýRemember that back road out towards Lowthorpe?ÌýBoys will be boys, eh? - CANCEL -ÌýHi, Dave.ÌýI remember the day we both bunked off Sports day. -ÌýCANCEL.ÌýCLOSE WINDOW.ÌýSHUTDOWN. "What's the matter?" "Nothing.ÌýI don't think I'll e-mail him.ÌýWe weren't such good mates." "You're looking awfully worried. Problem at work?" "No..... er, yeah.ÌýThey might be restructuring in the New Year.ÌýOne of the offices will probably close." "Don't let it get to you." ............................................................................................................................ It was one of those sunny June days.ÌýThe fields were drowning in cow parsley.ÌýThe hedgerows shimmered.ÌýDave came out of his house with sticks of rhubarb from the garden.ÌýWe munched them as we cycled, riding slowly, weaving in and out. We were soon off the estate and into the countryside.ÌýThe town was small then, before it expanded.ÌýThe back road was deserted.ÌýIt was a work day, a school day, but bunking off Sports Day didn't matter.ÌýLots of kids did it, even the goggle-eyed conformists who never missed school.ÌýThe air was like a warm bath. I swerved to avoid a dead rabbit - too much bother to take it back to scare the first years.ÌýA pheasant scuttled across the road.ÌýThere was a travellers' camp off to the right - beat up cars and lorries, caravans and litter.ÌýWe were always a bit scared of the boys from the camp. They weren't going to be pushed about by the locals and they knew how to fight. A dog stood up, scratched and went back to sleep. ............................................................................................................................ "Dinner's nearly ready?" "Oh, yeah, O.K." "And stop worrying!" ............................................................................................................................ We signed in at the sports field.ÌýLots of people just left then.ÌýIt was normal.ÌýNothing to say where we went.ÌýDave was very cool.ÌýHe avoided me after that day.ÌýI wasn't his mate any more.ÌýHe started hanging out with a tough crowd - Derek Townson and Malcolm Stubbs and co. They looked over at me and glared.ÌýI got the message.ÌýA word or a look and I was dead meat.ÌýI took to going about with the quiet lads.ÌýWe went fishing.ÌýI started listening in class and doing homework.ÌýMum was thrilled.ÌýShe saw me in a suit, driving a car.ÌýWell, that's how it turned out, I suppose. Dave started joking about, weaving all over the road.ÌýThere's still hardly any traffic there - it's narrow and bumpy. This time it wasn't a rabbit or a pheasant.ÌýIt was a little child.Ìý It ran out suddenly and stopped.ÌýIt looked at us with that hostile look very poor children have.ÌýDave was in the road, cursing - on top of his bike, on top of the child.Ìý "Christ - he just ran out in front of me.ÌýIs my bike all right?" We stood it up.ÌýThe mudguard was bent but that was all.ÌýThe child was filthy.ÌýHe was twitching and making a funny noise.ÌýSomething dark soaked into the dirt under his head.Ìý "He must be from that camp". "We can't take him back like this.ÌýThey'd kill us." "Should we go on to the houses, ask someone to phone for an ambulance?" "You going to wait here with him while I go?" I looked back at the camp and shook my head. "Put it in the ditch". It was hard to do.ÌýNeither of us wanted the head.ÌýMy guts felt funny from the rhubarb. Dave started to giggle. "A-one, a- two, a-three." We swung it into the ditch. A woman's voice called from the camp.Ìý"Tommy, Tomm -eee!" "Quick...hide it!" Dave was piling branches over it, over Tommy, who was making a gurgling noise. I shut my eyes and threw armfuls of hedge that way.ÌýThere were nettles and brambles in there.ÌýIt hurt and made me want to cry. "Come on.......now!" We were peddling fast, cutting down a different lane, back home another way.ÌýI just followed Dave's back - red hair and sweaty school shirt.ÌýMy eyes kept watering in the sun.ÌýHe followed me down the alley by our house and shoved me against the wall.ÌýIt was cold and damp through my shirt.Ìý"DON'T TELL". Well, I didn't tell and I won't now.ÌýNot with Anne and Rebecca and Tom to think about.Ìý There’s a new road going to be built up that lane - a bypass.ÌýThere will just be bones by now.Ìý What can they tell from bones? "Don't worry sir, just a small sample.ÌýWe're testing all males who were in the area in 1963, and according to our records....." ............................................................................................................................ "Tom!ÌýDinner time!ÌýTomm -eee! Suddenly, I'm shaking and crying and Tom's standing over me.Ìý"Just chill, Dad - what happened?ÌýSomebody died?" REPLY: - Hi, Dave. Remember me? Remember that day we missed Sports Day?ÌýDo you keep off the back roads when you're driving?ÌýDoes every kid look like Tommy to you?Ìý How often do you google "Missing child+1963".ÌýRight now, men in safety helmets and yellow jackets are bending over a human skull in a ditch.ÌýAre you scared, Dave?Ìý- CANCEL. CLOSE. "Nothing, son. It's just this hay fever.ÌýI get it every June." | 
