I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside - 3. Putting Down Roots

Putting Down Roots

During the week after the pair had had their arses tanned by George, Billy went out on a couple of evenings. That was virtually unheard of since he'd started school as in that time he'd only been out once with Chris to the cinema. He didn't say where he was going and neither George nor Chris asked him the question - although both looked enquiringly when he told them he was going. However, he wasn't dressed in his so called 'business suit' the denim shorts which now barely covered the cheeks of his arse as he'd grown about an inch in the last few months. He'd also found a pair of long white socks which came up to his knees at a jumble sale George had taken them to, so that he actually now looked quite sporty with those on as well as those shorts.

That Saturday Billy had been playing rugby at the school and Chris had gone along to watch. When they came back Billy had a bath and afterwards found Chris and George downstairs watching TV. Billy just had the bath towel wrapped round him and that pair of socks on his feet. After a little bit of chat between the three of them about the game George announced that he was going to get the tea ready and asked if they fancied poached eggs. Billy said he'd go up and get dressed and indicated for Chris to follow him.

Chris wasn't sure what Billy had in mind, but as they walked up the stairs with Billy in the lead he whipped the towel off his body to leave a bare arse a step or two in front of Chris' face. Chris was immediately turned on not specifically by Billy's arse as he had no thoughts in that direction, but simply by the sight of the naked body. He followed Billy into the bedroom and Billy shut the door behind them. Chris didn't want to make the first move just in case he had misread Billy's signals and was glad he didn't as Billy went to the chest of drawers they shared and took out some clothes. However, when he put them on the bed Chris realised that they weren't his usual business suit.

"What's going on Billy? Not going out tonight?"

Billy sat down on the bed and indicated for Chris to come and sit beside him before putting an arm round his shoulder.

"I've done wiv that Chris. I've only been seein' a coupla geezers lately an' that was where I went in the week - to tell 'em I ain't coming no more."

"But why now? I know George has never liked you doing it, but he's not told you to stop has he?"

"Nah, 'e's not. But I got thinkin' after that leathering from George. Perhaps it's time I started to grow up... An' there was summat else..."

"Yes?"

"It were after we'd done our sixty nine. Reckon you knows you're the only one to suck my cock, but you also knows I suck other people's - and that ain't right! So from now on, I'm only ever gonna suck yours."

Chris didn't know what to say. It was Billy who'd introduced him to blow jobs and other things and he'd never liked to think about what the younger boy was doing on a Saturday night. He'd also never thought about what they did in the terms Billy had just said, but put that way it would make what they did together that bit more special.

"Thanks, Billy," was all he could think of to say but then he pulled Billy towards him for a kiss and soon they were rolling around on the bed kissing, stroking and tickling. Things would very probably have gone further had George not called up the stairs to say that tea was about ready. They got off the bed and Billy quickly threw on a t-shirt, jumper and a pair of jeans. Naturally while they were eating George asked Billy the same question as Chris had done upstairs. Billy gave him a slightly different version of what he had told Chris, simply saying that he'd decided to stop doing such things and George told him that he was very pleased to hear it.

While he'd been sat on the settee that evening watching telly, Billy had been doing some thinking. Chris had kissed him, something he hadn't expected, but it had been nice and he'd immediately got hard as a result of that and what followed. Chris wasn't like anyone he'd known; Chris looked after him in his own way. If Chris bought a bar of chocolate he'd always give him some; when they went to the pictures it was usually Chris who paid; if they went to Dreamland it nearly always seemed that Chris paid for more of the rides they went on than he did. And yet he didn't seem to want anything in return. Billy wasn't used to that; in his world people had only done something for you provided you did something for them in return. This was new and it was nice. But what did it mean? Without a doubt Chris was his best friend and he hoped they'd stay that way, but was there something else between them? Billy had known love when he was little and he'd sort of told George the other week that he loved him, so maybe what he was feeling for Chris was also a sort of love. He'd introduced Chris to mutual wanking and blow jobs but then in his world that had meant nothing - everyone did it. Earlier though he'd given Chris a French kiss, half expecting he'd draw back in shock but instead Chris had extended his own tongue to dance lightly around in his mouth. No wonder he'd got hard and sitting thinking about it on the settee he got hard once more.

Although Billy didn't know it Chris spent most of the evening sitting alongside him on the settee also thinking about similar things.

He still didn't know what had possessed him to kiss Billy earlier, but Billy hadn't reacted as he'd feared. Instead they'd actually put their tongues in each other's mouths and not only had that felt good, but it had got him hard. Chris of course knew that compared to Billy he had known virtually nothing about sex before he'd run away from home. Now Billy had shown him lots of things which he was sure many people would think were dirty and disgusting, but he had found enjoyable and he knew Billy enjoyed having him doing the same things back. He'd become aware over the summer that a lot of girls had been looking at him as he'd walked round the beach in his little shorts - and some men too, although he wasn't so keen on that as having the girls admire him. But he knew even less about girls than he did boys so he was too shy to go and approach one. At the same time he had, perhaps as a result of the looks he got and the occasional comment he'd heard, become aware that his body looked good to others. A few weeks back he'd been in one of the department stores in town on a Saturday morning and seen a pack of coloured slip briefs which he'd bought on impulse. They made a big change to the old white Y-fronts he'd worn before. He'd expected Billy to comment on them, which he had when he first put one on, but had been a bit surprised when they drew a few wolf whistles when he was changing for football on a Sunday morning. He'd been a bit embarrassed when it happened, but walking home after the game he'd found it rather stimulating! So it seemed he did prefer boys to girls but where did that leave him with Billy? He hadn't really had friends back home, so Billy was the only real friend he'd ever had. Thus was what he felt for Billy what he'd feel for any friend or was it something else? There wasn't really anyone he could ask for help as he didn't think he could even ask George despite the fact that he now thought of George as being virtually his father. Perhaps, he decided, it would all become clear in time.

Needless to say when they did go to bed that evening their favourite number did indeed come up, along with some more French kissing.

----------

October turned into November. Guy Fawkes Night - November 5^th - was on a Friday and there was to be a big fireworks display on the beach in Margate. The boys persuaded George to go with them and it was a cold but dry night so they along with a large crowd were able to enjoy the display. When they got back home George produced some frankfurters and bread rolls and they sat round the kitchen table eating those and drinking cups of hot Bovril. It was a good start to another enjoyable weekend with both boys playing their sports on Saturday and Sunday before going back to another week of school and work.

When Chris came from work he always came in through the kitchen door. That was because his clothes were often dirty and so it gave him a chance to get out of them there rather than walking dirt through the house. These days when he came in Billy was always sat at the kitchen table doing homework. George might be there getting dinner ready or in the lounge watching TV. On the Monday after Guy Fawkes night Chris came into the kitchen as normal. Billy was sat at the table as normal; George couldn't be seen, but on the kitchen floor was a small cardboard box and in that was... Chris stopped in his tracks and looked again to be sure, but it definitely was a small tabby and white cat!

He walked across the room, knelt down beside the box and lightly stroked the top of the cat's head, thinking to himself that was what you were supposed to do, but he didn't know for sure. The cat purred on feeling his touch. Turning his head Chris asked,

"Has George decided to get a cat?"

"No," replied Billy. "I was walking home from school, came across this 'un on the way an' it just followed me. Wouldn't stop, even when we got to the main road. Couldn't leave it there so picked it up an' brought it 'ome."

"So George has said we can keep it?" asked Chris with a tinge of excitement.

"Well, 'e ain't said we can, but 'e ain't said we can't. Says I've got to put up some notices near where I first saw it to see if it belongs to anyone, but only give rough details to make sure only the owner will get it. He's gonna call the vet in town to let 'em know we've got it in case owner contacts them."

"And if nobody does, we can keep it then?" Chris asked sounding more excited.

Billy laughed. "Dunno. But it would be nice. Never 'ad a pet."

"Me neither. And if we can keep it, I'll pay for its food."

A week later nobody had claimed the cat and George told the boys they could keep it. Billy decided to call it Guy as he'd found it the just after Guy Fawkes Night and as George said, it could well have been frightened by all the fireworks and being so small it was too young to have heard such things before.

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The following Sunday morning Chris got up late which was unusual as normally he was up at a reasonable time to go and play football. But he'd pulled a muscle in his stomach the previous week so had declared himself unfit to play. Billy had been up a good few hours earlier to do his paper round. Chris found George sat at the kitchen table reading his paper and after he'd made himself some toast George announced that he was going upstairs to change. Chris was puzzled as while George often went out on Sunday afternoon, he didn't normally do so in the morning.

"Where you going, George?"

"It's the Remembrance Day Parade, Chris."

Chris had noticed George wearing a poppy in the buttonhole of his jacket or coat for the last week or so, but the significance of that hadn't occurred to him.

"So what's that George?"

George sighed inwardly, but also told himself there was no real reason why Chris should know about such things.

"It's the day on which parades are held in nearly all towns to remember those who died in the two World Wars. I go because I lost a few good friends in the second one."

George went upstairs and when he came back down he was wearing a pair of highly polished black shoes and a suit on which were pinned his medal ribbons.

"I'm off Chris. Parade musters at 10.30 and we march past the War Memorial after the two minute silence. Then I expect I'll go for a quick drink with a few of the blokes I served with. I'll cook dinner this evening, but you'll find some stuff for sandwiches in the fridge."

As George opened the door to leave Billy arrived back. They exchanged greetings and when Billy came into the kitchen he of course wanted to know where George was going. Chris relayed the gist of what George had told him.

"You fink we should go?" Billy asked. "Never been to one of them parades before, altho reckon I see'd one on telly once from London. We could sorta support George."

"Sounds like a good idea, but we can't go dressed like this when George is all smart."

"True. I could wear me school uniform I guess an' you've got a pair of grey trousies an' that black anorak. Guy can stay here an' mind the house!"

That decided they went and changed before making their way into town and joining the crowd. Chris had no idea of what was to happen and Billy had very little so both were quite impressed by what they saw and heard.

After the march past finished and the parade was dismissed, they spotted George talking with Mr Rodgers and some other men they didn't know, but went over to talk to them.

"Thanks for coming lads. Didn't expect to see you here." George said on spotting them.

"Never been to one before. Didn't know what to expect, but sort of makes you think. I guess some of you weren't much older than me." Chris replied.

"Aye, that it does - and it's why we're off to the pub now."

Billy who was standing next to George said, with a big grin on his face,

"Make sure you don't come home drunk - you know what'll happen to you if you do!"

George laughed, gently slapped Billy round the head and replied,

"If I do, then you can."

There were perplexed looks from everyone else apart from Chris who was hard put not to have a fit of giggles at the thought. It also occurred to him that no doubt George would explain the exchange to the others in the pub which would mean that his boss would know that George had slippered him. But quickly decided it didn't really matter to him if he did know as he was sure lots of boys got slippered or similar by their Dads. And at that point he realised he was thinking of George as his Dad...and as the thought occurred to him a big smile lit up his face.

As it happened on the next day Mr Rodgers came round to the house where Chris was currently doing some painting. Chris decided to ask him if he could have a little chat. Mr Rodgers agreed and they found somewhere to sit where neither of the other men who were on the job with Chris could hear what was said.

"Something bothering you Chris?"

"Not really, Mr Rodgers and it ain't anything to do with the job. I'm enjoying the work and grateful you took me on. But I wanted to ask you about something I saw on Sunday and I didn't want to ask George direct."

"Okay, but from what George says about you and Billy I can't imagine there isn't anything you couldn't ask him. He's really taken a shine to you two. So what is it?"

"Well, I couldn't help noticing when we came over and talked to you after the parade that all of you had the same ribbons, but George had an extra different one - blue bands on the outside and thin red and white ones between them, I think. Wondered why that should be as I thought you all served in the same regiment?"

When Bill Rodgers had first been approached by George and asked if he could find a job with the deckchairs for a young lad he had wondered why George was asking for a favour. When he met Chris and immediately spotted his resemblance to George's dead son, he understood what lay behind it. He'd thought initially that George was being taken for a ride by a chancer and that it would all end in tears. But, Chris had proved a surprise package working that summer on the beach; so much so that when the end of the season was approaching and George had come to him again and asked if he could possibly find a job for Chris in his decorating team, he'd had no hesitation in agreeing. Since he'd started Chris had proved again to be a willing worker and Bill had heard from other of his employees who had worked with the lad that he did whatever he was asked to do without complaint, showed promise, and always seemed cheerful.

Now the lad had surprised him by noticing something few others did. Bill thought to himself for a few seconds. He knew Chris was right about not asking George direct as he would get a very limited version of the true story and decided he should know the true one.

"Let you and me go up the pub, have something to eat and I'll tell you the story in comfort."

"But, I'm all mucky and I shouldn't just leave."

Bill grinned. "If the boss invites you to lunch Chris, you don't turn him down. Now, hop in the van and we'll go to 'The Crown'."

That they did and a few minutes later having ordered a couple of steak and kidney pies and chips they sat down at a quiet table, Bill with a pint of Flowers and Chris with a lemonade.

"I guess you don't know anything about the war?" was Bill's opening line.

Chris gave an embarrassed shrug. "Only what films I've seen at the cinema and on TV."

"Thought that would be the case. I'm not surprised, but don't feel guilty - hardly any kids your age know much."

That made Chris feel slightly better, which was what Bill had intended.

"Well, get yourself comfortable, this may take a few minutes," said Bill taking a good gulp of his bitter before continuing.

"After we'd kicked the Jerries and the Eyeties out of North Africa, the next thing was to invade Sicily and then Italy. You know Italy is shaped a bit like a boot?"

"Yeah, sort of ready to kick," said Chris.

"True, although we were going to do the kicking. The first landing was at a place called Salerno which is just about ankle level and went fairly well, but slowly. Then the top brass had the idea for another landing at Anzio which is further up, about shin level. They put this American general, Mark Clark in overall charge and our regiment was one of those involved.

The landing went well, very well and we had little opposition. It was said later that had Clark been bold he'd have sent us quickly up north, but he didn't and I guess decided to play safe and consolidate. Trouble was that gave the Germans time to move up reinforcements and then they did their best to drive us back into the sea. Give 'em their due, the Germans were always good fighters. Anyway, there was a group of East Kents in a position on top of a hill and they were told that they had to hold it. Of course the Jerries were determined to take it as if they did they could bring up their guns and aim them properly at the beach whereas otherwise they could only shoot randomly. Now I wasn't with George up there - probably just as well as had I been I don't reckon I'd be here now. By the time we managed to get reinforcements up that hill there was only George and a couple of other badly injured guys left alive. But George had stayed there firing his Bren gun for long enough to buy the time for the reinforcements to get there - even though he was wounded."

Chris had sat listening in wonder.

"Was he badly hurt?"

"In some ways he was lucky. He'd got a bullet in his leg which is why he walks with a limp and a couple in his chest and stomach - fortunately nowhere vital. He'd also got a lot of shrapnel bits in his back from a grenade that exploded near by - that's why you don't ever see him without a shirt. But we got him back to the Field Hospital pretty quick so he could be treated but he wasn't fit for any more fighting so was sent back to England."

"So that's what he got this extra medal for?"

"Yes, Chris. It's the Military Medal, and there aren't many of those given out I tell you. Your George was a very brave man."

Chris was stunned by all this, but after a short pause said,

"Thanks for telling me that Mr Rodgers. It sorta brings home those words I heard on Sunday."

"Which ones, the 'At the going down of the sun we will remember them' line?"

"No, not really 'cos I haven't got anyone to remember - if that makes sense. No, I mean the other one - 'For your tomorrow they gave their today.' I guess I'm their tomorrow, sort of, so I shouldn't waste it."

Bill Rodgers was taken aback at that comment and couldn't think of anything to say in reply. Yet again Chris had surprised him; there were depths to him that had never been apparent in George's son Philip. He'd given Philip a job painting when George had asked him after he'd left school without any real qualifications, but the lad had been almost more trouble than he was worth. His work wasn't that good and he'd very often turn up late for work and also take days off sick. He'd only really lived for getting his wage packet on a Friday and then going down the pub with his mates and drinking it away over the weekend. It had got to the point where he was thinking he'd have to sack the lad when he'd gone for that fatal midnight swim.

Just then their pies arrived, giving Chris time to digest what he'd been told while he ate. He'd never thought of George as a possible hero, but now... He'd be sure to tell Billy everything that evening, which he duly did. Billy had already warmed to George, but now he sort of raised him on a pedestal.

-----

A couple of days later when Chris got home from work, Billy was as usual sat at the kitchen table doing some homework. Billy heard him come in the back door and as soon as he saw him, turned and said,

"There's some good news and some bad news; which do you want first?"

"About the cat? Has someone claimed it?"

Chris had been fearing that would happen and he'd got quite attached to 'Guy' in a short time.

Billy laughed. "Good guess, Chris, It's about the cat but nobody's claimed it. George 'ad old Mrs Brown up from down the road today; seems she's a cat expert, so 'e got 'er to check it over make sure it's 'elthy like."

"And?"

"Well, the good news is George 'as decided we can keep it."

"Yippee!! said Chris bending down to stroke the cat, "but what's the bad news?"

"We gotta fink of a new name for it 'cos it's a bleedin' female!"

Chris started to laugh and Billy joined in as George walked into the kitchen from the other room.

"I know what her name should be!" Chris exclaimed.

"We don't want any pansy girly names for 'er," replied Billy.

"No, this isn't pansy. We should call her 'Lucky'. She were lucky you found her and lucky George decided we could keep her."

"I like that! Billy exclaimed. "And she were also lucky 'cos you agreed to pay for 'er grub."

"I think that's settled that little problem - 'Lucky' she shall be." George added.

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The only heating in both the boys and George's bedrooms was by night storage heaters which had been installed a few years earlier. They weren't very effective, but before then there had been no heating and indeed there was none in the bathroom where a paraffin heater was lit when needed. Consequently both getting dressed in the morning and getting undressed to go to bed at night was an activity performed as quickly as possible.

Chris and Billy still slept naked with Billy spooned into Chris' chest and stomach. The only difference now to the summer was the number of blankets on the bed! It was a Monday night a couple of weeks after Remembrance Day that the pair were in bed one night when Chris felt there was something different about Billy's arse as it pressed into him; it didn't seem as smooth as usual. Chris edged slightly backwards and then felt around Billy's arse with his fingers. Definitely there was something there that was different. Billy had slightly flinched as Chris' fingers touched and then giggled. Chris moved his fingers along Billy's arse again and knew what he was touching.

"You've been caned!" he whispered in Billy's ear. "What did you do? I wanna see what a caned arse looks like. Put the light on, so I can see."

Billy shuffled across the bed to switch on the lamp on the table on his side of the bed, before throwing back the bedclothes to show Chris his arse which now bore four clear and distinct red to purple stripes across it.

Chris gently ran his fingers along a couple of them again.

"Do they hurt?"

"A bit, but I've 'ad worse. You can kiss it better if you like while I tell you tho!"

Billy said that as a joke and was thus surprised to feel Chris start to kiss and lick his rear. He shivered - not entirely from the chill of the room and spread his legs so that Chris' tongue would dip into his cleft. Billy's protector at the orphanage had been preparing him for screwing himself for some weeks before Billy was fucked by the director on his birthday. However, Brian had been doing it gently and slowly unlike was done to many of the smaller boys by their protectors. Brian had actually had feelings for Billy who knew he was lucky to be treated so kindly by the standards of the place. So Billy had come to enjoy being rimmed and even took some pleasure from feeling first one and then later two, of Brian's fingers come into his hole, but only up to knuckle depth. Memories of those nights were now revived and Billy wondered if Chris ever would do...

His thoughts were interrupted as Chris smacked his arse producing a little 'Ouch' from him.

"It's cold without the blankets Billy, so what did you do?"

"Keep kissing me arse a bit longer while I tell you. Then we can 'ave a good cuddle or summat!"

Chris knew what the 'or summat' was likely to be and grew a bit at the idea.

"You know we played rigger at Whitstable on Saturday. Well, we 'ad to go by coach so there was the team plus a few extras, about two dozen of us an' a couple of masters. Anyway on the way back some of 'em decided it'd be fun to moon out the back window as we came along Thanet Way. So some of us did that while some were told to go an' talk to the masters so they didn't cotton on."

"And which group were you in?" Chris asked, knowing full well what the answer would be.

"Which yer fink? Course I 'ad a moon. Anyway, we thought we'd got away wiv it but someone we mooned at must 'ave complained to the school, 'cos after Assembly the Head told everyone who was on the coach to stay behind. Then 'e tells us we all gotta report to the gym after school in just our rugger or PT kit, so we knew what was going to 'appen. When we got there it was 'im and the Sports Master and they both had canes in their 'ands. He tells us to line up in two rows of twelve an' then says we're all getting four strokes, two from each of 'em. We did manage to persuade 'im that two of the boys hadn't taken part at all so 'e let them go. But then we bent over and the pair of them walked up each row giving us two strokes each and then swapped rows."

"You been caned at this school before?"

"Nah. Been slippered a few times. 'Ad to get meself slippered in the first few days to show I weren't a wimp, and then it just 'appens sometimes. Surprised you not noticed the bruises."

"Just thought they came from playing rugby like I get bruises at soccer. Anyway, I think you should've got more than four strokes. Grab one of your socks and put the light out and let's see how many it takes."

Billy chuckled, put the light out and then gave Chris a kiss and a cuddle before turning onto his back. Chris did indeed give him quite a few strokes, before changing from using his hand to his mouth, which meant the sock wasn't needed.

-------

November turned into December and thoughts began to turn to Christmas. As soon as the month arrived they asked George if they could have a tree and some decorations to which George readily agreed. Chris couldn't remember ever having a Christmas tree; Billy said they did have one at the orphanage but the thing he remembered most was the visit of Father Christmas who came a couple of days before Christmas each year to give every boy a present. To get it you had to go into Santa's grotto - or grotty as they called it - which was really just a big cupboard, but with the door shut you not only got a present but a good grope too! George promised Billy that he was neither going to dress as Santa nor grope him, but told the pair of them they shouldn't waste their money buying him a present but instead should just buy the Christmas cake.

Later that evening when they got into bed and were snuggled together, Billy said to Chris,

"Ain't taking no notice of what George said. I'm buying the silly old git a present."

"Don't call George that - it's not nice and he isn't one anyway."

"I know that." Billy responded, happening to let out a large fart at the same moment which had the pair of the in giggles.

"Neither's that and phoar! - it stinks."

"Yeah, sorry. It were sprouts wiv school dinner today an' they do that to me."

"Better tell George not to cook any with Christmas dinner then," said Chris still laughing. "I don't want to spend the rest of the day smelling those!"

"I was only joking about George. I love him really."

"So do I. And I'm buying him a present too. Perhaps we should buy one between us?"

Chris was aware Billy only had the money from his paper round and had quickly thought that a combined gift might make more sense.

"That makes sense I s'pose. Reckon I love you too Chris, but differently."

Billy didn't hear anything from Chris other than a mumble, but then found Chris' arms around him turning them face to face where he proceeded to kiss him in a way that Billy reckoned was as good as an answer. Especially so when after they broke from that engagement it was to do an encore with their favourite number.

-------

A few days later Chris came home from work to find Billy at the kitchen table which was half covered in various books and 'Lucky' in her cardboard box on the floor - both as usual.

"Got some news for you." Billy said.

"What's that. You ain't been caned again have you?"

"Shush! George don't know about that. Anyways, I ain't. It's about Lucky."

Chris having bent down to stroke her, now looked up at Billy with a concerned expression.

"It's alright. It ain't bad news - I guess." Billy said.

"Come on, tell me or I'll..."

"Yeah! Well you knows we've said lately she's been getting fatter an' perhaps we was feeding 'er too much..."

George had commented on that a few days earlier. Lucky always joined them in the other room in the evening when they settled down to watch telly. She'd usually start off on Billy's lap, then move to Chris' but always end up on George's which they'd decided was because his was the biggest.

"...so 'e asked Mrs Brown to come round today and 'ave a look at 'er an' she told 'im she reckoned Lucky was pregnant..

"No! Really! She's gonna have kittens?"

"Yep, they took 'er down the vet and it's confirmed. They said kittens was due just after Christmas."

"Wow! Have you asked George if we can keep them. That'd be a great Christmas present."

George had just come into the kitchen and heard the last part of the boys' conversation.

"Yes, he did ask me Chris and I'll tell you the same thing I told him. It's going to depend on how many she has. I don't mind one, or maybe even two, but I'm not turning this house into a cattery."

Chris whispered something to the cat before standing up, walking over to George and throwing his arms round the man.

"I've just told her she isn't allowed to have more than two - and she purred a 'yes' to me."

George started laughing and Billy joined in, before getting up from the table and coming to join in the hug.

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