Brian: Taking Courage - 17. Science Fair

The science fair was a local thing. A yearly occurrence, taking place during half-term, it happened in the Town Hall in Huntsford, but it was designed to show off the best of the science projects from schools across the region, so it was in fact, a 'big thing'. Toby's project was one of three chosen to represent his school.

The Town Hall was a grand 18th-century building on the Market Square, more like a grand town house. It wasn’t used as a Town Hall anymore; the council offices were out of town in a 1970s building. Instead it was used for events. There was a big poster outside, advertising the fair and in the entrance hall, a series of display boards where each school was listed, along with the projects and photographs of all the children involved, which meant that Toby's school had a picture of nine children with Toby, beaming away, top dead centre.

Brian's Mum had come earlier, when the fair opened that afternoon, insisting that she and her friend Vera would be fine on their own, and going early would support Toby whilst Gordon and Brian going later would mean that the boy would not be without family support. They arranged to leave work early and made it to the Town Hall at 5pm where they met Drew and Evie at the entrance. Though Toby was disappointed that his Mum wasn’t going to make it, both men were relieved in a way, the idea of bumping into her was downright scary. Similarly, it was something of a relief that Denise had already visited, coping with all three of their parents in one place was just too much. But it had to happen at some point.

Whilst Brian and Gordon duly admired the photos and the display, Drew and Evie gave them a quick glance and then made their way to Toby's stand. The fair was in the large main room on the upper floor but spread out into other smaller rooms. Toby’s school was in the main room, and Brian couldn’t help but be chuffed.

Each group of children had a table on which to display their project, and each group of tables had a couple of teachers lurking as well. The room was a muddle of proud parents, children and more, though Brian noticed that few people were taking that much notice of the actual content of the science projects, it was all about meeting the children.

It was different at Toby's table. For a start, the presentation was impressive and there were a series of charts where Toby's hand could be seen. He and two girls of a similar age were stood eagerly explaining things to Drew and Evie, the two adults paying attention as if the effect of the climate crisis was of the utmost interest to them. They then moved on to look at the other tables, as Gordon and Brian made their way across the room.

"Dad, you came, and Gordon", Toby abandoned whoever he was talking to and immediately focussed on his Father.

Brian ruffled his hair, "Hello, sport. Yeah, we bunked off early and met up with Drew and Evie. You OK?"

Toby beamed, "It's been great, Gran came with her friend Vera, and they spent ages, and Justin's Mum and Dad were here, but Justin's stuck at a school thing. The Mayor was very interested and there were people from…".

He hesitated and one of the girls, who had been introduced as Nina, chimed in "the Department of Education". It seemed that everyone had been interested, and as well as the Mayor there had been a couple of local celebrities, someone who had the drivetime show on the local radio plus a TV personality known for presenting science programmes. Toby was tickled that both had stopped to chat to them about their project, and Elsie had been extremely chuffed because her Mother loved watching the TV personality’s programmes. Brian rather suspected that Toby would insist that they start watching the TV personality’s programmes now that he’d not only met her but talked to her about the school project.

Evie and Drew were wandering round the exhibits. Neither of them particularly interested in the scientific content or the presentations, Gordon could tell, and he imagined his Mother being far more interested in the way things were presented, the artwork. They were currently looking at a project full of hand-drawn diagrams and lively images, demonstrating Gordon knew not what and he suspected his parents didn’t care either. It would be the look of them, the creativity and imagination involved.

Drew and Evie looked vastly out of place. They looked the same as ever, timeless in fact. They were far more colourful than the tidy, well-presented, largely middle-class parents, his Mother in clothes that owed more to her own creativity than a particular shop, and his Father typically unkempt, yet striking with his hair, beard and loose tweeds, today accessorised with a dashing red neckerchief. Gordon had a quick flashback to his own childhood when they’d looked equally out of place on school visits. And just as unaware, or more accurately perhaps, uncaring of the effect they caused. They were just themselves, Gordon smiled.

Toby announced that they needed to have photos taken and that Grandpa Drew and Evie needed to be there. Thankfully his Mother looked around and saw Gordon’s wave. Brian took photos of the display, of the three kids responsible for the project, of Toby with Drew and Evie, and Evie took photos of Brian, Gordon and Toby. But then a man who had insisted that Brian and he had chatted at the school gates offered his services to take a group photo.

Gordon thanked the man and enquired after his kids. They’d bumped into a couple of other people like that, but Brian seemed oblivious. Gordon guessed they’d have to change that; these were people they might want to be in with. Gordon didn’t know much about bringing up children, but he remembered how often he spent time with his friends’ parents. Work to be done, then.

They had to have the project explained, of course, though they had heard a lot of it at home when Toby was working on it. One of the teachers was hovering and when Brian told Toby that they were going to wander round the rest of the displays, the teacher pounced.

"Mr Wilkinson? Hello, we haven't been introduced. I am Amalia Vincent; I teach biology but have been mentoring Toby, Nina and Elise's excellent project."

Amalia Vincent was tall, and very, very striking with lots of black hair; she seemed to have some Afro-Caribbean heritage but what you noticed most about her was her smile. "I just wanted to say how much we have appreciated the support you have given Toby for his project." It seemed that the project had indeed come to people’s notice, and would be getting a commendation, which as far as Brian was concerned, was excellent.

Later, when they went for a celebratory meal with Drew and Evie, Toby was feeling a bit disheartened because the projects that had come in the top three, and thus got actual prize money for the school, had all been ones where there had been experiments and other 'cool practical stuff' whereas all they had was a few plants. But they had reassured him that the commendation meant a great deal.

Amalia Vincent had confided to them that they planned to do a further project in the next term, and she clearly knew all about Toby's plants, his bug hotels and the idea of keeping bees. Rather than being tolerantly amused, as many people were, Amalia Vincent was amazingly focused and was warmly welcoming of Brian and Gordon's support for Toby.

There had been one wrinkle, rather an awkward one. Toby had seemed very friendly with Nina and Elise, and Brian had loosely suggested that the two girls and their parents might join them for a group celebratory meal. But Toby had explained that Nina and Elise were long-term friends and planned to do something together. But then Nina's parents had appeared, rather plain looking was how Brian thought of them, which was probably unfair, but when he introduced himself and his boyfriend, Gordon, the temperature dropped and there was a sudden chill.

Brian left it until they were at the restaurant, well away from the school. "Is there a problem with Nina and her parents?"

Toby went thoughtful, "Not Nina or Elise, but their parents all go to the same church, and I don't think that they like the idea of you being gay and that", he went on hurriedly, "they've never said anything, and Nina and Elise are real cool. We chat about you a lot, but if we get together to do stuff outside school, it's usually at one of their houses. And everyone's nice and friendly, no-one's actually said anything."

He looked at them anxiously and Brian's heart lurched. What he wanted to do was march up to the parents and tell them not to be idiots, but he knew that he could not. Toby was handling it, and the project had been too important to him.

It was Evie who cut the Gordian Knot, so to speak. "Will you be working with them next time, with Elise and Nina?"

Toby shrugged, "I like them, but it's Miss Vincent who selects the teams. We have to mention what we're interested in, and she puts us together in groups. Tommy and Nolan did a really cool project on earth worms." And suddenly, they were off, talking about earth worms, for God's sake.

Evie managed to talk to them when Toby went to the toilet, "I saw you talking to Amalia Vincent, did she seem decent enough teacher?"

Gordon shrugged, "More than decent, very friendly and was thanking us for supporting Toby."

"It might, and it's only a suggestion, be an idea to have a discreet word with her, about the Nina and Elise situation. I am sure that Toby would be delighted to be attached to the young men with the earth worms or something." They had smiled.

Back at home, Brian had reiterated how proud he was of Toby, insisting that they get Toby's copy of the commendation certificate framed and put on the wall in the hall, and he had also said how much he admired Toby's mature attitude to Nina's parents. Toby had seemed uncertain, but Gordon had reinforced things.

When Amalia Vincent had chatted to them, she had given them her contact details as a matter of course. There was a school email address and a mobile number. Not wishing to put anything in writing, Brian had resolved to phone. He left her a message the next day and was surprised to get a call at lunchtime.

"Mr Wilkinson, you rang, is there something I can help you with."

"It's a rather delicate matter, Ms Vincent."

"Amalia, please."

"Amalia. Chatting to Toby and also talking to Nina's parents, we became aware that, how shall I put it, my having a boyfriend rather conflicts with Nina's parents' religious beliefs. Now, I have no problems with that, and they were perfectly friendly but…"

"You are concerned for Toby?"

"Yes. He, Elise and Nina have only ever done project work at Nina or Elise's houses."

"I see, never at yours."

"No. As I understand it, both sets of parents know each other from the same church."

"I understand, and I completely sympathise. I was planning to move the children around; it doesn't pay to let them get too comfortable."

"Thank you. And Toby did mention two boys who were doing something with earth worms?"

Amalia laughed, "Of course. I had wondered about that myself."

There had been one, rather more fun aspect to the meal in the restaurant. Evie had discovered a bus. One of the women in the village was talking about a bus which took them, on a round- about route to Parborough. It evidently passed near to Toby's school. It was very much a shopping bus, only a few per day, but Toby could catch the bus to them after school or at a weekend, if Brian and Gordon were around to collect him, or the boy could stay. Toby was delighted and couldn't wait to put this little piece of independence into action.