Young and Hungry - For Life - 25. I Think I Have a Boyfriend

James and Francesco spent Sunday on the lot, mostly exercising, talking and staring into each other’s eyes. Alex had a date with Wanda, so at the end of the day they drove home together.

“How was your date” asked James

“Pretty good, we had lunch, a movie and a walk in the park”

“That’s a bit lame”

“Oh so what did you do that was so much better?”

“I’m very glad you asked, but didn’t you girlfriend tell you?”

“No, what’s Wanda got to do with it?”

“Nothing really, she probably didn’t recognise me in makeup and costume”

“Why, were you clowning around as usual”

“You do know, don’t you?”

“Honestly, I have no idea what you’re talking about, but if you want to be all secretive about it, fine. I don’t really care”

“Well, I’m going to tell you anyway. I was in the grand parade finale of the circus last night”

“What, picking up the horse shit?”

“Just for that I won’t tell you now”

James spent the rest of the trip sulking for a while, until the vision of Francesco lying naked in bed entered his mind and a rush of blood entered his penis.

<>

Upon arrival home, Hannah welcomed the boys and asked James “How was the sleepover?”

“Great thanks”

“And how many condoms did you use?”

“Mum, pleeease. But as long as you’ve been so crass as to ask, I’ll tell you. Exactly none”

“But I told you always to use protection”

“I’m out of this” announced Alex, and left the room

“So?” she continued

“I didn’t need condoms. Is that enough for you, or do you want more details”

“Fine, just so long as you know what you’re doing. So did you have a good time anyway?”

“I had an excellent time, but I’ll tell you later over dinner. Right now I need some legal advice”

“Oh my god what have you done?”

“Nothing like that”

“But you got involved in something dubious?”

“No, will you please take off your mother hat and put on your lawyer hat?”

“Ok, what is it you need?”

“When a young person works in what is a sort of family business, should they get paid?”

“That depends on the circumstances and their age and what they do. Lots of kids help around their family’s business, particularly in small shops and on farms. Can you be more specific?”

“My friend Francesco, he started doing an act in the circus when he was seven, then his parents both died when he was ten and he stayed on with the circus doing his act and he’s now seventeen.”

“Did he have relatives also in the circus, as a juvenile he would need a guardian”

“Oh, that was all ok, he was officially fostered by the couple that own the circus”

“Fine, so what’s the issue about getting paid?”

“Well, like I said, he’s been doing this act since he was seven, but he doesn’t get a wage”

“When you say an act, do you mean a professional performance, not just helping around circus, like doing a bit of cleaning or feeding animals and such?”

“I know what you’re asking. If a kid was just helping his family, then he might not necessarily expect to be paid more than pocket money, like me doing chores around the house?”

“Precisely, you get board and keep, education and protection, that’s part of being a family and in return you do chores. But if your friend is doing a professional act for the public and the circus management charges an admission fee for that performance, then most certainly he should be paid”

“He doesn’t even have some of the basic necessities of life”

“You mean like food and shelter?”

“No not that, he gets all that, in fact the food is pretty good. But he doesn’t have a mobile phone”

“Oh I see, the necessities of life, of course” Hannah said with a wry smile.

“So, if he doesn’t get paid, how does he get what he needs to function in life?”

“He gets food at the circus, he has his own van which was his parents and costumes, some clothes and such are also provided by the circus, but he doesn’t have any money to go out to the movies or shopping and all that”

“Has he tried to ask the circus management about this?”

“That’s just it, he doesn’t seem to know he should get paid. He’s been in the circus since he was born and that’s all he knows”

“He’s not kept captive there, is he? This is not a modern slavery case is it?”

“Not as such, he went out with me and we had hamburgers and went to the park, but I think that’s the first time. He doesn’t have a bank account and not even pocket money”

“Do you want to help him?”

“Of course, I really like him, he’s a good friend” James said with a softness in his voice.

“A special friend?” his mother asked

“Yes Mum, I think I have a boyfriend, and it feels really good”

“Ok, there are two ways to legally handle this. One is to confront the management and the other is to alert the state Department of Industrial Relations and let them handle it”

“What do you recommend Mum?”

“Neither initially. Why don’t you invite him over here for a meal, maybe even a sleepover and let him tell me his story”

“Thanks Mum, I knew you’d know what to do”

Hannah smiled at her son and added “If those smells coming from the kitchen are any indication, I think Julia just about has dinner ready, and I’m keen to hear about the rest of your weekend”

“You’re just gunna love it and by the way...” he took a deep breath and continued “...we didn’t need condoms because we never....”

***

A few days later, while James was at school, Hannah went looking for her yoga mat. It didn’t take her long to find it sticking out of James’ backpack thrown into a corner of his room. While retrieving the mat she decided to pull out James’ dirty clothes, as she figured that was the only chance they had of finding their way to the laundry. She also found the crumpled animal rights posters and put them aside to ask about later.

<>

When James came home he noticed his bag on his bed. He assumed his mother had taken the yoga mat and his dirty clothes, but he forgot about the posters, until he saw them on the kitchen bench. His initial reaction was to put them in the recycling bin, but figured his mother must have already seen them and removing them might look suspicious. He raided the fridge for a snack and sat at the bench.

Before James finished, Alex arrived home, smelling of barbecued chicken, poured himself a drink and sat next to his brother.

“What’s all this mess?” he asked as he tried to flatten out the posters “Did you take these from the circus?”

“No, why would you ask that?”

“Wanda said someone was putting up posters like this around the circus. So...if you didn’t get them from the circus...where did you get them?” James remained silent, then Alex said “Wait, are you the anonymous poster sticker upper?”

“Yes, so what?”

“Oh boy, are you in deep shit now”

“Mum won’t mind, in fact she’ll probably support me and the cause”

“I don’t mean Mum. Jack will blow a fuse when he finds out he has an animal rights campaigner infiltrating his circus. What does your bendy boy think about this?”

“I don’t know”

“You mean he doesn’t know his new friend is a traitor and undermining his employer’s business?”

“That statement is so wrong in many ways. Firstly, he does know, and I’m not a traitor. I love the circus and like most of the people there, except the wild animal handlers. And furthermore, you could hardly consider the circus his employer. Employees are supposed to get wages for their work”

“I don’t get any of what you just said. If he knows, what does he think about you putting up these posters?”

“I’m not sure, we really didn’t discuss it”

“He’s probably told Jack by now, so I wouldn’t plan on being welcomed back at the lot again. And you’ve probably just fucked up my relationship with Wanda”

“How’s that?”

“Even if she’s not shitty with me, because of you, then Jack certainly won’t let her see me anymore. Either way I’m screwed”

“Have you heard from Wanda since the weekend?”

“No, and maybe that’s why”

“Then why don’t you ring her and see if she says anything, and if she doesn’t, don’t you say anything either and this might all blow over”

“So are you going to give up your little crusade?”

“No, I’ll find another way. I don’t want to lose Francesco over this”

“Then you better make sure he doesn’t spill. You should call him”

“I can’t, he doesn’t have a phone”

“Why?”

“That’s another story and comes back to why I don’t consider the circus a good employer”

“Apart from the animals what else have you found wrong with the circus?”

James explained about Francesco and at the end, Alex said “Fucking hell, he needs to be rescued, maybe we should stage an intervention”

“Just leave it for now, Mum’s got a plan”

“She already knows about this?”

“Francesco, yes we’ve discussed it, but the posters no, I think she just found them today”

“Well you won’t have long to wait, looks like her car just went down the driveway”

“Does Wanda have a phone?”

“Of course, why?”

“I may need you to call her and ask her to get Francesco to call me back on her phone”

“Now?”

“No, I’ll tell you when”

<>

Hannah poured herself a wine and joined the sons for a chat.

“Do you want to tell me about these posters?”

“It’s pretty obvious isn’t it. I’m protesting against animal cruelty in circuses”

“Ok, I get that and support you and the cause. I just want to make sure you don’t get onto any trouble from it. Why were they all crumpled up in the bottom of your backpack?”

“I put some up last week outside the circus and I took these to put up this week, but the circus had security around the lot so I didn’t take any chances”

“That’s good, but you could be playing a dangerous game by protesting against an organisation that you have become part of”

“I’m not part of the circus”

“Maybe not officially but you have a boyfriend... ” Hannah was interrupted by Alex, exclaiming “Boyfriend!”

“Yes Alex , get over it. You were saying Mum”

“Your boyfriend makes you welcome at the circus, you stay overnight and eat with them, so it’s obvious the circus people accept you, and you even participated in their show”

“Your point being?”

“You accept these people’s hospitality, but secretly protest against them”

“I’m working from the inside to try and fix a problem”

“It’s called shitting in your own backyard James” observed Alex.

“Alex please” replied Hannah

“But it’s true”

“I agree with you Alex, but you could have put it a bit more politely”

“I think he gets the point though” concluded Alex

Hannah then asked James “Do you see what we’re saying?”

“Yes, I suppose so, but how do I keep up my protest and still be friends with Francesco?”

“Perhaps you could have spoken to the circus boss to make your point, before putting up posters?”

“Maybe I could still do that, but he is very scary and his wife is built like a wrestler”

“I think you’ve blown that chance now” said Alex “They’re bound to connect you with the posters if you raise the issue now”

“I agree with Alex” said Hannah.

“So what can I do to help the animals?”

“You could support a professional organisation that lobbies for the same cause”

“Like the RSPCA?”

“Or there is an organisation called PETA. I saw their name on a list of non-profit organisations looking for pro-bono legal services and read a bit about them to see if they were worth supporting”

“How do I help them?”

“Make contact and see what sort of help they need”

Alex then suggested “Maybe you could protest at another circus when it’s in town. That way you won’t be seen protesting against your friends”

“Good idea Alex, except for one thing. I checked online and Startime circus is the only circus in Australia still using wild animals”

“So the job’s almost done”

“Maybe, but that doesn’t help the animals in their circus”

Hannah then summed up “James, search online for appropriate groups and contact them for ideas, but whatever you decide to do, run it by me first”

“Sure Mum and thanks for your support. I thought I’d be in trouble”

“That’s not what you said before” accused Alex

“Yeah, like I’m going to admit it to you”

<>

Over dinner James’s protest action was shared with Julia, who added her support and asked James about his boyfriend.

“He’s just the most amazing contortionist ever, well almost, but more importantly he makes me feel good when I’m with him. However, I worry about him”

“Why’s that?”

James and Hannah explained the situation with Francesco and at the end she said “You must invite him over for us all to meet”

“I’d love to do that but he wouldn’t have the money or know how to get public transport”

“No problem, one of us can pick him up. You just make the arrangements and we’ll be your taxi service”

Hannah said “Of course” and even Alex nodded in agreement.

“Thanks everyone, I wish Francesco had a family like mine”

“Did I hear correctly?’ asked Alex “James gave us all a compliment”

“Don’t tease him” suggested Julia.

“So when does he have days off?” asked Hannah

Alex answered “The circus is only doing three performances per week, Thursday to Saturday, so the rest of the week is free”

“Well as it’s mostly school days, maybe we should pick him up on Sunday, he can stay over and we’ll take him back on Monday morning” suggested Hannah

“I’ve got an idea” said Alex “What if I drive James out to Parramatta on Sunday when I go to see Wanda, then James can bring him back here by train and one of you can take him back before you go to work on Monday”

“Sounds perfect, thanks. Now you have to help me Alex, to get him on the phone”

“No problem, I’m going to ring Wanda after dinner anyway”

“Why do you need Wanda’s help?” asked Julia

“He doesn’t have a phone, Mum”

“Maybe I can fix that. My old phone is still in a drawer somewhere. What if we give him my phone and a prepaid starter kit as a gift?”

“That’s great Mum, but he won’t be able to reload more credit, without money”

“Well, if he texts you when he wants to talk, and you call him, then he won’t use much of his prepaid allowance. And after that we’ll see what we can do”

“You’d do that for my first boyfriend?”

“I think he’s earned it, for making you so happy”

“Superb”

*****