Chapter 5 : Malcom Begins to Uncover His Problem

Danny let himself in at Johns at his usual time. He went through to the kitchen and put the kettle on. There was no sign of John, so he made them both a drink anyway. A few minutes later Danny heard a car outside, followed by the front door opening.

John came in looking flustered. ‘Hi Danny,’ he said giving him a hug and a kiss. ‘I had to pop out to the shops earlier, but I kept bumping into people who wanted to chat. Harry was the first, he was coming out of the shop as I was going in. He told me his life was now wonderful and I was to thank you once again for what you did.’

‘Then as I came out, I met Ian and Jenny as they were about to go into the shop. They sang your praises too, they said to tell you they were both deliriously happy thanks to you. Ian gave me this and said to tell you it is from both of them with all their love and thanks.’ He passed him a sealed envelope.

When Danny opened it, he found five hundred pounds in fifty-pound notes. He looked open mouthed at it. Watching him, John said, ‘No you can’t send it back that would offend them, they clearly thought that you were worth it. Just add it to your savings.’ Danny put it in his pocket, thinking he would buy some more premium savings bonds on Monday.

It doesn’t end there, John told him, I had just got back to the car when I met my friends who I went to Wales with for the weekend. As we chatted, they reminded me about my comment regarding having a friend who could sort anyone’s problems out.

They told me that Glenda, their eighteen-year-old daughter had got a boyfriend about six months ago. They had liked him from the start and made him welcome. They had all got along great, he was a few months short of eighteen and was training as a motor mechanic at a local garage. They hadn’t noticed until after our weekend away that there seemed to be a coldness between them. ‘We don’t know how long it’s being going on,’ they said, ‘I think we only noticed it at all because of our conversation at the Chain Bridge about all the problems people had to contend with today.’

‘When they asked their daughter about it, she just told them not to interfere, it was nothing serious and they would sort it out between them. So, we didn’t feel able to mention it to her again,’ they said. ‘Then her dad told me that he and Malcom the boyfriend, had gone for a drink together the night before whilst dinner was being prepared. He told me that he had explained to Malcom that they had noticed something was up, but his daughter had warned them about interfering. So much as we’d like to, we can’t do anything to help.’ he had said. ‘But I do have a friend who knows someone who can solve any problem.’ he added.

‘The next time I see him I will ask him if I can give you his phone number. Then I’m going to risk texting that number to you. Whether you use it or not will be entirely up to you. I will never be told one way or the other. All I ask is whatever you decide to do, the offer remains between us. If he agrees, can I send you the number?’ He said, ‘Yes,’ so I said in my best James Bond imitation, ‘Thank you, this conversation never happened.’

John smiled at him, ‘So if you say it’s ok, I’ll tell him he can pass on my number. What or if anything happens after that I have no idea.’

‘Of course, you can,’ Danny told him, ‘You don’t need to ask, if it’s someone you want to help, its fine with me.’ John gave him a hug, ‘I’ll let him know right away,’ he said.

John sent a text saying, ‘number ok.’ Then they sat down to their slightly later than usual morning coffee. Once they had finished, Danny went out back to start on his gardening. John washed up and went to do some housework.

About half twelve, John put the kettle on, called Danny in, then made them both a drink. John didn’t eat midday, but he liked to sit and have a drink with Danny whilst he ate his butties. Halfway through, John’s phone rang. It was Malcom. ‘I’ve been given your number by my girlfriend’s father,’ he said. ‘Hi Malcom,’ John said, ‘The man you need to solve your problem, whatever it is, is my friend Danny who is here at the moment. Now, if you want his help, I suggest you come around here and meet him. You can then decide if you want to continue.’

‘Let me tell you that if you go ahead, no one will hear from me that you have made contact. Also, once I’ve introduced you, I will go out and leave the two of you alone so no one but you and Danny will ever know what you tell him. I should also tell you that he has solved a lot of serious problems for a lot of people.’

Malcom must have said yes for John gave him the address. ‘He’s coming round now,’ John said. Danny finished his butties and had just finished his coffee when the doorbell rang. Danny put his dishes in the sink, then as he turned back, John came though followed by Malcom.

‘This is Danny,’ John introduced them. They shook hands. They all sat around the kitchen table as John told Malcom how he had introduced Danny to many people who had problems. ‘They all went away happy,’ he said. ‘I occasionally go out with your girlfriend’s parents,’ John added, ‘But I promise you that I will never ever tell them that we have met. Danny never repeats anything to me, so I can’t tell them anything else anyway.’

Danny smiled at Malcom, ‘Do you have any questions now we’ve met?’ he asked. ‘Just one, will you help me?’ Malcom asked.

‘Of course,’ Danny said. ‘John got up, I’m off out, he said text me when you’re done. You’re in good hands,’ John told Malcom as he left.

Once they had heard the front door shut, Danny said, ‘Ok Malcom, this is how we will proceed. I’ll ask you some basic details about yourself, then we’ll go through to the lounge where I’ll try to relax you enough to tell me in more detail what’s bothering you. Don’t worry,’ he added, ‘I don’t expect you to be able to do it right away.’

‘What I can tell you is that everyone who’s been here thinks their problem is far too embarrassing to be able tell anyone else about it.’ ‘So how do you solve them?’ Malcom asked puzzled.

‘I have two things going for me,’ Danny said, ‘First, when I say that I will never repeat anything you tell me, I mean it. Second, after not too long together, people seem to find me easy to talk to.’

‘Now,’ Danny said, ‘Other than your name and age I know nothing about you. Tell me about your home and family.’ ‘I have a brother five years older than me, Malcom said. Also, a sister two years younger. I live at home with my mum and dad and my sister. My elder brother went away to work on a short-term contract in Germany a few years ago then decided to settle there.’

‘How do you get on with your sister?’ Danny asked. ‘Fine,’ Malcom said, ‘We squabble from time to time and nowadays we don’t see a lot of each other, but I’d do anything for her.’ ‘How about your parents?’ ‘I love them both,’ Malcom replied, ‘They’ve always looked after us all.’

‘Ok,’ Danny said, ‘Let’s go through to the lounge and get more comfortable.’ Leading the way in, Danny stood by the settee and told him, ‘Take your shoes off and lie down on the settee.’ Once Malcom was settled, Danny sat on the edge of the settee and told him, ‘What we have to do now is get you relaxed enough to tell me all about your problem. Your body is like your mind, you hide it away behind clothes just like you hide things in your mind.’

‘So, in a moment I’m going to ask you to turn over, then I’ll relax you on your back from your head to your feet with my hands. I will ask you more questions as we go, but if I ask anything that’s too embarrassing to answer just yet, all you need to do is say pass. Turn over when you’re ready.’

After Malcom had turned over, Danny placed his hands on the back of his head and started massaging. As he moved down onto his shoulders, he asked, ‘How did you meet your girlfriend?’ ‘We went to school together,’ Malcom told him, ‘So we had known each other for a long time. But we were just friends, then about nine months ago it happened that several things we went to the other one was also there. We just naturally drifted together because we knew each other. But even so It took about six months before we became a permanent couple.’

By now Danny had gone down his back, over his cheeks and was heading down the back of his legs. Malcom was about five foot nine and incredibly thin, Danny thought to himself when he first saw him side on, if he was just in his short’s you’d have a job to see him.

‘At what point did you meet Glenda’s parents?’ Danny asked reaching his feet. ‘Again, I had known them for years,’ Malcom told him, ‘When we said we were going out together, they both seemed pleased. They had always made me welcome, but now it seemed even more so.’

As Danny did his cheeks once more, he asked, ‘What about your parents?’ ‘The same applied,’ Malcom said, ‘It was almost as if they had all expected it to happen.’

Danny smiled to himself as he moved up Malcom’s back towards his head. ‘Sometimes other people can see things happening in our lives that we can’t see ourselves, or at least not until long afterwards.’ He told him. ‘Turn over,’ he said as he finished speaking.

Smiling down at Malcom he asked, ‘Was Glenda your first official girlfriend?’ As he spoke, he put his hands on Malcom’s head and started massaging. Going down over his face he moved down onto his shoulders. Malcom still had his eyes closed as he answered, ‘Yes I suppose she was.’

As Danny moved on downwards, he asked, ‘How many other girls did you go out with before Glenda?’ There was silence as Danny moved on down his chest and stomach, Danny assumed he was counting. As Danny reached his waist, Malcom said, ‘Four.’ ‘Ok, a memory test now,’ Danny said as he went over the front of his trousers, ‘Name them, in the order you went out with them and how many times with each.’ There was silence again as Danny went down his legs and started back up.

As Danny reached his knees, Malcom said, ‘Gill was the first one, we were both fifteen and went out once, Ella was next, also fifteen that was once. Lucy came next, I was sixteen then, that was only once. Anna the last one was just after my seventeenth birthday, that was also once. By now Danny had reached his head again. As he passed over his trousers, he had felt a soft bulge. As Malcom’s hips were incredibly narrow, Danny couldn’t judge its size.

‘You’re doing well,’ he said, ‘Now in a moment I want you to turn over again. I’m going to repeat what we have just done to get to know more about you. What I’d like you to do first is to sit up and take your top things off. But if you don’t feel able to do that right now, don’t worry, were going to progress at your speed not mine.’

Before Danny could say anymore, Malcom sat up and pulled his top things off. Danny took them off him and put them over on the chair. Just lie down for a moment,’ he said. Looking down at him, Danny didn’t think he had ever seen anyone Malcom’s age so thin. Yet he looked very wiry.

‘When you came in,’ Danny said, ‘You had most of your body hidden away from view. You also had your mind hidden from me. So far body wise, you have uncovered all of your top. You have also released a lot of information from your mind. I haven’t noticed any hesitation about doing either so the signs for final success are good.’

‘So, turn over and let’s see how we progress.’ Malcom turned over. His shoulders were nice and square, his chest tapered down to a narrow waist. Danny put his hands on his head then started massaging. As he moved down onto his bare shoulders, Danny asked, ‘How long had you known Gill before you went out with her.’