Chapter 2: Lewis Has a Fitness Test

The following week soon came around, Lewis went off to work with a spring in his step. Mike greeted him like an old friend, and they were busy from the moment they opened the shop. During a few minutes lull, when there was just one customer in the shop browsing the videos for hire, Mike asked him how his week had been. Lewis told him just the usual school plus that he had been fishing with his dad on Sunday. Mike told him that fishing had never appealed to him, saying, ‘I always felt that if I was just sitting there waiting for a bite, I would simply fall asleep,’ but went on to say it was nice to hear that Lewis and his dad were doing things together. ‘We often go,’ Lewis told him, ‘But I need some new fishing gear, so I was hoping we would be able to do some extra’s today.’

Mike checked the customer was still out of earshot then said, ‘Yes that’s fine, we’ll have our lunch and then see what we can do. If you slip out to the chippy before we close, it’ll give us a bit more time.’

At quarter to one, Lewis went along to the chippy, returning just as Mike was about to close the shop. They went through to the back room and had their lunch. Whilst they were eating, Mike asked Lewis if he still had his £10 from last week. ‘Yes,’ replied Lewis, ‘I’m saving up for a new fishing rod.’ ‘Now you’ve had a week to think about it,’ Mike asked him, ‘How do you feel about the way you earned it.’ ‘It was easy,’ Lewis replied. ‘Who knows you earned more than your wages?’ Mike enquired. ‘No one,’ replied Lewis, ‘I’ve hidden it away.’

Mike smiled at him and nodded, ‘Good lad’, he said. ‘Now you indicated this morning that you wanted to earn another ten today, is that correct?’ ‘Yes please,’ came the instant reply. ‘Ok, once we’ve finished eating you can. First, I’m going to explain today’s tasks, then you can decide. Today we will do the fitness test first, then the questions second. The fitness test will be the same as last week with these additions. You’ll start off by removing your T shirt, shoes and socks. I’ll then be able to do the tests on your arms and shoulders easier.’

‘After I’ve sounded your chest, I’ll measure your heartbeat, then get you to do five press ups and measure it again. Then finish off with some tests on your back, hips feet and legs. When we do the questions, you can lie down on the settee. I’ll relax you whilst I ask them. How does all that sound?’ ‘Fine,’ replied Lewis immediately, nothing Mike had said sounded difficult or uncomfortable, and he was already thinking that’s another ten towards my new fishing rod.

They cleared their lunch stuff away, then Mike pulled over the chair and told him to get ready. Lewis took his shoes and socks off, followed by his T shirt, then sat in the chair. It was nice and warm in the room, so he felt comfortable. Unknown to Lewis, Mike had turned the heating up a little during the morning.

Mike rested his hands on Lewis’s head and did a similar examination of his scalp as last week, this time doing a little more on the sides of his head and over his shoulders. Lewis had never had a massage but thought that this must be what one would feel like. He decided he liked it. Mike then looked into his eyes, ears and mouth, then asked for his left arm. Doing the same movements as last week he was able to feel the movement of the joints easier with their being no T shirt in the way. It also felt more relaxing to Lewis. Mike was also enjoying himself. The feel of young flesh as he moved his hands over Lewis’s bare skin was so much nicer with clothes out of the way.

When Mike tested the muscles under his arm, Lewis thought to himself, I hope I’m not too sweaty. Mike did the same to the other arm, then Lewis stood up whist Mike sounded his chest front and back. ‘Do you smoke,’ asked Mike. ‘No,’ replied Lewis, ‘My dad does, and I’ve tried one, but I didn’t like it.’ ‘Good,’ said Mike, ‘Your lungs are lovely and clear, don’t start if you possible can, you don’t want to fill them up with black sticky tar and become breathless as you get older.’

‘Now,’ said Mike, ‘Lie on the settee on your back and relax. As Lewis did so, Mike told him he would wait one minute for Lewis’s heartbeat to settle down, explaining that it beat a lot less when you were lying down at rest. He watched Lewis’s chest raise and lower as he breathed looking also at his hairless chest, square shoulders and firm young muscles. He had an urge to take him in his arms and hold him close. Bringing his mind back to the present, he watched as his chest settled down into a slower rhythm.

When he judged the breathing, rate had slowed down enough, he placed his fingertips on Lewis’s chest, just below his left nipple. Feeling his heart beating steadily, he counted the beats as he looked at the clock on the wall. After ten seconds he had counted eleven beats which works out at sixty-six beats per minute. Following Mike’s instructions, Lewis then got up and did five press ups on the floor before returning to the settee. Mike immediately measured his heartbeat, which after the burst of energy was up to eighty beats per minute.’ I’m sure you can feel it pounding in your chest,’ Mike told him, ‘But this is quite normal when you do anything active. It should return to what it was before you did the press ups in about one minute. So just relax and I’m going to use the minute to check your ribs. As he spoke, he rested his fingertips on each of Lewis’s collar bones.’

The touch of Mike’s fingertips on his bare skin, aroused the same strange but pleasant feeling that Lewis had experienced last time. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling whilst Mike continued down his body.

Moving slowly down Lewis’s chest, Mike gently felt each rib and the muscles in between, one hand on each side of his chest. Reaching the softer area at the bottom of the ribs, he could see a minute had passed. Putting the fingertips of his right hand back over Lewis’s heart, he counted the beats then said, ‘You are back to seventy beats per minute, that’s excellent. ‘

Next, he moved to the end of the settee, picked up Lewis’s left leg and slid his trouser leg up to his knee. Getting hold of the leg with both hands just below the knee joint, he moved down to the ankle, checking the muscle with his fingertips as he went. Reaching the ankle, he examined the foot and toes, then taking hold of the toes in one hand and placing his other hand round the back of the ankle instructed him to push his foot against his hand, then moving his hand to the front of the ankle instructed him to pull his foot forward. Telling him to relax again, Mike pulled the trouser leg down then picked up the other foot and did the same.

‘Next,’ said Mike, ‘I want you to turn over on your tummy so I can check your spine from top to bottom. So, before you turn over, can you undo everything around your waist, that is belt, trousers and the draw string on your shorts if you have one.’ Mike watched him undo his belt and top of his trousers saying, ‘If you can undo your zip a bit as well it makes it easier.’ Lewis ran his zip most of the way down, then turned over onto his front as instructed. Mike placed his fingertips on the back of Lewis’s neck and examined the bones in his neck, then slowly and gently worked his way down his backbone, over the twelve bones that were attached to the ribs, then over the next six down to the waist.

Slipping his hand inside the loose trouser top, he felt the remaining bones of the spine over his shorts right down to its end. ‘They all feel good’ he said, ‘Is it ok if I test the bottom few once more, but inside your shorts on the skin.’

‘Sure,’ Came the immediate reply. Lewis had already realised that feeling Mikes fingers directly on his skin was so much nicer than over his clothes.

Mike lifted the top of the shorts away from the skin a couple of inches then slid his hand slowly and gently down each bone to the bottom of the spine. Sliding his hand out of the shorts, he lowered the top back onto Lewis’s skin. Following instructions, Lewis turned over onto his back. ‘Just two more tests,’ said Mike. ‘First your stomach. Try to keep relaxed although I know it’s hard when someone is pressing their fingers into you.’ He grinned down at him, and Lewis grinned back. Mike rested both hands flat across Lewis’s stomach then gently pressed his fingertips into him. Then moving his hands back an inch, he pressed in once more, keeping doing that until he had come right across Lewis’s very flat and firm tummy.

‘Good that’s excellent,’ Mike said, ‘Final one now, stand up and put your hands behind your head.’ Lewis did so, the top of his trousers dropping a few inches with being undone. ‘Don’t worry about them’ said Mike, ‘Now in a moment I’m going to put my fingers on the base of your spine then I want you to do one squat, ok?’ Lewis nodded so Mike reached over and placed his fingertips down inside the back of the shorts, then slid them down until he reached the last bone. As soon as his fingers where in place he said, ‘Ok squat down, then come back up right away.’ Lewis lowered himself into an almost sitting position, then stood up again, Mikes fingers remaining in place the whole time.

As soon as he was stood upright again, Mike removed his hand and said, ‘Right that’s all the fitness tests done for today, lie down now and relax.’ ‘Should I fasten myself back up,’ Lewis asked.’ You can if you want to,’ Mike told him, ‘But you will probably relax much better if you leave them loose.’ ‘Ok,’ said Lewis and stretched out on the settee.

As soon as he was settled Mike sat alongside his waist looking towards his head. ‘Now,’ he said, ‘You’ve earned your first £5. The second one is as last time, questions about you. This week we’ll try doing them slightly different. In a moment I’ll ask you to turn over onto your front, then I’m going to run my hands from your head to your feet and back again to your head. I’ll do that twice, then you can turn over and I’ll do the same three times on your front. You should find that very relaxing and it will help you answer the questions I’ll be asking you as we go. Does that sound ok to you?’ Lewis nodded ok, thinking to himself as he did so that it sounded really lovely. Mike said, ‘That set of five we’ll call a relax and question session and every time you do a set of five, you’ll earn £5. Turn over when you’re ready and we’ll start.’

Lewis turned over right away, thinking as he did so, I wonder if we could do two relax and questions. He thought to himself that he would wait until this one was nearing its end then ask.