Chapter 1: Dave is Depressed

Keith was feeling very happy. It was a year now since he had come out of prison. He had broken into some local shops on his estate with some of the lads he had grown up with. Although quite hefty and strong, he had been a very quiet easily pushed boy, he hadn’t had the guts to refuse.

When he came home, he got very depressed thinking everyone was talking about him and backed away from applying for a job for the same reason. His parents had mentioned it to their friend John who had told them about Danny.

Keith had duly arrived, spent some time with Danny and gone away a totally different person. Soon after he had got a job with a local builder and settled down to a new life. A few days ago, his firm had employed a new secretary who was a similar age and had lived on the same estate. Now a much more confident person and knowing she knew all about him anyway, he had plucked up courage and asked her out.

They had a date booked for Saturday, so he had been walking on air ever since. The next day at work, he was sent off site with another man to do some preparation work for an extension his firm was going to build.

Partway through the day, he was wheeling a barrow of rubbish out to their truck when one of his old pals who had also been involved in the break in, came walking past looking very despondent. Seeing Keith, he perked up a bit and stopped to chat. He was also a very quiet type and had been pushed into committing the crime.

He had been released the same time as Keith. He was still unemployed and clearly suffering a similar depression to what Keith had experienced. ‘We moved to a house three doors down from here,’ he told him. ‘Look, I can’t stand talking now,’ Keith said, ‘But I’d like to catch up. How about we meet up later for a chat.’ He saw Dave’s eyes light up at the prospect.

‘I finish at five,’ he said, ‘So I’ll meet you at the Red Lion at half past.’ ‘That’s great, thanks.’ Dave said. He walked off looking much brighter. As Keith carried on working, he recalled how down he had felt before he had met Danny then started working.

At five thirty Keith arrived at the pub to find Dave waiting outside. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said looking very crestfallen, ‘I was so elated at the thought of meeting up, I completely forgot I have no money.’ ‘Doesn’t matter,’ Keith told him, ‘I’m working, I can buy the drinks.’ ‘I don’t like... ‘ Dave started to say. ‘You can take me for a drink when you are working.’ Keith said.

They went in, got a pint each and some snacks, then as it was a nice evening, they took them out into the beer garden. There were quite a few empty tables so they went over to one where they wouldn’t be overheard.

As they drank, Dave told him that he still lived with his parents. He was getting some benefits as unemployed but most of that went to his mum for his keep. ‘What sort of jobs have you applied for?’ Keith asked him. ‘Not very many,’ Dave told him, ‘I feel very awkward with people since it happened. I’m sure they’re talking about me behind my back. Also, the thought of having to tell a future employer about it puts me off applying.’

‘I’ve been getting really depressed,’ he confided. ‘I know mum and dad are worrying about me. I’ve been having some nightmares too.’ he admitted. ‘That sounds exactly like I was,’ Keith said. ‘What sort of nightmares do you have?’ Dave blushed, ‘They’re awful,’ he said, ‘But I couldn’t tell anyone about them.’ ‘Are they about something that happened to you when you were inside?’ Keith asked. ‘Yes,’ Dave admitted.

Then he asked, ‘If you were like that, how did you get out of it? You’re clearly happy now and have a job.’ ‘I didn’t.’ Keith said. ‘Mum and dad had a friend who knew a young lad with a reputation for sorting people’s problems out. They made contact and I was sent along.’

‘I went under protest as I didn’t want to go. But I felt at ease with him the moment we met. To cut a long story short, he had me emptying my mind to him in no time, came up with solutions and I went away happy. I had a job within weeks, and I haven’t looked back since.’

‘Do you think he could sort me out?’ Dave asked. ‘I’m sure of it,’ Keith told him. I’ll ask him if you like.’ He texted Danny with his request. Danny rang back about ten minutes later and after a short catch up, Keith passed his phone over to Dave. ‘Hi, Dave.’ Danny said, ‘I believe you’d like some help.’

‘Yes please,’ Dave said, ‘Can you do for me whatever you did for Keith?’ ‘I don’t see why not,’ Danny said. ‘Where abouts do you live?’ When Dave told him Danny said, ‘That’s on the other side of town. My friend who taught me lives right by you. I’ll ask him to see you if you’re ok with that.’

‘Yes, thank you.’ Dave said. ‘That would be much easier.’ ‘His names Lewis,’ Danny told him, ‘Text me your phone number, then I’ll contact him. He’ll let you know where and when. Any problem, get back to me ok?’ ‘Ok thanks,’ Dave said. ‘He handed the phone back to Keith who texted Dave’s number to Danny.’

When they finished their drink, as they left, Dave thanked him, ‘I feel as if something good is happening at last.’ he said. They arranged to meet up for another drink soon.

As Dave was walking home his phone pinged. ‘Hi, Dave.’ the text said, ‘It’s Lewis. Is it convenient for me to ring you now?’ Dave texted back, ‘Yes.’ and sat down on a nearby wall to wait.

When his phone rang, they had a brief chat then Lewis told him where the shop was and asked him to come just before five on Saturday. ‘I’ll explain everything then.’ he said. ‘If you decide you don’t want to stay, you can just get up and go, you don’t need to say why.’ Arrangements made they hung up.

Dave felt happier for the rest of the week. Happier than he had ever felt since he left prison a year ago.

Saturday as their busy day neared its end, Dave arrived at the shop. He went in and stood just inside the door uncertain what to do next. Lewis spotted him and in between customers, he went over to him. ‘You must be Dave,’ he said shaking hands. ‘Welcome. If you go through to the back room and make us two coffees, I’ll be through as soon as we close in five minutes. Milk and two sugars.’ he added as he returned to his counter.

Five minutes later as Mike closed up, Lewis went through to the back room. There were two coffees on the table and Dave was sitting waiting. ‘My boss will be in to pick up his coat and say hi,’ Lewis said. ‘Then we’ll be on our own.’

Lewis went for a wee, and a moment later Mike came in. ‘Hi, Dave.’ he said shaking his hand. ‘You’re in good hands.’ he said and gave his usual spiel about Lewis. As he finished Lewis returned and saw him out. Returning, he sat at the table and sipped his coffee.

‘Let me tell you how it works and what I know about you first,’ Lewis said, ‘Then you can ask any questions.’ He told him about the key in the door, being able to leave anytime and no one knowing anything that he said.

‘All I know about you,’ Lewis said, ‘Is that you are a friend of a friend of my friend Danny. You have a problem and I guess you are about twenty years old.’ ‘I’m twenty-one next month.’ Dave told him.

‘With so little knowledge, it will be down to you to tell me all about yourself.’ Lewis said. ‘We’re not going to discuss your problem until you feel enough at ease with me to do so. What I am going to do is get you

to tell me all about your life, your hopes and fears, your dreams and the people around you. When you answer give me as much detail as you can. The more I know about you. the better I can help you.’

‘Now, I don’t know anything about your problem yet. If I ask you something connected with it that you don’t feel able to answer just then, say ‘pass’ and we’ll leave it until later. Now do you have any questions.’

‘Please don’t be offended,’ Dave said. ‘But you’re awfully young.’ ‘True,’ Lewis said with a smile. ‘But that hasn’t stopped me solving every problem that’s been brought to me so far. I can also tell you that most people’s problems involve sex of some sort or another, so don’t worry if yours does too.’ He noticed Dave go red briefly but didn’t let on that he had seen it.