Chapter 4: Tayo Seeks Sanctuary at the Shop

Saturday morning had been hectic as usual, but Mike and Lewis had kept things moving along as they always did.

As lunch time drew near, the shop door opened noisily and a young lad ran in, leaving the door open. Lewis and Mike, as well as the few customers in the shop, looked up, startled. The lad was Chinese looking, very slim and seemed to be early teens. He ran over to the counter obviously terrified. “I’m sorry he said, but there’s a Gang of lads after me, they’ve already attacked me, but I managed to escape.”

Mike said, “Lewis, take him through to the back room. Excuse me,” he said to the customer he was serving and went to the door. Approaching outside were three youths, two of which he recognised from the local area as troublemakers. “I’ve just called the police,” he told them, “They take race hatred crime very seriously nowadays, it usually means a prison sentence, I’d clear off if I was you.” They glared at him then turned and walked away. Mike returned to the shop to find Lewis serving his customer.

“Tayo is having a coffee in the back room,” he told him in response to Mikes questioning look. “I told him he could stay and have lunch with us.” Mike nodded and smiled, thinking, typical Lewis. “You go and keep him company until it’s time for the chippy,” he said, “I’ll manage here.”

Lewis went through to the back room, Tayo jumped as he went in, then relaxed as he saw it was Lewis. “Mikes scared them off,” he told him, “So by the time you’ve had lunch with us, they’ll be long gone.” Tayo said thank you so much, you’re very kind.” Lewis sat down beside him and asked what had happened.

Tayo explained his parents had moved to the UK about twenty years earlier from Hong Kong but had both died when he was little. He had been adopted by a local couple and was very happy there. It turned out that he went to Lewis’s school, but only just having turned fourteen, he was somewhat below Lewis, and they had never met. “Most of the boys at school are fine with me,” he told Lewis, “It’s just those three and a couple of others who give me trouble from time to time.”

“Today I was just coming up to the shops and the three of them saw me as I was passing the waste ground down the road. They dragged me in there and started kicking me and punching me. Someone saw what they were doing and shouted at them, then whilst they stopped to shout abuse at him, I managed to run away. They chased me and where just about to catch up when I reached the shop. I dashed in in sheer panic in the hope they would leave me alone if I was with other people.”

Lewis put an arm around him, saying, “Don’t worry, Mike won’t let anyone harm you. Have your lunch with us, then we’ll see about getting you home safely.” Tayo burst into tears, then as Lewis held him close, he said, “I’m sorry to be such a baby, I was so scared, and they hurt me so much.” Lewis held him and stroked his head until his sobs faded away. “You’re not being a baby, he told him, you’ve had a rough time. Where are you hurting?”

Tayo told him, “My back is sore from where they kicked me, my tummy is sore from their punches, and I’ve got bruises on my legs.” “Ok,” Lewis said, “It’s time for me to go to the chippy now, after we’ve had our lunch, we’ll have a look at your injuries and see what we can do, ok?”

Tayo nodded, “Thank you,” he said with a watery smile, “I don’t know what they would have done if they’d caught me.” Lewis took his order for lunch and told him to relax in safety until he got back.

Going through the shop, Lewis took Mike’s order and went round to the chippy. There was no sign of the lads hanging around outside. He returned just as Mike was about to close up. They both went through to join Tayo. Lewis introduced Tayo to Mike who told him it was nothing when he thanked him for seeing the gang off. “Relax and have your lunch,” Mike told him. “Lewis filled Mike in on what Tayo had told him about himself and the mornings events.”

As they ate, Mike asked Tayo what he usually did with himself when he wasn’t at school. “I keep looking out for a job as we don’t have much money to spare.” Tayo told him, “But I haven’t had any luck yet. I often go walking and cycling. I like fishing, but I don’t have any fishing gear. I study quite a bit too as I want to be an engineer when I leave school.” Mike asked him what branch of engineering, but Tayo told him he didn’t know yet.

Once they had finished eating, Mike said, “If it’s ok with you, I’d like to check out your injuries. Tayo said, “Yes that’s fine, thank you.”” Come and sit on the chair, “Mike said, pulling out the dining chair. When Tayo was seated, Mike examined the top of his head and found a cut on his scalp. Lewis went and fetched the first aid stuff. Mike cleaned the wound and put some antiseptic cream on it. “It’s not too bad,” he said, “It should heal up ok on its own, just try not to knock it.”

Mike suddenly thought of something Tayo had said earlier. “Did you say you were short of cash!” He asked “Yes, “ came the reply, “My parents don’t earn much, but we get by.” I’ve just had an idea then, “ Mike told him. “I’ve been teaching Lewis some first aid, so how about I use you for instruction and teach Lewis how he should do an examination.” Tayo replied immediately, “That’s fine with me,” “You didn’t give me chance to finish,” Mike told him, “I was about to add that I’d pay you £5 for the examination, £5 extra if you do it stripped to the waist and another £5 if you strip to your shorts when we’re ready to do your legs.” “You mean I’d earn fifteen pounds, Tayo said sounding amazed.”” That’s right Mike told him. “In fact, if you strip to your shorts at the beginning to save messing about, I’ll add another fiver.”

“Wow,” Tayo said, “Shall I strip off now?” “As long as you’re sure that you feel ok about doing it, then yes,” Mike answered. Tayo stood up right away and pulled his shirt of over his head. He was extremely thin which made him look weak, but Mike suspected he was really quite wiry. His skin was a light yellowy colour. His shoulders were quite narrow, but his top half tapered down to very narrow hips, giving his overall body a well-proportioned look.

Next, he undid his belt, button and zip, slipped his trousers down and stepped out of them. He was wearing white underpants which looked so tiny. Now his trousers were off, Lewis and Mike could see exactly how small his waist was.

Mike had intended to sound his chest, but now he had taken his top off, they could both see a big bruise forming on one side of his rib cage and another half hidden by the waistband of his underpants on his abdomen. Mike very carefully pressed on his ribs all around the top bruise, pleased to see no reaction from Tayo. At least your ribs aren’t broken he said. That bruise will be painful for a while, but it’ll go soon enough. We’ll find something to put on it before you go to help it heal. I’ll look at the other bruise in a moment, Mike said. Is there anywhere on your front from your belly button upwards, apart from the bruise, that hurts. Tato said, “No, just the bruise.” Mike lifted both his arms, one after the other and checked for more cuts and bruises. He couldn’t see any and gentle pressure all over produced no cries of pain.

Mike now told Lewis to do the same examination as he had just done. Lewis did so, feeling very carefully around the bruises. Mike asked Tato to lie down on his front, then he put his hands on Tayo’s shoulders, carefully feeling all the way down to the top of his shorts. Then Lewis did the same, Mike pointing out a few things to watch out for. Then Mike examined the back of both of Tayo’s legs from the bottom of his underpants down to his feet. He pointed out one sore spot to Lewis so he would be extra careful there, then Lewis did the same examination.

Mike asked him to turn over onto his back. Tayo turned over and Mike and Lewis could see that the bulge in the front of his underpants was very small. Mike started off by checking his feet and legs up as far as his underpants. There seemed no damage on the front so then Lewis did the same exam. Mike told Tato he was doing very well and would definitely be going home with the twenty pounds he had promised him.

“Now,” Mike said, “Before we go and get something for those bruises, I want to check that last bruise on your front and the rest of your abdomen and hips. I can reach inside your underpants if you prefer, but if you are ok about taking them off, I’ll add another fiver to your pay because it will make examining you so much easier.”