The Trouble with Youth

“Edward Andrew Bellinger!” the court bailiff called, his voice booming down the stairway and around the corridors beneath the courthouse, where Edward, known as Eddie, sat quietly awaiting this moment.

Although he was expecting to be summoned, and indeed had arrived at the court an hour or so earlier, the sound of his name being called and in such a formal way, made him shiver.

“C’mon Ed,” said the officer escorting him, “time to see what’s in store. Look smart, stand straight and chin up. They stopped hanging years ago,” he joked.

He put his hand on Eddie’s arm and led him towards the stairs, where Judge Hargreaves and a host of ‘suits’ awaited to pass sentence.

Eddie stopped suddenly and looking at his escort said, “stopped hanging hey, I won’t be getting the suspended sentence I was hoping for then.”

This was his first appearance before the crown court. He was obviously nervous and trying to relieve his anxieties with humour. This was typical of him and the officer could see that despite Eddie’s ‘front’ he was worried about facing the court. He had previously been found guilty of contempt for constantly breaching the conditions of his probation and been remanded in custody pending reports from his probation officer and the police.

“Suspended sentence, you’ll be lucky,” said the officer trying not to laugh. “Let’s see what they say, you never know, perhaps this is your lucky day.” He nodded his head towards the stairs and they began their climb into the court room.

Eddie managed to maintain a certain amount of composure, knowing it was likely he would be ‘going down’. He had been before magistrates many times for petty crimes, ranging from pilfering sweets and cigarettes from his local store to breaking and entering various shop premises. More of a nuisance than a threat to his neighbourhood he was well known to the police. They had a good idea why he was in trouble so often and felt that with guidance and opportunity he would turn out fine. Despite his apparent disregard for the law and the terms of his probation, Eddie had something of a ‘fair cop guv’ approach to the police. They knew that although he would avoid the local constabulary at all costs, he didn’t give them too much trouble once they had him ‘nicked’. Eddie, surprisingly, wasn’t a liar. If he was arrested for a specific theft and was involved, he would say so. This didn’t make him a great success as a thief, but earned him some respect with the officers of his local station. His main problem was the constant breaches of his probationary terms. This meant he spent more time in court than the average ‘brief’, hence the referral to the crown court, where it was agreed they would be in a better position to pass sentence.

Judge Hargreaves was getting on in years, quite set in his ideology, and known to have little time or understanding for the ‘new age’ youngster or teenagers as they had become known. Many who had the misfortune of being presented before him were accommodated ‘courtesy of her majesty’ thanks to his short, sharp, shock approach to repeat offenders. After all, this was 1967. The judge believed that society had endured quite enough free love, rock and roll music and youngsters having the audacity to want recognition and change, threatening its foundations. Anyone failing to conform did so at great risk in the eyes of Judge Hargreaves. Eddie was a repeat offender showing little respect for the law or its enforcement. This was a cycle that had to be broken and Judge Hargreaves had all the tools and the determination necessary to do so. Eddie was fully aware of Judge Hargreaves’s reputation and felt like the proverbial lamb on its way to slaughter.

Eddie reached the top of the stairs and waited whilst the officer checked in with the bailiff.

He looked around the room and saw a few people sat spread out over the gallery. He didn’t recognise them and wondered if they were waiting for the next case to be tried or just there out of pure curiosity. What a way to spend your time, Eddie thought.

Then, just a little further along, he saw his mother sitting alone and looking very anxious. She looked small and vulnerable in the grand surroundings of the court. Eddie smiled in a bid to reassure her and she managed a smile in return, but her eyes showed her hurt as clearly as rain on a window. She clutched at a hanky whilst he made his way to the dock, looking down into her lap, hating to see him at the mercy of strangers. Her mind was scrambled with a mix of emotions and being helpless to do anything for her son made the whole experience almost unbearable.

Eddie’s mother Irene was still an attractive woman despite years of hardship. As a young woman she was the ‘belle of the ball’, with all the young men wanting to be seen with her. During her school years she was expected to go far. She was bright, had a talent for languages and hoped to enter the teaching profession. All that promise was lost when she met Eddie’s dad. He was handsome, charming and managed to win her heart. When asked about Eddie’s dad she would always maintain that he was in the Merchant Navy and away at sea. In truth, he had left them and didn’t keep in touch. Even so, she wouldn’t have a word said against him. Her closest friends felt that this was due to the love they shared when they were together, and for the sake of their children, Eddie being the eldest.

Eddie’s dad, Andy Bellinger, had indeed loved Irene. He had done his best to provide a secure home for her and the boys, but despite his best efforts his wanderlust had the better of him. The lure of adventure compared with working hard in a steady job took its toll on their relationship and finally he left, leaving nothing more than a note. He promised that he would work hard and return with enough money to live comfortably, dreaming even then, as he left, that he could return the hero. This was the predicted action that Irene was warned about by her parents and indeed had caused a family rift that had yet to be repaired. There was no contact between them, which only served to make life harder for the young family.

Once proceedings had begun, Eddie’s court appearance was mercifully brief. He had been found guilty in his previous hearing and had been summoned this day for sentencing. Judge Hargreaves read out the list of Eddie’s appearances that had led to his conviction and sounded almost bored with his monologue that seemed to portray neither surprise, anger, nor indeed any emotion. The report had taken into consideration the recommendations from the police and his probation officer. The latter, a Mr. Griffiths had spoken well of Eddie and felt that with guidance he could be put back on the right track.

Mr Griffiths was a quietly spoken but determined man, with a reassuring and trustworthy manner. He had come to know Eddie well and had presented the court with a well-balanced reference. He described Eddie’s inability to uphold the obligations of probation but pointed out his family circumstances, his readiness to learn, work, and his desire to develop. Mr Griffiths told them that although Eddie’s school attendance had been erratic he had learnt a lot from his mum, a clever, well-educated woman. The court heard that Eddie was bright, ambitious and very caring towards his family. He wanted to support his family financially, had done odd jobs for neighbours, but couldn’t find a steady job because of his police record. Eddie’s mum did her best for her family, and managed well on a very modest income to feed and clothe her children, but there was no spare money for treats. Eddie knew how difficult it was and thought that contributing by whatever means, made him the man of the house in the absence of his dad. Eddie had become more of a father figure than an older brother in their eyes. In a way, Eddie embraced this, despite his youth.

Eddie also had an ambition which few knew of, although he had discussed it with Mr Griffiths during one of their sessions. It was to work with animals. He wasn’t bothered in what capacity but perhaps as a farmhand or groom, anything along those lines. This came as something of a surprise, as it was an unlikely aspiration for a city boy. Contact with anything other than domestic pets was minimal at best. Visits to the countryside were even more of a rarity. As a young boy, Eddie visited his Uncle in Bristol. It was this trip that was partly responsible for Eddie’s interest in animals. His uncle had taken him to the zoo where Eddie had been in awe of the variety of species and dreamt of landing a job looking after them. Little did he know that his dream would in part be realised. His life was about to change and quite quickly as it turned out.

Judge Hargreaves, having read out the report, looked first at Eddie and then at Mr. Griffiths. He had a brief discussion with a colleague on the bench, and then spoke in a loud voice, making some of the attendees jump at the sudden break in silence.

“Edward Andrew Bellinger, having read the reports submitted in reference to your character, albeit chequered, I am in agreement with the consensus that Borstal or another such institution would do you no service.”

Eddie looked over to his mother, as for a moment it appeared he would be going home. She lowered her hanky from her face and then heard Judge Hargreaves finish his reading.

“However, in the light of your inability to maintain the conditions of your probation, it is the wish of this court that you are taken to an approved probation home for a term of one and one half years.”

Eddie was visibly shaken for a second and looked over to his mother, who by now was in a full flood of tears.

“I’ll be alright mum, it’s just what I need to get myself sorted!” he declared.

Even in this time of personal trauma he was more concerned about his mother’s feelings than his own. Underneath a tough exterior there was a young man with good qualities, recognised by the police and Mr. Griffiths. Judge Hargreaves instructed the bailiff to take him down and he was escorted back to the stairs that he had climbed just minutes before, albeit in a completely different frame of mind. Eddie now walked silently, no nervous jokes or rhetoric, just staring at the floor as he walked, looking lost and bewildered. He thought of his mum and the boys, his friends, and how his life would change being apart from them. At that point he heard a familiar voice.

“Just a second Eddie,” called Mr. Griffiths, “I need to speak to you.”

Mr Griffiths explained how he would be travelling with Eddie to his allotted approved home and that it would be in the Welsh countryside.

“Welsh countryside, bloody hell Griff!” which is how he affectionately referred to his probation officer, “how bad am I, to being sent there!” he said in a voice that was not a little raised. Mr Griffiths went on to explain that he had been selected for this opportunity due to his ambition to work with animals and his need for an introduction to discipline.

“I have used this ambition to keep you out of Borstal or worse,” he explained. “Actually, it’s rather a nice place, and although you will be expected to work hard, most of the lads, when they leave, go on to better things,” Mr Griffiths said in the hope that this would console Eddie a little.

Eddie stood there for a few seconds, just looking at Mr Griffiths, as if to assess if he was telling the truth or just trying to make him feel better.

“You make it sound like bloody Butlins,” Eddie replied trying hard to raise a smile.

“I have a feeling that you will be fine. Now let’s find out the travel arrangements,” said Mr Griffiths.

He was relieved that Eddie had appeared to take the news in good faith and managed to arrange a little time for Eddie to say goodbye to his mum. As she approached, with tears in her eyes, her arms were outstretched, ready to hold tightly her dear son, wondering when she would see him again.“Look after yourself Eddie, there’s a good lad. Just do as you are told and don’t get into any more trouble, and no fights,” she emphasised, knowing his difficulty in accepting authority.

Eddie had become quite proficient in the art of boxing. He had learnt as a child with his father, training at his local gym where his friends would hang out.

“Course mum, I will be a good boy and eat all my greens as well, how does that sound?” he asked jokingly.

She smiled and said, “that sounds just fine” and kissed him on the cheek then again on the forehead holding tight enough to smother him.

“Time to go Ed,” the bailiff said in a soft voice and nodded to Mr Griffiths.

Eddie kissed his mother gently on the cheek and whispered, “look after yourself and give my love to the kids.”

She reluctantly loosened her arms from around him and he turned and walked towards the exit, where a police van and a driver awaited to take him to his new, albeit temporary life. As he climbed into the van he waved back to his mum and she waved her hanky trying to hide her sorrow but failing miserably. Eddie disappeared into the van followed by Mr Griffiths. She walked behind the van as it pulled out of the courtyard onto the road and drove off. She stood there watching while the van wormed its way through the traffic, finally disappearing from sight.

Eddie was still quite numb from the morning’s events and at first the drive went quietly, but after a few miles he began chatting with Mr Griffiths, asking what he knew about the probation home.

“I know it’s called House of Bruce Wood and it’s on the outskirts of a small mining town called Pen yr Eglwys, at least I think that’s how it’s pronounced,” replied Mr Griffiths laughingly.

“Pen yr Eglwys!” Eddie replied. “You can get antibiotics for that.”

At which all three laughed.

Eddie had quite a charming way with people, which is why it was difficult not to like him, despite his errant ways. Many questions followed, and although Mr Griffiths didn’t know the answers to most, he did his best to keep Eddie engaged on the long journey.

“Have a look at this Eddie,” said Mr Griffiths. “It’s the new Severn Crossing that takes you from England into Wales.”

Eddie looked, and said in a nonchalant manner, “That’s a nice bridge Griff, must have taken some doing.”

In fact Eddie was in awe of what was a fine piece of structural engineering which looked almost majestic as they approached it. As they drove across, Eddie looked over the Severn and marvelled at the spanning of the bridge, with the steel cables each positioned exactly to take their portion of the weight.

“It’s only been open for a year or so,” said Mr Griffiths.

As they neared the end, Eddie could see that cars were queuing to pass through some kind of narrowing.

“What’s happening up there?” he asked.

“Well Eddie,” replied Officer Williams, “you have to pay a toll to cross the bridge into Wales.”

Mr Griffiths not being one to miss an opportunity added, “that’s how nice the place is Eddie, you have to pay to get in!”

They entered Wales in the best fashion possible, all were laughing at Mr Griffiths’s comment.

Eddie knew that his immediate future wasn’t going to be easy but already he was feeling better and more optimistic than he had been feeling just hours earlier. This is my chance to get things in order, he thought to himself, and that’s exactly what I am going to do. He leaned forward and looked at the road ahead over Mr Griffiths’s shoulder.

Another hour or so passed when Mr Griffiths declared that they must be quite near.

“That’s right,” said Officer Williams who knew the area quite well, “you should be able to see the house soon. This road is known locally as Old Barn Hill.”

“Here we are!” said Mr Griffiths. “Look up there to the left Eddie, the House of Bruce Wood in all its glory.” As they drove down the long, straight, stretch, Eddie thought that the house looked quite grand and elegant but rather sinister in the evening mist, a house that bad kids would be sent to. They drove on down the road which had open fields either side and was bordered by a fence made from concrete posts with circular bars between them. Up ahead, Eddie could see a small garage and workshop. Next to that was a shop. On the corner, lit up like a beacon, was a telephone kiosk, standing out with its bright red exterior and its telephone sign lit up. There the van slowed and turned a sharp left taking them around the kiosk and past the back of the garage. Looking to their right they saw a few terraced cottages, with small, well-kept gardens to the front of them and gates leading onto the road. Just a few yards on was the gated driveway to the House of Bruce Wood itself.

They stopped for a moment and looked up the long tree-lined drive and could just see a small part of the house at the top. Officer Williams switched on the windscreen wipers as rain had gathered on the screen.

“Well here we are Eddie, take a deep breath and keep your chin up,” he said.

“I don’t see any fences or anything,” said Eddie. “How do they stop people escaping?” he asked.

Mr Griffiths turned and said in his usual quiet way, “it’s all about trust Eddie. This is an opportunity for you to show who you really are, and what you can do. There are rules and responsibilities but no locks.”

Plucking up the last of his courage, “let’s go,” Eddie said. “Let’s see who runs a place like this.”

“Did I mention that it’s run by the Salvation Army?” said Mr. Griffiths.

“No I don’t bloody think so Griff!” Eddie sounded almost horrified. “I’m going to have the bible stuffed down my throat am I?”

“I am sure they will respect whatever views you have Eddie, as long as you have respect for theirs,” Mr Griffiths said drolly.

As they drove the length of the drive, they could see through the trees commercial greenhouses and a variety of vegetables growing in what appeared to be professionally-kept market gardens. At the end of the drive was a circular parking area in front of the house, which was huge. It was as grand as it had appeared from the road below and painted white which made it look even bigger. Across the far side of the house were two more buildings, a modern house and a hall in matching brick, presumably built at the same time.

The three men stepped out of the van and took the opportunity to stretch their legs.

“Well at least we made it,” said Officer Williams in a manner that sounded as though they had crossed the Antarctic.

“Yes and made good time considering,” Mr Griffiths replied.

Eddie was still looking around. Between where they stood and the hall was a lowered area surrounded by trees. To the right was the side wall of an outbuilding or a barn of some kind and to the left there was another wall built to border the area perfectly. Inside this enclosure was a lawn about the size of a tennis court, complete with stripes, as Eddie had seen on television during the Wimbledon tennis fortnight. Eddie was taking in his surroundings and was clearly impressed. He turned around and saw that behind him were two wooden huts that looked around 60-80 feet in length. Beyond that was countryside, more beautiful than he had ever seen.

Mr Griffiths watched Eddie as he took in his new surroundings and said, “alright Eddie, is it as you imagined?”

“To be honest Griff I am waiting for the catch, there must be something I am missing, this place is like Butlins.”

Mr Griffiths and Officer Williams laughed.

“I don’t know about Butlins,” said Officer Williams “but it’s a lot nicer than many probation homes I have visited over the years.”

Just as the laughter died down, the door of the smaller, modern-looking house opened and a large, uniformed figure appeared from the darkness of the porch, followed by a Golden Retriever dog.

“Speaking of catches…” said Officer Williams, “just joking mind Eddie!”

The man in uniform waved and made his way over to where they stood. He appeared to be a friendly character and with a broad smile bellowed, “you must be our new guest, Edward Bellinger.”

“I am known as Eddie to my friends,” said Eddie in a slightly nervous manner that surprised Mr Griffiths.

“Well that’s an encouraging start, are you inviting me to call you Eddie? If so, it implies that you think we are going to become friends.”

“OK,” said Eddie and went on to introduce Officer Williams and Mr Griffiths.

“Oh I know these two gentlemen and as pleased as I am that we are off to a good start I will have to be a little more formal and ask you to call me ‘Major’, or as the boys like to call me ‘Skip’. I really don’t mind either but must insist on one or the other,” said the Major.

“I will call you Skip if that’s ok,” Eddie replied.

“Skip it is then.”

He leaned over to Mr Griffiths and Officer Williams and whispered, “it’s all about boundaries you know, have to maintain a certain distance you understand.”

“What about your dog, what do I call her,” asked Eddie as he stroked the dog’s head.

“This is Bess”, the Major replied affectionately, “best dog this side of the Atlantic and no doubt about it,” he said as he put his hand on her head. “Great judge of character she is you know and she appears to like you Eddie, which is always a good sign. Now, you have had something of a day I am sure and are probably hungry. Let’s see what dish we can conjure up for you. You can’t settle in on an empty stomach, that’s what I always say. What about you Mr Griffiths, and you Officer Williams?” the Major asked.

“Well, it has been a bit of a trip and if it’s not too much trouble,” replied Officer Williams.

“Follow me,” the Major replied in a military fashion that made all three feel that they should march smartly behind.

They shared a smile as they followed him into the house.

“Come along Bess,” said the Major and she jumped and ran to be by his side.

They entered the large house via a side door that led to a passageway. The first door on the right opened into the kitchen that looked as though it could cater for an army. Walls painted white and not a mark on them, with red earthenware tiles on the floor. Taking centre place was a large, wooden, kitchen bench that looked as though it had served the house from the time it was built. Along the length of the back wall was a work bench made of the same wood as the kitchen table. Above the bench, pans of all types hung in perfect order, suspended from wooden frames. The bench was laden with food, and there were several jugs filled with cutlery and all kinds of kitchen implements. There was a smell of warm pastry in the air coming from the large range cooker which made everyone feel even hungrier. At the sink there was a young lad washing the dishes and stacking them on the draining board. A smiling woman stood next to him.

“Ah Mrs Mac, would there be any chance of rustling up something for our new guest and his entourage,” asked the Major.

“An introduction would be nice,” replied Mrs Mac jokingly. “Another hungry face to feed hey.”

“My name is Edward but I am known as Eddie to my friends,” Eddie said as he stepped forward in a manner that resembled a scene from Oliver Twist.

“Alright lovely,” Mrs Mac replied, in the distinctive accent of the South Wales Valleys.

. “You and your friends take a seat and we will see what wonders I can work for you. Bye the way,” she added, “you can call me Maggs, everyone does apart from the Major that is. He likes his boundaries don’t you know.”

Her manner was slightly mocking of the Major’s ‘stiff upper lip’ approach.

Mr Griffiths and Officer Williams looked at each other and smiled. They had met the Major on the few occasions when they had introduced people to the house. They knew that although he needed to present a stern, no nonsense ‘front’, he had the boys’ best interests at heart, proven by the good work done at the house.

“Welcome to the house Eddie, I hope you will find your time useful and productive,” said the Major, shrugging off Mrs Mac’s comments as he disappeared through the door. “I will leave you in the capable hands of Mrs Mac. She will be able to answer any questions you have for now. I must check on the boys. See you later, nice to see you again gentlemen,” his voice getting quieter as he walked down the passage way.

“Skip seems like a nice man,” Eddie said, hoping for a positive response from Mrs Mac.

“Firm but fair Eddie, firm but fair, that’s how you will find the Major. He has a job to do and wants to do it well for the sake of the young men who come here,” she said as she laid out the table.

“He has his hands full mind at the moment, if only keeping the place going,” Mrs Mac said looking at Mr Griffiths.

“I had heard that there were plans for this place,” Mr Griffiths replied. “What’s being discussed?”

“I am just the cook,” replied Mrs Mac. “Skip never bothers me with management matters, but I know he is under a little pressure at the moment from the powers that be,” she said showing a little annoyance that the Major had to deal with such things. “Now make yourself useful Eddie, by washing your hands and getting out some of the round white plates from that cupboard there, there’s a good lad,” she nodded toward the cupboard Eddie needed. “You look like a nice lad Eddie and you will be fine as long as you listen and work hard. That’s my advice to you.”

Eddie looked at Mr Griffiths and Officer Williams.

“Right, let’s get these plates out,” he said in a business-like manner.

“That’s my boy,” said Mrs Mac, “keep that attitude up and you will do well.”

Eddie set about his work and winked at his two travel companions. This was his home for a while, just as well settle in.

It wasn’t long before the party were sitting down to a steak pie, which looked lovely with its thick pastry and abundant gravy that spilled out from underneath the crust.

“I have given you a taster Eddie as it will be time for dinner soon,” said Mrs Mac. All three were quite hungry and ate quietly at the large kitchen table.

“Well if that’s what the food is like, I wouldn’t mind a stay here myself,” joked Officer Williams.

“Would you like another helping?” asked Mrs Mac. “Or more bread, I made it myself today.”

“Couldn’t eat another morsel,” replied Officer Williams.

“As much as I would like to, I can’t,” replied Mr Griffiths.

“Eddie, you can have as much as you like at dinner so I won’t offer you too much now,” said Mrs Mac.

“That’s fine Maggs,” replied Eddie, testing how she would react to him taking up the invitation to address her by her first name.

Mrs Mac showed no reaction at all and had obviously meant what she had said; this gave Eddie a good feeling. He liked her immediately and felt better for meeting her. Their meal was followed by a mug of tea and they chatted about their drive up to Wales and crossing the bridge.

“Time to make a move then I am afraid,” said Officer Williams, “and I guess you will be wanting a lift back Mr Griffiths.”

Eddie looked a little nervous about being left and Mrs Mac quickly picked up on this and said, “we’ll be fine here, don’t worry about that, won’t we Eddie.”

He turned to see Mrs Mac smiling and replied, “yes I think so, don’t worry about us.”

“You will be able to write and let me know how you’re doing if you want to Eddie,” said Mr Griffiths.

“I will be sure to Griff,” he replied and looked him in the eye as he said it; there was a moment when nothing was said.

“Right, well, see us off then, and don’t forget to write to your mum, you know she will worry.”

Just then the Major returned, Bess still at his side.

“Off so soon,” he asked.

“Yes, we have quite a trip ahead and Eddie looks as though he has found a friend in Mrs Mac,” said Mr Griffiths.

“In that case I will show you to your van gentlemen,” and the Major led the way in his military fashion.

Just as Mr Griffiths and Officer Williams were ready to drive off, the Major spoke quietly through the van window and assured them that Eddie would be fine, especially once he had been introduced to the other lads. As they looked over to Eddie he was preoccupied with Bess and was stroking her head and telling her what a lovely dog she was. Just then, in the distance, they could see a young lad running as fast as he could past the hall with what appeared to be a flame and plume of smoke rising from the end of his finger, his arm extended above his head.

“Good grief,” said Officer Williams, “what’s happening there?”

“It’s a little early for the Olympics,” Mr Griffiths joked, “and they are in Mexico next year, so he has a fair trip!”

“Stop right there Brodie,” shouted the Major.

“I can’t Skip,” was the quick reply and off he went past the barn and out of sight.

“Brodie is something of a case,” the Major said as he walked towards the barn.

“It’s ok Skip, I am out now,” shouted Brodie appearing from around the corner holding his hand in the air. “I have dipped it in the trough, it’s ok now.”

The Major looked relieved and turned back to the van.

“The lads have been known to call him the professor,” the Major told Mr Griffiths and Officer Williams quietly.

“Why is that?” asked Eddie.

“Because he is always testing theories, trying this or that,” the Major replied. “If it is flammable then he will put a match to it just to see how it burns. If it has a motor then he has to take it apart and make it run better. We have to keep him occupied, if you know what I mean! He’s a clever lad, always fixing things and asking questions. We even have him instructing the other lads in mechanics and maintenance of the farm machinery, but he has to be kept an eye on, you know how it is,” the Major explained.

“Wait there Brodie!” the Major bellowed. “Think of a good explanation for your actions, I will be with you presently. Well gentlemen as you can see, I have work to do. Have a safe journey and I will see you next time. Let’s have Eddie’s things and that will be that.”

Eddie said his goodbyes to Mr Griffiths and Officer Williams and they left. Eddie, the Major and Bess stood at the top of the drive as the van drove down it, disappearing through the gate at the bottom.

“That’s the worst bit Eddie,” said the Major putting his hand on Eddie’s shoulder.

“What’s that?” Eddie asked.

“Getting here is one thing, getting left here is another entirely,” replied the Major, “everything will be fine though, you mark my words. Now, chin up and come and say hello to Brodie.”