Fast Forward to a New Beginning

Clutching the shilling the Captain had given him he approached the bar and ordered a pint of bitter. He was pleasantly surprised at the amount of change he got but then he supposed that a shilling was probably a day's wages at this time in fact when he first joined the Junior Leaders he only got seven shillings and sixpence a week and that was in 1961. He made his way over to the open window and remaining slightly in the shadow stared out at the archway. At first he thought that they weren't there but then he caught sight of one and then another and finally the third. Yes they were all there but off to one side of the archway. They weren't grouped together but had scattered giving themselves the widest field of vision. They had obviously done this before Adam thought. So that was it then he thought for unless there was a crowd of people to help hide his approach they would quickly identify him using the scanner. He left his position by the window and went across to chat to the barman. He said he had just finished a job by the docks and was looking for work and did the barman think that there would be any going at the station for he had heard so much about it. The barman simply shrugged and said, “I wouldn't know mate! Best to ask over there!” indicating the station with his thumb. “It doesn't look very busy. Does it ever get busy?” The man laughed and said, “You wait until five o'clock mate when all the city toffs arrive. You can hardly see the street for them!” Adam smiled that was what he wanted a crowd but it meant he would have to wait until five and he certainly couldn't stay in the pub all that time for he had to keep his wits about him. He went and sat by the window occasionally looking across at where the enemy were. He thought that they might take a break for lunch but it turned out that only one of them would go at a time so he was still outnumbered he thought. He took ages over his beer despite the looks he was getting from the barman but eventually it was gone so he took his pint pot to the bar and bade farewell to the barman. He did not look across at the archway but headed directly away from it. He now needed somewhere where he could pass the time away until five o'clock but first he decided to investigate the area immediately to the north of the archway to see if there was any opportunity of approaching from that direction. He found he was out of luck for if he came from that direction at any time before five o’clock he would be seen by the enemy. They had picked their spot well he thought. Without really thinking about it he headed along the same roads or at least direction that he had when he went to Izzy's house but long before he got there he found a park. He positioned himself on a bench that faced the local church tower that had a clock in it and settled down to wait. “This is always the worst part!” he thought, as he tried to rid his mind of all the doubts he had. “It would work just keep thinking that it will work!” he thought. At some point during the afternoon he must have dozed off for he woke with a start to find that it was time to move. The closer he got to the station the slower he walked taking in the sizeable crowd of people heading into the station. He couldn't see the enemy but knew that they would be there watching. In among the people passing into the station he saw that there was a wagon parked by the roadside opposite the archway. He drew closer and could now see that it was loaded with large planks of wood and both the driver and his colleague were struggling to get them off the wagon. This was his chance he thought! He went over to the wagon and said to the older of the two, “You look as if you could do with a hand mate?” The man paused to give him the once-over and said, “Aye! Grab that end! There'll be a pint in it for you at the end!” Adam immediately grabbed the wayward plank and helped them get it off the wagon. He said, “Where are you taking it? In there?” pointing at the archway. The man nodded and hoisting his end of the plank on his shoulder Adam headed for the portal the man following at the rear. “It is going to work!” Adam thought as he neared the entrance pushing his way through the crowd of people with the man behind him shouting, “Clear the way please!” Then he heard the cry, “He is there! Over there! Stop him! Stop him!” He dropped the plank ignoring the cry of the man behind him and raced for the portal. A narrow beam of light missed him by inches as he literally dived for the portal, as he hit it he felt a stab of pain in his left leg and a cry, “I hit him!” then he was through sliding along the floor much to the amazement of the few people that were approaching the exit at the other side of the portal. He picked himself up and walked quickly away heading for the toilets close by the left luggage office. He did not look behind him for he knew if they still wanted him he was dead meat. But there was no hand on his shoulder, no cries; he had got away with it.