-Like Bambi on the frozen lake, I slipped and almost landed flat on my @ss. So much out of my comfort zone was I. However, I persevered and finally triumphed with a story that everyone who has read it, found to be endearingly funny, intriguing and a damned good read.
I was influenced to write the story by a remark someone made at a party. He said, "wouldn't it be great if one could relive one's life knowing what one already knows. Retaining all the knowledge gained over a lifetime and being able to rectify past mistakes."
What if a man's brain could be transplanted into the body of a young boy, I thought, replacing the child's already irreparably damaged brain? Fantasy of course, but the basis of a good story and one that took me a year to write. The final product is a mixture of love, fantasy, amusement, adventure and if I may be so bold, a damn good read.
It has taken me nearly fifty years to finally complete a novel. During that time, I have made a start on several and written many short stories and poetry. It wasn't until I retired from full time employment that I really knuckled down and dedicated my time to writing finally triumphing a year later. My wife and grand-daughter who is with me in the photo were very influentual in keeping me focused and I owe a lot to them.
Below is a short excerpt from my novel: The boy with the 40 year old brain
Mannier was sitting behind Carson’s desk when Cynthia wheeled Tom into the office. She stopped his wheelchair well short of the desk, and then stood beside it with her hand, resting protectively, on the boy’s shoulder. She appraised the man behind the desk. He was a well-built, muscular looking man. But seemed to be carrying a lot of extra weight on his hips which she thought rather odd for a man. He had tried, but failed, to hide his disproportionate size with a baggy, but Smart looking, pin striped suit. He had a shock of brown, but greying hair. He had a smile on his lips, but his grey eyes told a different story. They were cold and lacked any sign of passion or kindness. As her eyes met his, she shivered involuntary.
‘Thank you nurse…?’ he said questioningly and then waited for her to respond.
‘Lambert,’ she responded and gave a weak smile.
‘Thank you nurse Lambert, that will be all. I will ring you when I have finished with the boy. I think I have a number for you here.’
Cynthia gave Tom’s shoulder a squeeze and then went reluctantly to the door. She opened it and looked once more at Mannier. His demeanour hadn’t changed and she gave the boy a worried glance before leaving the room.
Tom also felt a little ill at ease when he looked at the man behind the desk.
My god! He thought. I thought Carson was a cold fish. But this guy takes the biscuit. He looks more like a Mafia boss than a shrink. Where the hell does Carson get them from? His whole staff apart from one is like something from a horror film. How the hell could Cynthia get mixed up with this lot?
Mannier was smiling at him. His thick lips pulled back to reveal even, white teeth. It was a cruel smile and Tom had a vision of a shark circling its prey.
‘Hello son,’ Mannier said trying, but failing, to sound pleasant. ‘How you doing?’
Tom did not answer.
Mannier continued to smile, but his eyes narrowed.
‘It’s ok boy, you can talk frankly to me. I’m here to help you. I need to assess if you are suitable, mentally, to go home to your mother,’ He paused and gave a short snigger. ‘Or should I say, the boy’s mother? You do want to go home with her don’t you son?’
Tom nodded. He had already taken more of a dislike to this man, than he had of Carson.
‘Then you must help me. I cannot assess you without your co-operation. Do you understand…er, Tom isn’t it?'
‘Yes and yes.’
‘What?’
‘Yes I understand and yes it’s Tom.’ Tom had decided not to elaborate whenever he answered the shrink’s questions.
Mannier gave him a suspicious look. He hoped the boy wasn’t trying to disrespect him. He wasn’t used to people being anything but respectful to him no matter who they were. However, he decided not to dwell on the matter.
‘Ok Tom. Now we both know what a lucky boy …man you are. There isn’t another person in the world that has been so fortunate as to be reborn into a young and healthy body. In fact there are people who would give up their personal fortunes to be in your position.’
Here we go again. Tom thought. First Carson, now this guy, they’re both obsessed with people giving up lots of money to undergo what I’ve had done. There’s something distasteful about all this. If this guy’s a shrink, I’m the king of the bees. He wouldn’t know psychology if it jumped up and bit him on the bum.
‘Now what I’d like to know,’ Mannier continued. ‘Is how you feel as a man being in the body of a boy? Do you feel young and virile again like you were when you were a child?’
‘No not really,’ Tom answered.
‘Well, I suppose that’s understandable. I mean, you are still finding your feet, so to speak. You will get a better Idea when you have recovered your strength and can get out and about. Have you thought about what it will be like playing with other little boys and girls of your age? Especially little girls, what will you do when some little girl wants to play with you?’
Tom raised his eyes and looked at the grinning Mannier. You dirty, evil, perverted bastard, he thought. However, he kept his thoughts to himself.
Mannier saw the look of contempt on the boy’s face. But it meant nothing to him. The boy meant nothing to him. He was a law unto himself and he felt nothing but contempt for anyone who opposed his behaviour; or morals for that matter. But he acted as though what he was saying was normal practice.
‘Did you hear what I said boy? How are you going to react when the little girls want to play with you? I mean, after all, you are a forty year old man. You know how little girls like to flash their knickers at little boys. What will you do when that happens, eh?’
Tom could no longer hold in his anger.
‘F*ck off, you dirty pervert,’ he yelled.
This just seemed to add to Mannier’s amusement.
‘You must understand I need to ask these questions to make sure you are safe to go out into the community.’ Mannier said. ‘After all, we can’t allow you to go to a primary school if you have paedophiliac tendencies now can we?’ He leered at Tom with the broad grin still on his face. ‘Obviously, you have demonstrated by your reaction that you are not that way inclined.’
There’s no way you are going to convince me that you just said that for a reaction, Tom thought. You got a kick out of what you said, you filthy perverted twat. However, he dare not voice his thoughts. There was something menacing about this guy. By his intimidating manner alone, it seemed to Tom, that he would kill anyone who even looked at him the wrong way. I don’t even know the perv‘s name, he thought.
‘Sorry, who am I talking to?’ Tom asked spontaneously.
‘Didn’t Mr. Carson inform you who you would be seeing?’
‘No he didn’t.’
‘Ok, I am Doctor Mannier and I am your shrink…er…psychiatrist. I am obviously here to assess your suitability to go home. Ok?’
Christ, he doesn’t even try very hard to disguise the fact that he’s a phony. He don’t give two f*cks whether I know or not. What the hell’s he up to and what has Carson got to do with it. He must know this guy’s not a shrink. He even called himself a psychiatrist. Carson said he was a psychologist. Surely, there’s a difference. Ah well, it’s nothing to do with me. The sooner I answer his questions, the sooner I can get out of here.
‘Ok,’ he said.
‘Right then, just a couple more questions, but don’t take them the wrong way, right?’
‘Right.’
‘Now what I want to know is, being a man’s brain in a boy’s body. You obviously control everything, arms, legs, eyes, hearing etcetera. Does everything work by the way?’
‘Yeah, everything seems to work.’
‘What do you mean, seems to work?’
‘I’ve spent most of my time here, either in bed, or in a wheelchair. But I can feel and move all my moving parts. So, yeah, everything seems to work.’
The sarcasm wasn’t lost on Mannier and he thought about giving the boy a slap. However, he decided that that was an inappropriate way for a shrink to act.
‘So how do you feel about that sexy young nurse who brought you in here?’
‘She’s ok.’
‘Just ok?’
‘She’s nice.’
‘Well, of course she’s nice. I know she’s nice. That’s not what I mean though. I mean, f*ck me; you’re a man aren’t you? Haven’t you noticed her tits and that fantastic arse?’
‘Yeah, I suppose so. Are you sure you’re a shrink?’
‘Never mind that, what I’m trying to ask you is, does everything work ok?’
‘I already told you, everything seems to work.’
‘Are you trying to wind me up boy?’
‘I’m answering your questions like you wanted.’
‘You know what I mean kid, when you’re round that nurse do you get, you know, feelings.’
‘Feelings?’
‘Yes, f’ f*ck’s sake. You know; feelings down there.’
‘You mean, do I get a hard on?’
‘Now you’re talking my language son. Well do you? I need to know, it’s important to me.’
‘You ask some strange questions for a shrink.’
‘Never mind that, can you still get a stiffy?’
Tom thought of the boy’s mother.
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I can.’
Carson’s eyes brightened and he raised his fist in a triumphant salute.
‘Yesss!’ he hissed.
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