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Westpoint Tales

by Kiwi

Entangled Tales - 48 - Daniel, Tony & Toddy

Peter blocked the doorway, (with Jay's help). "Tony wait. Don't go - we all want you to be part of this. You're our guest star. Do you really hate it that much?"

"Yeah, and more."

"The words are okay. I agree with Crispian, it could be a great promotions song. How would you fix it? What could we do to make it better?"

"I don't know, I'm no expert. But you could kill the bouncy-bouncy sound of it, and maybe change the introduction. Make it really long with solos on the guitars, the bass, the keys and the drums. Introduce each component of Whozzat before the vocals start. Then you'd have a theme song for your group."

"I like it, Tony," Crispian said. "You've got something. Daniel said that you play the keyboard, why don't you show us what you're thinking?"

"Okay, well, this is just my ideas. Someone might think of better. Can I use your keys, Peter?"

"Go for it, Tony."

"Okay. Start with a riff by the Guitar-man, then Jay picks up and starts laying down the beat." As he spoke he demonstrated with the keyboard's different functions. "Danny plays a few bars solo, then throws it over to the bass. Sandie thrums a bit, then throws it back. Danny picks it up and throws it to Peter, back to Sandie, back to Jay, back to Kadie and Shelley. Then Danny does a long lead solo, everyone crashes in together, then they all throw it to the singer."

"That has got to be you, Tony."

"Okay then, we'll try it anyway, and no bouncy-bouncy, except Jay could maybe bounce a bit on the bass."

"They played it through, and then a second time, with lots of stopping and starting as each one experimented on their own instruments. Crispian took over the directing and, after a couple more attempts Peter decided to try a recording, but Crispian stopped him.

"Just one thing. I love the arrangement, Tony and I do see what you mean about the bouncing, but could you put a bit of a growl into your voice? Burst in with the opening lines like you're sick of waiting."

"Okay. This is a take people."

First the long, involved introduction then Tony burst through with the opening lines.

"I'm going out west where I belong,
Where the days are short and the nights are long.
Well they walk and I'll walk. They twist and I'll twist,
They shimmy and I'll shimmy, they fly and I'll fly,
Well they're out there having fun,
In the warm North'n West Coast sun.

Well the girls are frisky in old Westpoint,
A pretty little chick wherever you go,

And, they walk and I'll walk, And they twist, and I'll twist,
And they shimmy, and I'll shimmy, And they fly, and I'll fly,
Well They're out there having fun, In the warm North'n West Coast sun,
Well they're out there having fun, in the warm  North'n West Coast sun."

"Okay. Excellent," said Peter. "But one last touch -after Tones has finished, we crash-stop the song. Everyone plays together, bang! bang! bang!"

He demonstrated what he meant on his keys and they all complied while he recorded again.

They listened, delightedly, to the complete playback and applauded themselves. Daniel said, "I'd love to see you dance that one, Tones."

"We can do that," said Peter. "And you lot clear out and make room for Tones' amazing flying feet."

Their audience, Toddy, Crispian and the three Lewises all stood well back and watched as Whozzat played North'n West Coast Sun one more time and Tony 'danced' it.

Mrs. Lewis in particular applauded enthusiastically. "Brilliant, Kids. Simply brilliant. Tony, take a recording of that home to your family. Beg, whinge, whine, do whatever it takes to get them to let you come and live here. Whozzat so needs you. All of you together make a great tight unit."

"Thanks, Mrs. Lewis, but I can't. I've got a home in Warkworth."

"Well, it's a shame," said Claire. "It's a bloody shame. Why don't you lot all move to Warkworth then?"

"I don't think that will be happening," Mrs. Lewis replied. "Maybe in a couple of years, once school's over."

"I agree with Claire," said Crispian. "It is a bloody shame. Still, they can always use you when you come back for holidays. Now, Peter, give us another song to record and we might have a CD single here."

"I've got one," Daniel said. "A song for Tones, and for all of us - Simply the Best."

"The Tina Turner song, right?" Peter searched his catalogue.

"Good song, Daniel," Crispian agreed. "They go really well together - North'n West Coast Sun, Simply the Best. We might even get that used for promotions as well. Two songs. You have to record that."

They spent the rest of the morning recording and then went their separate ways.

Daniel, Tony and Toddy left the others and walked on out to the end of Williamson Road where it merged with the end of Brigham street at the northern edge of the town, then they walked back up there towards the main street, until they came to the Square. They wandered in there and looked around but couldn't see anything interesting happening.

"So, Terrible Twosome," said Toddy. "What do you want to do now? There's still plenty of time, we could get the boat out for a couple of hours."

"No, Toddy. Let's leave that for tomorrow. There is something else we want to do today."

 Daniel looked at Tony who was nodding vigorously. "Let's just go uptown and get something to eat and then we'll go back to our room at George's. We've got something for you."

"For me? What have you got?"

"Can't tell you. It's a surprise. It's something from back home, from Warkworth, and I think you're going to like it."

"And it's a surprise? Well, come on then, let's get going. I hate waiting. Can't you give me a clue? Is it bigger than a loaf of bread?"

"Forget it, Toddy. We're not playing guessing games. We'll go get something to eat, and only a small portion for you, Tones."

"Yes Boss. Anything you say Boss."

"Damm right, Tones."

They bought fruit, crisps and drinks from the cafe in the main street, then wandered back home, eating as they walked. They went in the front gate and down the path at the side of George's house, waving to the kitchen windows over at the Peters' in case anyone was watching, and in the back door.

"You've got your own key? How cool is that?"

"This is our bedroom." Daniel led the way in and Tony closed the door behind them.

"Hey, wow. Great room," said Toddy. "Well, it's not actually, it's a poky little room, but what a great bed, it's humungous." He sat on the bed, bouncing a bit to test it.

"Okay, now where's my surprise?"

"Come here, Toddy." Daniel pulled him to his feet. "First I want you to have this."

He slid his hands up behind his shoulders and kissed him. Toddy hadn't known quite where he was standing with Daniel since Tony had arrived, so he was all too pleased to kiss him back in a long body-rubbing, tongue-questing kiss. They broke apart and he looked at Tony who smiled at him.

"And? Like that was nice, but that's not my surprise is it?"

"No. This is your surprise." Daniel put an arm around Tony's shoulders and pulled him forward. "Toddy, I want to share my Precious with you - if you want to. You don't have to, but like you said, it's a humungous bed, plenty of room for three in it."

"Three? In the bed? So you mean?" Toddy smiled widely and put his hands on Tony's shoulders. "Sounds good to me. I could get into that." and he kissed him.

The next two weeks passed all too quickly. Daniel and Tony spent hours every day playing with Whozzat and Toddy snuck over the road every night to join them in their bed.

Jinks watched their developing three-sided relationship with dismay and quiet envy.

Jonathan, searching for someone with skin problems, but not so obvious as to overly embarrass them, found willing volunteers in Daniel and Tony.

They took a lot of photographs of their faces, including detailed close-ups of problem areas, then they both used the formulas of his R&R system and followed the directions closely.

The results, and improvements, were fast and dramatic. On the day before Tony had to fly home, they took more photos showing their now flawless skin. They were both very grateful and happily agreed to the before and after photos being used in advertising the system.

Crispian agreed to be the next guinea pig, and he began using the system to show how it worked on his older skin defects - wrinkles, age spots and general flabbiness. In time it showed even more dramatic results and he really did develop flawless, perfect, skin - "like a thirteen year old's." Then he began applying the system over his entire body, with similar results.

A company was formed to manufacture and market the product. Bob Reynolds, Tom Craddock, Don Howard, Crispian St. Clair and Mr. Roselli were all shareholders and investors as well as, surprisingly, Ma Carver. Crispian helped Jonathan to lease an empty shop and hire staff to set up a small factory/shop/distribution centre.

On the last day of his stay in Westpoint, Tony spent the day saying thank yous and goodbyes to Whozzat, their families and other friends he had met there. It had been a busy two weeks. He said goodbye to Jinks, who really didn't know whether he was happy to see him go or not.

He also said goodbye and thank you to the Reynolds' and to Lucas Sheridan who he had made a strange, but real, connection with.

There was nothing sexual in it, but Lucas was genuinely fond of this earnest little plump boy. They ran together most days at the square. The others, Daniel, Toddy and Carl, didn't have the patience to stick by Tony as he made his slow, painful, progress around the track, but Lucas did.

Lucas was now long, lean and fit, but he remembered when he was n overweight and out-of-condition kid, and he remembered and sympathized with him. Lucas was a genuinely nice person. Tony on his part idolized him and was grateful for his constant support and encouragement.

Lucas's girlfriend, Shelley, had the last word. "By Christmas Whozzat will be ready to play in public and you'd better be ready too, Tones, because we'll be looking for you."

For his last night Nita and Mavis cooked a special meal and they were joined by Toddy's family and George.. George told Tony that he was welcome to come back and use his room anytime and Daniel could keep on using it if he wanted to, but John was having none of that.

"He certainly will not. Daniel's coming back to our room, where he belongs."

Jonathan, Claudette and Lana called around, but Justin didn't. Jonathan said, "Justin and Billy are still not talking and he's in a constant foul mood, but he says goodbye Tones."

After the meal was over and the party broke up, Daniel, Tony and Toddy went for one last walk around the deserted high school, then they went back to their room for their last, disastrous night together.

The door closed on the three of them and they hadn't even undressed when a huge three-sided argument exploded. They were all three of them pissed that Tony had to go home and their gleeful ménage-a trois was over, for a few months at least, so they were all on edge and ready to hit out.

Tony didn't want to go and although he did, kind of, love Toddy, he was already jealous and pissed that he had to leave his life-partner exclusively in the hands of this beautiful, golden boy. Toddy loved and enjoyed the pair of them, but he was also feeling a bit left out and jealous of their history and their obvious closer connection to each other than to him.

Daniel started by trying to placate the pair of them, but soon lost patience. He had genuine feelings for both of them and didn't want them to part on bad terms. But, he was also upset that Tony had to go and was pissed that he wouldn't even try to get his parents to let him stay in Westpoint.

The argument developed, it began with something trivial and immediately exploded and gathered momentum as they each built up an angry frustration. There was much yelling and slamming of the door as each one stormed out and then came back to trade more blows.

This went on until George came and complained and told them to keep the noise down - he had to go to work in the morning. They took it outside and fought around the neighbourhood until they finished up with a tearful, apologetic reconciliation around at the racecourse. They then spent an uncomfortable, itchy, night together in a pile of hay in the stables there.

They each said, and believed, that it was over and all was forgiven and forgotten, but seeds had been sown that would, in time, bear disastrous fruit. They were just kids after all, though they didn't think so, and immaturity comes with the territory.

Next morning, shortly after 6am, Tom Peters drove his large and crowded van out to the airport. Tom and Nita rode in the front along with their daughter, Beth. In the seatless back of the van were their son, John, with his friend Grant, their foster-son and nephew, Daniel with his friend, Toddy and of course, Tony.

Arriving at the airport they found several cars there and when they trooped into the small terminal, they found it was already crowded. All the members of Whozzat were there, along with some of their families and Dee and Crispian. Lucas and his mother were there, and Mrs. Lewis and Kathleen Reynolds and Mrs. Connors from the Adelphi Hotel. Jonathan Reynolds and his girls, Claire and Carl and some others all stood waiting to farewell the dancing singer.

By the time Tony had checked in with Mrs. Currie at the counter, Billy and two of his sisters arrived and Justin came in on his own. It was noticeable that Justin and Billy stood well apart and didn't talk to each other.

Tony was overwhelmed at this spontaneous farewell party and he promised to be back as soon as he could. Despite not wanting to leave, he was relieved when the small plane arrived and he was able to escape to his seat in there.

After the plane took off it circled around, heading north, and he could see a spectacular view of the long, straight, streets of Westpoint gleaming in the early-morning sunshine, lying alongside its wide river and nestled between the beaches and the bush-clad hills with small farms at their feet. The plane climbed through and above the wispy clouds, Westpoint was lost to sight and Tony cried all the way home.

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