friends

This is how a friendship forms, embryonic thing defined by what we don't know about each other. There are little intimacies, raised eyebrows, small twitches of our lips, smiles or grimaces or winks that comment on customers or communicate one thing or another and suddenly it is clear that we have a shared understanding that removes us from the rest of the staff. I forget that the boy is a boy. His age slips from him like a cloak he was wearing and he morphs into a person, a friend. I notice when he arrives at work. There is always a silent nod. We close the shop together and it is an easy thing to ask if he needs a lift home.

At first he is frightened of the motorcycle, he clings to me and I am a prickly creature but I tolerate this kind of physicality. He is light and barely impacts on the bike's maneuverability. When he settles into the speed of the thing, he relaxes back into the pillion seat and his hands are light and comforting on my hips. I drop him at the top of the hill and he slips off the bike easily I reach over to help him with the helmet.

"So what are you up to on Friday after work?"