James liked his office. He shared it with Smithson who was profoundly deaf. There were benefits to this . It allowed an unexpected level of privacy which enabled James to think out loud and more importantly talk to visitors on subjects he would rater leave Smithson out of. Smithson as always sat focused on his numbers. He lived in long books with long columns of number that truly bored James.
It wasn’t that James was without work. There were piles and piles of letters that he would have to read on behalf of the governor. Most would be petitions from desperate Ceylonese asking for redress on some issue or the other-but again that was boring too.
So James chose to sit at his desk and think about other things . Over and over he replayed DeSaram’s parting words.
‘It was Up to him’.
DeSaram and his beady eyes had shone with deceptive lustier while his thin lips gave out an impression of meanness . James had found himself feeling quite uncomfortable because DeSaram also seemed to enjoy bending in submission on the cusp of every word he had uttered.
James shriveled his face deep in thought . Was the fate of the colony really in his hands? DeSaram had stressed that was it was important that James altered the party that was to be held at William . James felt a headache coming and was thankful when the peon arrived carrying a tray with a shiny porcelain cups filled with tea.
After the peon placed the Tea on James desk he reached for it begun to sip it. He then turned his attention towards the desk opposite him. Smithson’s deafness and numbers had prevented him from noticing the peon in his white sarong slither into the room and out. James momentarily watched the thin vapor of steam rise above Smithson’s cup and attempted arresting Smithson’s attention by placing his own cup of tea back on the desk with a deliberate clink- but Smithson was not moved.
James fingered the bottom of his lip and then decided on a practical course of action. He opened his desk and reached for a piece of paper and crumbled into a ball, just as he was about to aim it at Smithson’s round shaped head – He looked up and said
‘Ahh Tea’.
James shrugged and put his paper ball in to the drawer- drawing on the conclusion that there would be other occasions that it would come in handy. James watched Smithson down his tea -which by now must have gone cold.
From the corner of his eye James observed the window outside. A slight wind had picked up the banyan tree boughs and begun a slow swish. Smithson who must have needed to stretch himself suddenly shot out of his chair and peered out of the window- which triggered a memory in James of William and their boyhood at Eton. That James and William were best friends was no hidden secret. In fact this friendship had continued steadily into adulthood and was now further strengthened by the mere fact that James had found himself a job in the Ceylon civil service. It was a deliberate desire on his part to make sure that His majesties government had posted him in Ceylon. James chuckled to himself as he recalled William’s scientific experiments that involved a balloon or two and the height between the second floor and their history teacher Mr. Fitzroy’s head.
James had befriended William, when he had first arrived at Eton. Hr would never forget how William had tied Frank Lamberts legs to his chair-while old foggers taught algebra. That grand scheme had commenced in retaliation to an earlier raid on his tuck box by Frank Lambert.
Years had passed since and now they found themselves grown men – One working diligently in ignoring letters that sat on his desk and the other a Captain His Majesties Civil Defense Force.
It wasn’t that James was without work. There were piles and piles of letters that he would have to read on behalf of the governor. Most would be petitions from desperate Ceylonese asking for redress on some issue or the other-but again that was boring too.
So James chose to sit at his desk and think about other things . Over and over he replayed DeSaram’s parting words.
‘It was Up to him’.
DeSaram and his beady eyes had shone with deceptive lustier while his thin lips gave out an impression of meanness . James had found himself feeling quite uncomfortable because DeSaram also seemed to enjoy bending in submission on the cusp of every word he had uttered.
James shriveled his face deep in thought . Was the fate of the colony really in his hands? DeSaram had stressed that was it was important that James altered the party that was to be held at William . James felt a headache coming and was thankful when the peon arrived carrying a tray with a shiny porcelain cups filled with tea.
After the peon placed the Tea on James desk he reached for it begun to sip it. He then turned his attention towards the desk opposite him. Smithson’s deafness and numbers had prevented him from noticing the peon in his white sarong slither into the room and out. James momentarily watched the thin vapor of steam rise above Smithson’s cup and attempted arresting Smithson’s attention by placing his own cup of tea back on the desk with a deliberate clink- but Smithson was not moved.
James fingered the bottom of his lip and then decided on a practical course of action. He opened his desk and reached for a piece of paper and crumbled into a ball, just as he was about to aim it at Smithson’s round shaped head – He looked up and said
‘Ahh Tea’.
James shrugged and put his paper ball in to the drawer- drawing on the conclusion that there would be other occasions that it would come in handy. James watched Smithson down his tea -which by now must have gone cold.
From the corner of his eye James observed the window outside. A slight wind had picked up the banyan tree boughs and begun a slow swish. Smithson who must have needed to stretch himself suddenly shot out of his chair and peered out of the window- which triggered a memory in James of William and their boyhood at Eton. That James and William were best friends was no hidden secret. In fact this friendship had continued steadily into adulthood and was now further strengthened by the mere fact that James had found himself a job in the Ceylon civil service. It was a deliberate desire on his part to make sure that His majesties government had posted him in Ceylon. James chuckled to himself as he recalled William’s scientific experiments that involved a balloon or two and the height between the second floor and their history teacher Mr. Fitzroy’s head.
James had befriended William, when he had first arrived at Eton. Hr would never forget how William had tied Frank Lamberts legs to his chair-while old foggers taught algebra. That grand scheme had commenced in retaliation to an earlier raid on his tuck box by Frank Lambert.
Years had passed since and now they found themselves grown men – One working diligently in ignoring letters that sat on his desk and the other a Captain His Majesties Civil Defense Force.