The Special Teacher

Chapter 3
A Hot Date

Going out to dinner in Ngatea could only mean one of two things. It was either the Chinese and European Foods Takeaways for fish and chips, or the local pub, The Hauraki Hotel. Obviously the takeaway shop was out for a first date, so that left the pub by default. Of course it wasn’t exactly a first date because Ethan hadn’t really been confident enough to put it that way. So he wasn’t really sure if it would just be Claire or if she’d have her disabled brother Liam with her. And honestly, he wasn’t sure which would be preferable. He was just so nervous.

The pub was always bustling on a Saturday evening. Farm families from an hour out of town came to have a family dinner. Young blokes who laboured on the farms, sheep sheering crews, loggers from the Coromandel all came out to have a beer or ten. It was known to get rowdy later in the evening, but it was still family time now. The bouncer wasn’t on the door till eight and the sign demanding a “High Standard of Dress” was more of a suggestion than a rule.

When Claire did arrive Ethan was partly relieved to see that she wasn’t alone. He could see Liam being led along by the hand through the car park. It took away some of the nerves he’d been feeling. It wasn’t a date yet, there was less pressure. He could get closer to her now and then propose a proper date for next time.

Claire was somewhere in her late twenties, tall with dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes. She was always wearing pretty low-cut dresses when she came to pick up Liam and this evening she’d added some stylish boots to the outfit. She didn’t look like she belonged in Ngatea. She was no farm girl, she would have fit in perfectly at a Ponsonby club or a fine restaurant in Newmarket.

Liam, on the other hand, couldn’t have been more Ngatea-chic if he tried. It was actually the first time Ethan had seen the young man out of his school uniform. It surprised him really, because there was no way Liam would have chosen his own outfit. No, Claire must have dressed him. And she’d made herself up so beautifully. But Liam wore a simple green t-shirt featuring a yellow digger and the words Dig It across the front. He was at least wearing pants instead of shorts, a pair of faded blue jeans, but they were cuffed up to his ankles and he was still barefoot.

Claire caught sight of Ethan, already at the table and waved brightly, leading her little brother across the pub. No one looked upset that the young man was padding across the pub in bare feet. No one gave him a second glance. He wasn’t the only shoeless pub patron. A family had arrived a little earlier with all three of their little kids in bare feet. But the oldest of them was about ten. Liam was the only adult lacking footwear. But nothing was said even by the waitress. Was it the cartoon t-shirt? The way Claire led him along like a child, the simple-minded slackness to his face which belied his juvenile status?

Whatever the cause it was crystal clear to Ethan that everyone in the pub knew that Liam was a child and adult rules and expectations didn’t apply to him any more than they did to the three young children squirming around in their seats a couple tables over.

“Hi there, sorry we’re running late!” Claire greeted as Ethan rose from his seat.

“No worries, you aren’t late at all,” he assured, leaning in for a little hug.

“You’re being kind. I’m afraid this little guy had made a mess of himself, again, just as we should have been leaving,” she chided.

Liam was oblivious to the blame being laid at his feet. He had already sat down and was looking restlessly about the pub, taking in all the sights. He had zero interest in adult talk.

“Believe me I know all about the messes boys like him can make,” Ethan assured her. It was so easy to speak of Liam as though he really were just a small boy, a very tall one, but still very much a little kid.

“Yes, you certainly would,” Claire agreed. “It must be difficult work, having so many of them to deal with. I only have Liam and he runs me ragged.”

“Wan’ cwayons!” the man interrupted, squirming in his seat and pouting in a way that was ridiculous on his adult face.

Claire laughed. “Case in point.”

“Yep,” Ethan agreed, waving to a waitress. “Can we have some crayons for him?” he asked, hoping she wouldn’t give them any trouble.

She glanced down at Liam, taking in the bright green t-shirt and probably noting the dirty bare feet brushing back and forth across the floor. Instantly she smiled, completely understanding. “Of course. We do also have a little play area, over there in the corner, with some toys. If he doesn’t need to be too closely supervised that is.”

Claire looked and nodded. “Oh yes, that would be perfect thank you.” She took Liam’s hand and asked, “Would you like to go play with the toys sweetie?”

The man’s eyes lit up and he nodded.

“Okay, you can play but you must be quiet and stay in the corner area there. Can you be a good boy for me? A big boy?” she asked him seriously.

“Uh-huh. I big boy,” Liam assured her, then looked up at the waitress and nodded seriously, making the woman giggle.

“Okay, go ahead,” Claire agreed and Liam bolted from his seat, scurrying between the tables on his silent bare feet then dropping to hands and knees to play with the simple toy cars and blocks.

He wasn’t alone. A tiny little boy of about five had left the other table and gone to play as well. The little boy in his bright t-shirt, board shorts and bare feet looked like a mirror image of Liam, just scaled down, and it was adorable the way they knelt side by side playing in the same manner.

“Do you come here often?” Ethan asked her.

“No we usually just do takeaways when we want to eat out. We’ve been here a couple times but that’s it. I never realised they had toys before, so maybe we’ll be back more often.”

“I guess there isn’t much selection around here,” Ethan noted, realising how awful it sounded as soon as he’d said it. Damn, he was sounding like a stereotypical Aucklander already. No wonder the rest of the country hated them.

Luckily Claire didn’t seem offended at all. “No there isn’t much choice in Ngatea, but it’s got its advantages too.”

“Oh I’m sure,” Ethan agreed heartily. “I guess I’m just new. I have a lot to learn.”

Claire nodded. “Well you really need a local to show you around. And I’d be happy to do that,” she added, smiling warmly.

“Thanks,” Ethan said, returning the grin. “So, did you grow up around here?”

“No, I’m afraid I was raised in Auckland too. I’m a secret Jafa. You know, Just Another Fantastic Aucklander,” she joked.

Ethan smiled. He knew the F in Jafa didn’t actually stand for fantastic, but he enjoyed her twist.

“I moved out here when I was twenty-three, after I finished uni and spent a couple years on my OE in the UK.”

“Really? I did my OE in Canada and the US, spent two years over there between uni and teacher’s college,” Ethan said. “How was the UK? Were you in London?”

“London for a few months but I got tired of how busy and expensive it was. I ended up in a smaller town, much more wholesome, more welcoming. That’s why I came here when I returned, Auckland felt too big after that. I wanted someplace where I knew my neighbours. And somewhere I can actually afford to buy a house,” she added.

“Ugh, tell me about it,” Ethan agreed. “I’ve basically given up. Renter for life right here.”

Claire frowned. “So you wouldn’t consider moving out to a town like this, so you could buy?”

“Well, maybe. I guess it hadn’t really occurred to me before. But… yeah, it’s possible.”

“Ngatea is a great place,” Claire told him. “And it was lucky I was here already when Liam needed my care. The school, well you know how special a place it is.”

Ethan nodded, intrigued to hear her talk about her brother suddenly needing her. “So, your parents couldn’t care for him anymore?” he asked, hoping not to cross the line in prying too much, but really curious.

“Oh no, it wasn’t that at all. It’s just, when Liam became like this, like he is now, we decided it was best that he come live with me because the school is here and Mum and Dad, they’re retired now, they aren’t in any shape to be caring for such a big toddler.”

Ethan’s eyes widened. “Oh, so you mean Liam wasn’t born this way?”

“Oh no, not at all. Liam was a smart kid at one time. He went to Auckland Uni, studied law, was headed for a bright future. But he worked crazy hours, and he always subscribed to the work hard, play hard belief. He started smoking pot when he was in high school and then graduated to harder stuff.

“He was twenty-three when he overdosed. They never figured out exactly what it was, probably not the drugs themselves but something nasty it was cut with. Either way, he burnt out his brain. All that brilliance, gone, poof,” she finished with a shrug.

Ethan shook his head, sorry that he made her repeat such a sad story. “I’m so sorry,” he apologised.

“No, nothing to be sorry for, it isn’t your fault. Liam made his choices and really it isn’t so bad. He was never a happy man, that’s why he got so heavy into the drugs I’m sure. Now look at him. He’s actually happy, you must see it at school.”

Ethan had to agree, Liam was a smiley, silly little boy at school, rarely throwing tantrums like some kids did.

“He is entertained very simply now and all that complexity, all those responsibilities and stresses he once had are gone. He knows I’ll take care of everything and all he has to do is play. In some ways he’s been incredibly lucky.”

Ethan had never really thought of it that way. “Yeah, I guess I can see what you mean.”

Claire continued. “Liam was a really high-strung, dressy guy. He worried a lot about appearances I mean, what people thought about him. Now, I kind of like letting him be the opposite, letting him enjoy his lack of self-awareness.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Ethan said. “You mean like letting him go around barefoot?” he asked, hoping she wouldn’t take offence.

He breathed a sigh of relief when Claire laughed out loud at the question.

“Well yes that is part of it. Liam was always a shoe-wearing kid even in primary school, wouldn’t even wear jandals. It was nice that along with his intelligence Liam also lost all his hang-ups, all his neurotic little quirks like that and when I packed away all his shoes he didn’t say a word of complaint.

“But mainly I dress him to fit in with the other boys in his school. Bare feet instantly announce he’s one of them, one of the special boys. It avoids having to explain it.”

“Except when someone directly asks you to explain,” Ethan finished for her. “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be silly Ethan, I just meant it’s easier to have strangers see his feet and know he’s little. You’re not a stranger, not anymore.”

They shared a smile.

“I hung-wee!” Liam declared, suddenly appearing back at the table, a toy dump truck in his hands.

“Okay, we better order and get some food in this boy’s tummy before it starts to eat itself,” Claire said, playfully tickling Liam’s tummy until he giggled and squirmed and raced back to the toy corner.