The Secret Catamite Bk 1, The Book of Daniel by Patrick C Notchtree Page B

the teapot. This was
getting close, but maybe too close. What could he say?
    "Oh Daniel," said Mum, "you
forgot the teapot lid."
    "Even undressed?" asked Daniel,
as casually as he could.
    Mum stopped rinsing the teapot
out, and turned to Daniel. "What do you mean? How can it?"
    Daniel suddenly had a brainwave.
"You know before when we went to the baths coz Simon wanted me to
teach him how to swim?"
    "Because!" corrected Mum. "Yes,
I remember. Not very successfully, as I recall."
    "Well, when we were in the
changing cubicle, I couldn't help noticing that the end" - Daniel
sought the correct word for cock - "of his penis was different, and
he thought, I mean I thought..."
    Mum was laughing. "O dear,
Daniel," she laughed. "You mean he's circumcised." She laughed
again. "Lots of boys are. Sometimes their religion demands it, like
the Jews, other times the foreskin is too tight and has to be
removed. It's nothing to do with being illegitimate; that's the
proper word for a bastard. You are funny."
    Daniel did not think this was
especially funny, as a new aspect struck him. "But they sent the
Jews away to camps and gassed them, didn't they?"
    Mum was still amused at Daniel's
naivety, failed to catch the solemnity of her son's question.
    "Yes dear, but that was because
Hitler hated the Jews because they were Jews, not because they were
circumcised. Now run along, there's a good boy. I want to hear that
piece, note perfect."
    Pleased with his new
information, Daniel went into the back room, specially extended,
where the large Bösendorfer grand piano stood, and started his
practice. After a few scales, he started on his new piece, and soon
was lost in the magical pattern of the notes, revelling in the way
his hands running across the keyboard could stir this big machine
into making wonderful music. In the kitchen, Mrs Gray, herself a
skilled pianist, nodded approvingly.

 
1955/10 Onward Christian
Soldiers
    The confrontation came at
morning playtime, but it started earlier. In Assembly, Miss Harvey
stopped the singing of "Onward Christian Soldiers" to complain
about the singing.
    Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
    With the cross of Jesus going
on before.
    Christ, the royal Master, leads
against the foe;
    Forward into battle see His
banners go!
    Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
    With the cross
of Jesus going on before .
    Just as the children were
singing the chorus for the second time, Miss Harvey banged on the
lectern that stood at the front of the hall during assemblies. Miss
Smith, the young teacher who played the piano visibly startled,
played one disharmonious chord and stopped, turning to Miss Harvey
with a fearful expression on her face.
    "Thank you, Miss Smith," said
Miss Harvey, somehow managing to convey menace in that simple
statement, also the fact that she did not feel thankful at all; it
was a mere formality.
    Miss Harvey turned her attention
to the assembled school. The singing had tailed off and the
children now stood in their lines, regarding the headmistress with
some apprehension. The teachers, stood at each side of the hall,
glared at the children.
    "Marching!" declaimed Miss
Harvey. "Marching!"
    Simon saw one or two of the
teachers exchange glances, but when he looked again, their faces
were completely expressionless.
    "Not Mar Chin!" continued Miss
Harvey, "It has I-N-G on the end. MarchING! I don't want to hear
anyone singing Mar Chin! Miss Smith!"
    Miss Smith jumped again, and
looked questioningly at Miss Harvey.
    "Carry on, Miss Smith, please,"
commanded Miss Harvey.
    "We'll start verse two again,"
said Miss Smith to the school, watching Miss Harvey out of the
corner of her eye. Miss Harvey appeared content with that, so Miss
Smith struck the note to give the children the key, paused and then
the repeat of verse two got underway.
    " Like a mighty army moves the church of God... "
sang the children. As the verse ended, and the chorus began, Miss
Harvey craned forward slightly,