Flair Path

Looking back I'm glad I was kind to him at the time. At least I think I was. In the now, not later, not retrospectively.
Standing at the school gates in his Royal Navy uniform, Percy seemed to have found his legs. Back then you could leave school at 15, sort of age when you know exactly what you want to do with the rest of your life. At school Percy was all at sea. On his last day, cast off, he simply sailed away.
It has to be said ( does it?)- he wasn't the brightest boy. Some of our more direct bretheran used the words Percy and plank in the same sentence. He wasn't aloof, self - contained, a self - appointed loner. He was lonely- there is a difference - isolated, lost.
I never knew why, who was responsible, if the responsibility was his or others and to what ratio. Do people choose to be alone? Really?
On his last day I saw him walk away, that walk of his, so defeated he could hardly move. There were not many waves for Percy.

Three years elapsed before any messages from him were picked up - but to be direct - not that many were on his wavelength.
It was my last day by that time too.
There was a cluster round the gates.
He wasn't that tall but stood to attention, made the most of everything. Percy passed his white hat round for people to try on, polaroids emerged. And to cap it all, flares were in that year.