Bo-Bo Found A Life - Chapter 1

 Bo-Bo Found A Life 

A Novel

By Paul McCann

Chapter 1

At The Orphanage

Not that long ago on a cold winters night a small wooden fruit box was left  outside an orphans home . Inside the box was a baby wrapped in a woollen rug with a note was attached to it  . The message on a scrap of paper read,

This baby is the last thing I need right now . Please be kind to him .

The unwanted baby was brought up for a number of years by those who ran the orphanage . He was pet named baby beau and later on he became known as Bo-Bo the name that stuck with him .  When he was ten years old he was given a job as Stoker for the local primary school . It was his job to keep the boilers going and doing some other jobs in the privacy of the boiler room.  All day he shovelled coal into the large burners that kept the huge radiator system working . During some free periods a couple of teachers tried to give Bo-Bo and education .

Mr Brannigan often called in with pencils that needed sharpened and taught Bo-Bo to read and write . Mr Boyd helped Bo-Bo with adding and subtraction and in return Bo-Bo did small repairs around the school yard . Mr Mulvena the PE teacher taught Bo-Bo some boxing and Judo and eventually Bo-Bo was taken up by the local boxing club . It didn’t take long for Bo-Bo to make his mark in the ring . Although he still was living at the orphanage the day had come for Bo-Bo to make his way out in the world . So to help him get started Bo-Bo was given a judo mat to sleep on in the corner of Boscos Boxing Club and in return Bo-Bo did some sweeping up for the club . When Bo-Bo started to fight as a pro he made a small wage in prize fights . He  earned enough to buy clothes and food and rent a flat nearby   .

He  took on some of the older lads in the ring at Boscos . A local trainer began to manage Bo-Bo and pushed him hard because of his raw talent . There was something about the way he moved around the ring . There was a venom in his punch . As a boxer Bo-Bo had a killer instinct .It was clear that Bo-Bo was a natural . Some said it was because he had a good reason to fight for his life that earned him his junior world middle weight title  . When he entered his early teens Bo-Bo had become smarter than most and walked away from a future in the ring . He had already proved himself to be a great boxer and left undefeated in the ring . 

Outside the boxing ring he was the gentlest and kindest person you would ever hope to meet . Now with a reputation and a lot of friends Bo-Bo felt at ease with life .  Although he was settled there were other issues that  he was concerned about . One of these was the growing number of children in the orphanage and the lack of people to care for them .

 

Because Bo-Bo had earned the respect of certain influential people in the town and was in a position where he could maybe make them aware of the great need that was within the walls of the orphanage he was now a man with a  mission . The best friends Bo-Bo had were those involved with Boscos and one evening Bo-Bo called a meeting .At the meeting it was decided that a small handful of the Bosco Boys would get on push bikes and ride all over the land making people aware of the poor orphans plight and what ever money they could raise would go to the orphans .

The bike ride began with flags and banners carried by the six riders .

Some sponsors had promised a pound for each mile that each of the Bosco Boys could do .

So Bo-Bo , Charlie, Lefty, Spider, Sketer and Mo began their ride .

They all pedalled off from Boscos to hand claps and cheers from the local council and members of the business club .

Some local media were there with their cameras .

Bo-Bo was up front and took off at pace with the fiver other riders behind .

Charlie was so busy waving and watching all the on lookers that he ran straight into a lamp post almost knocking himself out .

Bo-Bo stopped riding and jumped from his bike and ran over and lifted Charlie from the road and placed him  on the pavement . Charlie was wriggling and trying to get up but Bo-Bo restrained him .

“Easy on “

Bo=Bo whispered into Charlies ear .

 

“I’m all right “

Charlie said with blood running all down his face .

Bo-Bo wiped the blood away and said ,

“Steady on Charlie . Make it look good for the cameras . We need the publicity so pretend you’re out for the count . Lie still and wait for the bell .“

Cameras were flashing as Bo-Bo went over and took a drink fron his water bottle and checked his tyres and then rang the bell several times on his bike . Charlie slowly stirred into life and Bo-Bo rushed over to his side .

 

How many fingers have I put up ?

Bo_Bo said .

 

Charlie took a long look because Bo-Bo kept changing the number of fingers he had .

“Six ,one ah three am I mean four . Awh stop it Bo-Bo you’re cheating .“

Everyone was laughing as Charlie got to his feet and back on to his bike .

Charlie was an innocent big lad and loved to capture each moment .

Noticing the cameras were on him he started to do some bike tricks for the crowd . He briefly stood up and balanced himself with one leg on the saddle

and the other in the air then he sat back down and rode around in a circle with the front wheel in the air . Bo-Bo and the rest of the lads sat and waited until Charlie had finished his show .  
”Are we ready then Charlie “

Bo-Bo said .

Charlie apologised and asked if they could wait a moment longer as he  needed to go to the toilet .

“Sure thing Charlie . We’ll just wait here don’t mind us .“

Lefty said .

While he was away Spider and Sketer took his bike and hid it behind a parked car . The growing audience were now caught up in the antics between the lads who tried to stop laughing as Charlie returned .

“Welcome back Charlie, now lets go lads. “

Bo-Bo said .

 

Charlie had a very worried look on his face as he rushed about here and there frantically trying to locate his bike .

“Hurry up Charlie . Its getting dark and we have a hundred miles to go .“

Lefty said .

“My bloody bikes gone . Where’s my bloody bike? “

Charlie screamed .

“What are you talking about ?”

Bo-Bo- said .

“My bloody blue bike is gone .“

Charlie said .

“Then you’ll just have to stay home Charlie .“

Bo-Bo said .

Behind Charlies back Spider and Sketer quietly returned Charlie’s bike .

Everyone except Charlie mounted their bikes and couldn’t keep a straight face

As Charlie’s lips were all quivering . All the lads gave Charlie a wave who turned his back on them and in doing so saw his bike . 

All the audience burst into fits of laughter as Charlie turned around and grabbed his blue bike .  He jumped straight on and began shouting .

“Yes my bloody bike . My bloody blue bike come back boys .“

he said  . 

Eventually all the lads were on their bikes and making their way up to the Black Mountain way .  It was all up hill and the going was tough .

Up the mountain the bikes made their way as twilight crept in .

As night fell the six riders stopped at a farmhouse and asked the farmer

at Horseshoe corner if they could spend the night in the barn .   Once the farmer realised who they were and the mission they were on he not only gave them his barn but he cooked them up a dinner as well .

 

That night Bo-Bo and the boys lay there they all shared a few jokes and stories . There was a bit of clowning around before going to sleep .

Charlie did some shadow boxing in the corner and as always went too far and snapped a left cross too hard and much too close . The result was a large hole in the barn wall  . Bo-Bo wasn’t happy with Charlie .

“That’s just great . Instead of boxing you’re shadow you’ve gone and knocked it out and just about demolished the farmers barn .“

Bo-Bo inspected the hole and found there was another wall there behind the hole . The hole that Charlie had punched was just a boast wall .

“Charlie bring me a torch will you .“

Bo-Bo said .

Charlie said .

“What colour do you want .I’ve got a blue one and Lefty’s got a yellow one . Spiders is green”.

Bo-Bo interrupted .

“Just bring me one that works “.

They all gathered around B0-Bo as he shone the torch into the hole .

“There’s something down here . Hold my legs while I see if I can grab it .”
Bo-Bo was half suspended in the air as he squeezed himself down inside the gap between the two walls . He pulled out a leather bag covered in dust . It looked as if the bag had been there for a long time . Once the lads pulled him back out he opened the bag . Inside it was a bundle of money and some small gold ingots .

Charlie started dancing around the barn singing ,

“We’re rich ! We’re rich ! “

Bo-Bo  stood looking long and hard at Charlie before shouting .

“Right then follow me. “

With the bag tightly in his hand Bo-Bo led the way up to the farmhouse door where he knocked loudly until it was opened by the old man who looked half asleep and stunned .

“  What’s the matter ?”

he said .

“Can we come in ?”

Bo-Bo said .

“All right I guess so .“

The farmer looked on as Bo-Bo emptied the contents of the bag on the floor .

It was quiet as a church until Bo-Bo broke the silence .

He said ,

“ One of the lads was shaping up and when he threw a haymaker at his own Shadow and smashed a hole through the wall in your barn . But if he hadn’t done so we wouldn’t have discovered what was behind it . This bag looks to me like it was stashed there by somebody . Now it  belongs to you old man .“

The old farmer rushed away and a short time later he returned pushing a  wheelchair with an woman who smiled and waved at the lads .“

“This is my wife Ethel . I’ve just told her what you’ve found .“

The farmer said .

Bo-Bo reached out his hand gently and said

“Pleased to meet you Ethel .“

She replied in a soft but clear voice ,

“This farm has been in my family for three generations .There has always been a story about a treasure buried on the farm somewhere but no one had ever been able to find it . The story goes that during the war my father had hid all his life savings somewhere on the property because he feared that it would be discovered and stolen by some enemy forces . We all thought it was just a story because no one had ever found the money until now . It seems that you have brought back my fathers treasure untouched . Lets have a drink .“

The old man went and brought over a bottle of Irish whisky and placed eight crystal glasses on the table . With a slow and steady hand he poured a good measure into each glass and lifting his glass he proposed a toast to the six honest boxers who had returned their family treasure . 

 

After counting out the money a large slice was donated by the farmer and his wife to the orphans and what was left over was more than enough to see the old couple through in the days that remained .

The next morning the six bike riders made their way back over the Black Mountain and on down through Glens .

After the farmer and his wife had spread the story about the lads who found the lost treasure, newspapers and TV all over the country took it up and the  response was instant .

Large donations for the orphan children began to pour in .

Within that year a trust fund was set up for every orphan child that would guarantee a better future for them .

Some of the children were brought in to families and given good homes .

Some of the orphan boys joined up at Boscos and Bo-Bo took on managing the club . Although he hang hung up his gloves Bo-Bo had managed to put Boscos boxing club back on top of the ladder as the leading club in the land .

 

 

End Of Chapter 1

 

 

 Bo-Bo Found A Life 

Link to chapter 2

https://www.abctales.com/story/mcscraic/bo-bo%E2%80%99-found-life-chapter-2

 

By Paul McCann

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