The whole village looked isolated for the holiday. The thought of being absolutely left alone was a cheering one for us. All we wanted was peace, rela...ation, and... some fun. "Hallo. Wie geht's?" A hardy voice behind us. We turned and as Teutonic a specimen of German health as you could imagine greeted us. "Ich heisse Christoph. Oder "Tophi"." He laughed at his nickname. He was tall, heavy set beneath the winter jacket that enveloped him, and had a hail-fellow-well-met demeanour which put us. He’d barely spoken since we’d disembarked the ship, and I still had no explanation for the bandages he refused to remove. Larus had recommended he oil and massage the scar several times a day to help soften the scar tissue that caused him so much pain, but I knew he wasn’t doing it since the bandages never came off.It was time for what would probably be a very difficult conversation.Alistair was awake when I entered, curled up in the bed listlessly. He sat up to eat, silently, and I waited. " It's not hazing, Mom." "Well, then be a man, and tell your mother," Mary says affectionately, patting the back of Tommy's head."It's simple. I need to make a videotape with your camcorder, return to Hartford-Abernathy with it, and I'll be accepted." Well," says Mary standing up with relief, "If there's any way I can help you, just let me know." Actually, you can help," says Tommy. "How?" "The videotape is supposed to be about you." "Me?" "Yes, the other boys saw the picture of you that I took. "Do you actually know how much a loaf of bread costback then?" More than 4p," Sean replies firmly. "Which is how much I'll be lendingyou if you keep talking to me like that!" Yes, okay, sorry," I mumble, the grin not fading from my face."Apology accepted," Sean says as we pull up outside my college and hehands me a ten pound note. "Text me when you're on your way home, or ifyou need a lift home." Sure," I say, grinning at the thought that Sean may be waiting a whilefor his text.My grin stays in.