with the permission of the author, Aquinas Duffy of Dublin, Ireland
A summer's day with sun and a full tide is rare. Usually it is either raining or
there is plenty of sun but no tide. Sun and full tide was just perfect for a swim
into the cave at Tower Cove. This is a special cave and not many people know
of its existence. The tourists know about the cove alright. On a good day you
would hardly find a place on the beach to sit down. But the cave was secret
and only the lads knew about it. The big problem was keeping it a secret.
The journey to the cave was full of danger and excitement. there were a few
rules that had to be observed by the lads before attempting entry. Firstly, the
knowledge of the cave remained with the six lads only. They were allowed to
tell no one and especially not their parents. Breach of this rule would mean
automatic expulsion from the gang forever. And forever is a long time.
Secondly, they had to pick a quiet time to set off from the cove. If there were
tourists on the beach, it was a no go. The best time was in the evening when
the only thing on the beach was the litter left behind by the visitors.
There was one more rule and that concerned names. It was forbidden to call
any of the gang by their real names. It was for this reason that each member
had a code name given to them by their leader. Their leader was named
'Smurf'. I am not sure how he got this name but it may have had something
to do with the fact that he was small in stature. But his height didn't matter
because he was fifteen years old and was older than the others except for
Theo who was sixteen. If Smurf told them to stand on their heads, they would
obey. His every word was their command. Well almost every word. There
were times when 'Kavo' who was fourteen would get a bit 'thick' and want to
fight. But always Smurf would be leader without a fight.
Theo was a diplomat. He certainly wouldn't let Smurf push him around but
he was part of the gang. The rest of the gang consisted of Grandad who was
fourteen; his brother Nero who was thirteen; and Harry who was thirteen and
also Theo's brother. I guess that for as long as any of them could remember
they were always part of Smurf's gang.
One thing that made summer special was that there was no school. If there
was one thing that united them it was their hatred of St Molochas. It wasn't
that the teachers were nasty. It was just simply that school was boring. The
only good thing about school was that they would all meet in the corridors
between classes and plan tricks to play on the teachers. The best trick was
always a story worth keeping for the cave.
There was something else that brought them together. They all lived in
Meadowview Park in Portcray and were friends from the moment they could
walk. Meadowview was a place where they could wander in and out of each
other's houses. On special occasions they would cook burgers in one of their
houses. This was particularly the case if a member had what was called a 'free
gaffe', namely a house without parents. A free gaffe was a chance to try out
Smurf's burgers and perhaps a sip of gin to wash it down. Having a free
house also meant that they could invite some of the girls from school. I
should mention that they didn't really have girl friends but they were most
definitely interested in the opposite sex. A free gaffe was a chance to explore.
Although I think Nero and Harry preferred soccer and they didn't like girls
playing soccer.
A trip to the cave depended on the weather and the tide. It was Smurf who
decided if the conditions were fulfilled. Once he gave the word, it was just a
matter of getting what they called swimming 'kacks' and a towel and so began
the journey. By the way, this only took a few minutes after Smurf had
decided. They would all disappear into their houses and a few minutes later
would assemble outside Smurf's gaffe. Then they would walk or run to the
cove which would take about fifteen minutes. Sometimes it took longer if
they stopped for a fight or if they were in a giddy mood which was most of
the time. This was particularly so if Kavo had been drinking orange which
tended to make him very high.
After descending the steps to the cove, the lads would race over to their
favourite spot on the beach. Nature had conveniently provided a small cave
which provided protection for their clothes. There would always be a race to
see who could get changed first. It was usually Smurf who won the race but
he was never the first one into the water. The honour of being first in the
water nearly always went to Grandad or Kavo. Theo would need a lot of time
to stabilise his body temperature to the often cold water of the Irish sea.
There was one other ritual that had to be performed before going into the
cave. A few feet from the shore stood a big rock that had battled centuries of
storms. It had a platform on it that provided an excellent diving point. At full
tide the water was level with the platform. The depth of the water at this point
was about eight feet. The hardest part was trying to get up on the rock. If the
sea was rough, a person would be certain of getting a cut on a leg or arm. The
lads didn't mind getting cut or bruised. It was all part of the adventure.
The rock was a great place for Kavo to show off. He would always climb to
the highest point of the rock. For a moment he would stare at the water below
him. All eyes would be watching to see if he would actually dive. Then he
would leap off the rock and disappear into the depths below. Smurf and
Grandad would also have to prove that they too could dive from the highest
point. The rest of the gang would dive from the lower platform.
After the ritual of the rock had been completed, the journey to the cave could
begin. The journey was always difficult because it involved swimming beyond
the rock and then close to the cliff edge. The sea was always choppy beyond
the rock and the water deep. Eventually, the lads would come to the entrance
of the cave which had its own little cove. For each of them, reaching the cave
was like winning a race. It was also very tiring which is why they would lie flat
out on the sand in the cave for at least ten minutes.
The cave was their secret place. It was hidden away from the tourists and
from meadowview. It was the gang's private club and it was most definitely
members only. Here they would talk about the tricks that they played on
teachers and the scores that they achieved on the megadrive. No one knows
whether they ever got these scores or whether they ever played the tricks. The
important thing was telling the story deep in the semi darkness of the cave.
Girls were also a major topic. Kavo would have the lads believe that he had
ten girl friends and that his only problem was which one to choose. Smurf
would dream of the perfect girl. Theo never said much while Harry and Nero
would wonder what was so special about girls anyway. Smurf promised them
that he would fix them up with girl friends.
There was never a need for watches in the cave. Smurf's stomach was the best
time keeper that a person could have. It was time to leave when Smurf
hungered for chips and a quarter pounder. The rumbling sound of Smurf's
stomach was always the cue for the return journey. The lads would leave the
cave like navy seals returning to enemy lands.
The cave was the place where the lads grew up. But no one told them that
growing up also meant breaking up. Theo and Smurf got part time jobs and
soon found that they had no more time for trips to the cave. There was just
about enough time for work and sleep. The cave was something that had to
be left behind. It was the special place that would be always part of their
childhood memories.
The trips to the cave didn't stop immediately. the gang still had Kavo, Harry,
Grandad, and Nero. These four continued to make the trip to the cave in the
years that followed the departure of Theo and Smurf. In the quietness of the
cave they would talk about life. Always they would discuss the latest news
about Theo and Smurf. They envied them for all the money that they had and
the girl friends that they had met.
The years have passed and the lads have families of their own now, except for
Harry who became a priest. The gang never meets now except at weddings
and funerals. But the experience of friendship and the memories of the cave
remain. On summer days they bring their children to the cove and tell them
stories about a secret cave with buried treasure and people with strange
sounding names.
I should mention that my name is 'Blackjack' but I can't tell you how I found
out about the gang for that would be a breach of the first rule. Anyway it is a
rather long story and I'll save that for another time and another cave.
More stories by Aquinas Duffy
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