Authors: Kelly Clark
Josephine looked at Amber as she put the cell phone back on her desk.
''It would have been no
good
Amber. He's got a court case
pending,
and he's a loose canon. You would have
been dragged
into
it; your
reputation would have suffered.''
Amber wiped away a tear. ''I suppose so, but I
really
thought I had something with him. He's different.''
''He's just a footballer. Do you want your life all over the papers, and the life of your parents?''
''No. But you screwed Rod, so what makes you so high and mighty?''
''I didn't do anything of the kind. I fancy
him,
and he wanted to, but I went home. My job is worth too much. I can't go around screwing clients and neither can you.''
''Sorry. I didn't mean.....''
''It's okay,'' Josephine said. ''Come on let's go and get a
latte
.''
The following morning Danny was too hung over to turn up to training. He pushed the girls in his bed to one side and went to throw up in the bathroom. His phone rang, it was Miguel.
''Sorry boss, I'm ill. A touch of flu.''
''Not according to the Daily Star. You and a group of tramps are all
over
the back page.''
''Okay, I got pissed.
Really pissed.
Sorry.''
''Ten thousand fine, and get your ass here this afternoon or you're off to Spain to play football, do you understand?''
''Yes boss.''
Danny sat at the kitchen table in his three million pound London apartment and looked down the River Thames. It was raining and the clouds only just cleared Tower Bridge. The weather matched his mood. He was ashamed of his drunkenness and his
womanizing,
but he only had one overriding thought. He wanted her
back,
and he wanted her back now.
He called her, but she didn't answer. He called again just before his dressing down by Miguel, not reply. He called her afterward, no
reply
.
On the way home, he summoned all the self-discipline he had and drove straight past the pub.
Maybe if he explained his secret, she would understand him better. It would explain his behavior, the late night drinking, the nightclubs, the women. But could he trust her not to tell anyone? He'd lived with it for too
long; it
had eaten away at him for years. He felt
inadequate
and frightened that one day he would be the
laughing stock
of the country if it got out. But Amber would understand and help
him; he
was sure.
*****
''Danny, what the hell, it's two am,'' Amber said after she'd looked through the spy hole in her apartment door.
''Sorry. I know. But I need to speak to you.''
''You scared me, coming here at this time.''
''I know. Just let me in for a minute, I promise I'll go away again.''
Amber looked at him and stood aside. He entered the hallway and waited for her to close the door.
''What?'' she said.
''I can't read and write,'' he said.
''What?.''
''I need your help. I can't
read,
and I can't write.'' He began to cry.
Amber felt desperately sorry for him, as well as
deep
shock at what he'd just revealed. She hugged him. ''Come on, sit down.'' He sat on the sofa and looked at her.
''You can't read and write?''
''No not a damn word. Not even my name. Why else do you think I party all the time? I'm shit scared it'll get out. If it does, just imagine how stupid I'll look. I do stupid stuff just to keep the tabloids off the scent. If they're reporting me getting drunk and screwing women, they're not digging into my school history.''
''My God, I never realized. You know it's
really
not that difficult to read and write. It won't take you long to learn.''
''Eleven years of school didn't teach me.''
''Because you weren't interested. You probably spent all your time with a ball
on
your foot.''
''Yes. I did.''
''Okay, I'll teach you.''
He smiled. ''But don't tell anyone okay? It's more than my life's worth.''
''Of course, I won't.''
''You don't think I'm stupid to do you?'' he asked.
''No, of
course,
I don't. Danny, I'm sorry for doing what I did to you. I
really
like you, but Josephine got to me and told me I shouldn't be dating you.'' She squeezed his hand and looked at his fraught face. ''She
told me
all sorts about me being dragged into your court battles and made me worried it would affect my
parents’
reputation. I was a bitch to
you; I
can see that now.'' She smiled at him and wiped a tear from his cheek. ''Stay with me tonight. I will make you feel better,'' she put his hand
inside
her robe. ''Let's forget what happened. Let's look to the future. And the future means you and me, and reading and writing.''
*****
''Amber? What are yo doing with a book called, ''Elementary Reading and Writing for Adults?'' Josephine asked.
Amber looked down at her bag which was on the floor next to her desk. The top was
open,
and the title of the book she'd bought for Danny was there for all to see. ''Er.....I'm just.....''
''He can't read can he?''
''Who?''
''Danny. Danny can't
read
and you're helping him.''
''Please don't tell anybody.
He's so hurt by it
. It's not his
fault; he
had a terrible
childhood; nobody
supervised him.''
''So out best footballer is a dunce. What a surprise,'' Josephine said sarcastically.
''He's not a dunce, he's a great guy. He just needs help that's all.''
Josephine took a rubber band from her desk and played with it. ''Are you still seeing him?''
''Yes. I apologized for what I said to him. We are an
item,
and we will remain one.''
''Can't you find someone who is literate?''
''Fuck you, Josephine.'
''Ladies, ladies, what's going on?'' Joe asked.
''Amber is seeing Danny Constance. I don't think it's professional. And he can't read or write.'' Amber looked daggers at Josephine.
''Really?'' Joe said looking at Amber.
''Yes, I'm seeing him, and yes he can't read or write. But if it gets out the press will crucify him.''
''Well, Josephine, I don't see any law against dating someone, especially if it makes both parties happy. On the subject of his literacy capabilities, that's none of our business and a private matter between Danny and Amber.''
Joe scowled at
Josephine,
who pulled a spoiled brat face. ''And now Josephine, I want to see you. Apparently you called Rod Stevens a black bastard. The owner of the club heard you. I had to plead with him to let us keep the contract. Apparently you were miffed Rod wouldn't sleep with you at the celebration the other evening.'' Joe came back into the office with Josephine ten minutes later and watched as she cleared her desk.
*****
''You bitch, you lying cheating bitch,' Danny cried down the phone. ''Look at the sodding newspapers. Rod called me. The ass holes are calling me Consonant Constance. I don't even know what a consonant is. How could you do this to me?''
''But Danny I swear, I didn't tell anybody.''
''Liar. How come, a day after I told you about my problem the whole world knows?''
''Because I bought a book for you to learn from, Josephine saw it and put two and two together.''
''You mean the same bitch that called Rod a black.....?''
''Yes. Danny, I'm.....''
''No Amber. You were careless now I'm a laughing stock. Do you know I'll never live it down.''
*****
Stand by: five, four, three, two, one, on air:
''Good evening and welcome to the John Rushforth show, an hour of discussion about current topics.
This evening we will discuss the widening crisis in Syria with the Deputy Prime Minister, the future of Britain in the European Union with the leader of the Chamber of Commerce Mandy Jones, and adult literacy with our guest Amber Sullivan a close friend of the footballer Danny Constance, and Margo Cummings from the Adult Literacy Foundation.
Amber
sat next
to Joe in the wings of the YTV studio. Joe knew all the most
important
TV show hosts and directors. After forty-five minutes of the
live
show, John Rushforth announced a commercial break and Amber was told to go on set.
''Welcome back. Yesterday a fascinating story broke about Danny Constance, our best footballer. According to reports, he is illiterate. After a little research, we have discovered that as many as one in five UK citizens cannot read or write, or both. This evening I'm pleased to welcome Amber Sullivan a
personal friend
of Danny Constance and the Chair of the Adult Literacy Foundation, Margo Cummings. First Amber, perhaps you can tell us about Danny's case?''
Amber cleared her throat and as Joe had told her looked into the camera. ''I became a friend of Danny's a few weeks ago. He asked me to help him because he was desperate. He was so ashamed of the fact that he can't read or write that it was destroying his life.''
''How did he manage to get through school?'' John asked.
''He had nobody at home to supervise what he was doing. Nobody
really
cared about his education. Luckily he is a great footballer and can make a very decent living, but what about those less fortunate than him?''
''Sure. It's an enormous problem. Margo can you tell us more.''
''As you correctly mentioned about one in five, in this country, have this
problem
. And it's usually due to what Amber explained. Lack of parental support.''
''Isn't that what teachers are for?'' John
asked
.
''Teachers can only do so much. They have hundreds of children to look after. The role of the child's parents or guardian plays a hugely significant role.''
''And how is Danny now Amber?''
''Devastated that he is being made a fool of in the press, and on a personal level very upset with me. Danny, if you're watching, I'd like to say sorry.''
''I have seen some of the press
reports,
and it makes me sick to be a journalist,'' John said. ''I want to say here and now, and we have upward of ten million viewers, that their treatment of Danny has been a disgrace.''
''That's right
John,
and it's typical of people's attitude to illiteracy,'' Margo said. ''They think these people are dumb or lazy, but they aren't. They just didn't get a great start in life. In fact, I want to invite Danny to be an Ambassador for our cause. He's hugely popular with our
children,
and I would love it if he could do some school tours to tell parents of the importance of helping their children, especially in the early stages.''
*****
After the show, Amber was in a taxi on the way back to her apartment when her phone rang.
''Get over here now,'' Danny said.
''What's up?''
'Nothing, just get
yourself
over here, now.''
Amber asked the taxi driver to turn around and take her to Danny's apartment. When she
arrived,
a group of
press
was
gathered outside his house. Amber pushed her way through them and went inside.
''Danny what's going on?''
''Come with me,'' he said. He took hold of her hand and went outside. Cameras
clicked,
and there were flashes.
''Thank you for coming,'' Danny began. ''I have a statement to make. I can confirm press reports that I can neither read or write. I haven't got a clue what this says, but
I'm told
it's an apology from the Press Association about the way I have
been treated
since the news leaked.'' Danny held up a fax that Miguel had brought round to him. ''Being illiterate isn't
funny,
and people who are illiterate shouldn't be the butt end of jokes. Racism and sexism, are illegal, so why not illiterate-ism. If you will excuse my made up word.'' The press laughed. ''This is
Amber,
and she's my
girlfriend,
and
she
's going to help me to read and write, and in a year I'll be reading all your spelling mistakes. Thank you.''