stonewashed jeans and white and blue Converse on his feet! He looked like the kind of guy who you'd meet in a bar or club and take home for the night. He had a nice face, chiselled features, nice bright sparkly eyes and a nice smiley mouth.
It took three days for Henry to arrive; that was his name. When the doorbell rang, my eyes lit up, and I had a smile on my face. “What's on that big box?” said Mike. “Just a little treat for myself,” I said. I rushed into the front room, put the box gently on the floor and went to get a knife from the kitchen.
Mike sat by the box as I pulled out Henry. He stood up and shouted, “What the hell is that?” “He is a blow-up doll, and I want you to blow him up for me.” “What do you need that for?” “His name is Henry, and I got him for company.” He laughed. “Are you going to sleep with him?” “Well I don't know.” Mike got his bicycle pump and started to blow him up. His full height was 6'2” and he was delicious! Mike didn't seem impressed but I didn't care. I had a warm feeling inside.
All in all, Henry lived with us for three months and it was great. I would take him out in the car after work or we would go for long drives at the weekends. He was just a companion for me. Mike was very jealous, I could tell, but I didn't care. I even got him a hat, scarf and glove set for Christmas. It was as if I had met a new man, except he couldn't walk or communicate back to me.
Then one day, everything changed. I had gone to work that day, and when I came home Mike and Henry were not there! I started to call their names, but nobody answered. I checked all the rooms and my heart started to race. “Where the hell are they?” I said.
I put my coat back on, picked up my bag, ran off to my car and sped off.
As I drove in the dark a few miles down the road, I heard and saw people shouting and pointing at the church roof! There was a man, and he looked like he was going to jump! So I got out of my car to have a look. I started to walk closer. I saw the man. He was wearing the same scarf as Henry. I could see it blowing in the wind. As I got closer to the church, I realised it was Henry and my heart sank and I knew he wouldn't be coming home again.
As for Mike and I, things are a lot better now. He moved out and I found myself a real man.
About Me Terry Welham
I got my head injury on 17 April 2005 when I was 21. It was my step brother Gary's birthday and we had arranged to go out in Beckenham
to celebrate. We were in a bar called O'Neil's and we were having a good drink. I got talking to this young lady and we kissed.
When me and Gary and our friends left, this guy followed us and hit me from behind and knocked me out. He was that girl's boyfriend.
I was knocked out in King's College Hospital for two weeks, and when I came round, they sent me to a hospital closer to home, Mayday Hospital. I spent six months in there, and when I went home I went to rehab to learn to
do things again. When I got better, I had to go to a driving school to get my licence back, as it was suspended after my head injury.
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After some time passed, my leg got worse and I knew I could not go back to my old job, which was roofing.
I wanted to work in an office but I needed to
improve on my English after not going to school when I was younger. So I got into a college in South Norwood. I was there for two terms and I passed E3 English, and now I have gone on to do Level 1.
Writing Task
After you have read and discussed Henry by Elizabeth Brassington, write your own short story about something or someone coming between friends, or a couple.
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