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Barry Bottomly, Part 2
2 years and several weeks later, Barry felt a familiar yank at his back-pack, which signalled the arrival of Billy Hansom, who was not actually a pretty sight at all (By the bravest among them, he was called Barely Hansom). He was a bully, and his main source of lunch-money-based income was Barry. Barry was not the kind of person who would fight back. He was not the kind of person who would tell a teacher. He was the perfect victim. And Billy had realised that.
'Lunch money, now.'
He can't even be bothered to say the full sentence anymore.
'Okay, then.'
And that was it. After a dead arm and a punch in the stomach, Billy would be gone. The trouble was, Barry's arm was getting a little bit sore by now. He just, as I've said, wasn't the sort of person who would do anything about it.
He was doing well in lessons at school, having usually received good reports from his teachers, but he was, nevertheless, finding no enjoyment in his school-life, until one fateful day, when he met Hilda Higgins.
Yes, Hilda Higgins.

He was 16 years old at that point, and he was in sixth form (studying art). She was in his class and when he heard her name in the register, he was tempted to laugh until he thought of how uncomfortable it had made him feel. He tried to talk to her in a free period:
'Hello'.
'Oh, hello, who are you?'
'I'm Barry''
'Barry who?'
Oh, God.
'Bottomly' he said hurriedly.
She giggled. 'Funny name'then again, I shouldn't laugh, with my name''
'No, I suppose not.'
'Well, was there anything you wanted.'
Ah, that. 'Uh, well'I''
'Yes?'
'I've forgotten now, sorry'I should go''
'Okay, bye.'

He saw her again, most days, and they became good friends. After they had finished sixth-form, they were applying for jobs, and, not entirely by chance, they both applied for the same company:
Hansom Industries.
It was a large building contractor, and Barry became a builder, while Hilda worked in the office. And it was run by'
Billy Hansom.
He had inherited the business from his father (who may have actually worked for it) and was running it just like he ran Barry's monetary transactions in school.
Barry felt a tug at the back of his shirt as he entered the building site, and his worst fears were confirmed. He had hoped the company name was just a coincidence, but it had merely been wishful thinking.
'Lunch money, now.'
There isn't even a canteen on-site.
'Nah, I'm only kiddin' with you.'
Yes, hilarious.

Hilda would come out to the site during lunch (it was only a mile away), and talk with Barry.
However, one day, she didn't come down at lunch, and Barry only saw her halfway through his shift. She came running onto the construction site in tears, and Barry hurried down from his scaffold. To his surprise, she jumped at him and hugged him.
After recovering from his momentary shock, Barry asked:
'What's wrong?'
'I'I've been fired''
'Why, what did you do?'
'Billy, the company-owner, he''
Oh, for God's sake, Billy again.
'..he said that I hadn't done enough work or something, but I think'he was just looking for any excuse. I think he's just trying to get rid of you.'
'Don't worry, he won't get away with this, we can charge him with firing you for no good reason.'
Of course, that's if we can afford a lawyer.

That was something Billy thought was horribly wrong with the system of law: the cost of lawyers.
So he decided to try and resolve the matter himself first.
Of course, Billy kept up his spotless record, and didn't listen to reason yet another time:
'I know you're just trying to get rid of me, okay! But you can't do this! I have the right to work for you, as does she, so if you don't re-hire her, I'm taking this to court!'
'There's no law against it, you know!'
Billy, demonstrating his enormous banks of knowledge about the world around him.
'Of course there is, you utter fool!'
'Oh, there is. Oh, dear, now I'm in trouble!' He said in a funny , high-pitched voice which was clearly supposed to mimic Barry's.
Maybe that's what I sound like through his big ears.
'I'm going to have to beat you up again, Big-Bottom Barry!'
That's it.
'I've had enough! One! It's not big! Two! You can't solve all your problems with violence!' As he said this, he advanced on Billy, jabbing his finger into his chest. 'Three! I hate you, always have, always will, and five ''
'You were only up to four! HA!'
Did he think he had won because I had lost count?
'I DON'T CARE!'
For one sweet moment, Barry thought he had scared Billy into submission. Then he got a punch in the face.

Barry woke up in a hospital, not knowing what was going on, but after a few seconds, he saw Hilda leaning over him, and the smile on his face could have lit up the room, were he a light-bulb.
'Barry, are you awake?'
'Y ' Yes''
'Billy's been arrested, he's serving time in prison, and the company's been taken over by someone else. Even I've been re-hired, after I told Thelma ''
'The new'manager?'
'Oh, yes, Thelma, I'll let you meet her. I'll just call her in."
She left the room, and Barry heard a shout. 'Thelma?' No reply. 'Ms. Thirkettle?'
Thelma Thirkettle!