DELINQUENT

AUTHOR'S NOTES: OK, for those of you who've read A New Beginning (a.k.a. the upcoming sequel to GMD), you remember the part at the beginning of Chapter 7, when Olivia talks about Cousin Timmy? This story will give you a deeper glimpse into his past.

Cousin Timmy, Chutzpah The Squirrel, & Auntie Miriam belong to me. I'd appreciate it if you asked for permission before using these characters in your stories or roleplays. Thanks in advance.

Enjoy the story!

When I was a kid, everybody called me "Goody Flaversham". I was sweet & kind to everybody, always wanting to be a good little boy. To the micefolk of Mouse London, I was the kid next door...

...that is, if you lived next door to Mouses Fiennes.

I don't really remember all the details, but I do know that I became bad on a nice spring day, when I was around 8 years old. I was just walking down the street, minding my own business, as I made my way to school, dragging my backpack along the sidewalk. The sun was just beginning to rise in the sky. Double-decker buses & hansom cabs were parading down the cobblestone streets, & people were just starting to open up their businesses & making their way to work & school.

"Hey, kid!" I stopped in my tracks, & looked up to see a squirrel coming towards me. He was a lot older than me, & he was covered in golden fur from head to toe. He had a big bushy tail, & he was dressed in just a vest. I was awfully afraid of the squirrel's formidable appearance, but I tried to be brave, as I asked, "What do you want from me, mister?"

"I just want to talk," the squirrel replied with an oily smile. I noticed that a cigarette was smoking between two of his fingers, & he took a drag of it as he added, "Say, kid, do you wanna have some fun? I know some really cool stuff we can do together!"

I had no clue over what I should do. I mean, school wasn't really my idea of fun (I'm sure you modern folk feel the same way), but at the same time, I knew I would get in big trouble if I skipped it. My mother, Miriam, often told me when I was little, that if I didn't go to school, Queen Mousetoria would place me in her royal dungeon. That was enough to scare me when I was 5, & it still did today.

But still, it would be nice to have a day off from the dreary old fountain of knowledge. "I'm in!" And with that, Chutzpah & I took the next hansom out of here.

We had a lovely day together, Chutzpah & I. Well, that depends on your definition of "lovely"—if you want to know what happened, we did a lot of things that my mother would certainly not approve of—in addition to skipping school, we threw rocks & stuff at shop windows, spray-painted all the alleys, stole candy from the grocery store, & even snuck into a grownup bar & drank alcohol!

I knew doing all those things were wrong, yet somehow, it felt liberating to do them. I guess that's how you feel after living with girls your whole life. (My dad died when I was a small child, so I didn't have a real father figure to look up to.)

As soon as Chutzpah had dropped me off at my street that evening, I finally realized something. I no longer had to go to school & learn about things I could always learn about later, nor did I have to live the restricted life of a proper Mousetorian child. I was free! Truly free!

Or so I thought. Upon finding out I had not attended school & that I had been spotted at the bar as well, my mother immediately punished me for the next 3 weeks. "Ye are not ta go out with anyone or do anything except attend classes, after which, ye will come straight home!" my mother said as she put me in my room & prepared to lock the door.

"But Mama," I whined, "that's not fair!"

"Well, that's what ye get fer being a bad boy!" As she shut the door & walked downstairs, I could hear her lamenting to herself, "Oh, what will the micefolk think of me noh?"

"Forget you, you old broad!" I said angrily to myself as I sat down on my bed & pouted. "I don't care what you say—I like being a bad boy! Besides, you're not the boss of me!"

"Ain't that the truth?" I looked up, surprised, to see a familiar figure coming up through my window. "There's a party at the girl's dorm near Oxford. You wanna come & spy on them?"

"Anything's a lot better than being stuck here!" I said, following Chutzpah down the drainpipe of my house, being careful not to be spotted by my mom in the window.

And so the next year went by, my actions repeating in a vicious cycle. I had completely changed from an innocent boy to a little terror. Chutzpah had not only showed me to chase after women, but he also taught me how to swear, gamble, vandalize, steal, & demolish things. The city would have been a complete wreck if Mother had not kept catching me every night. She tried to keep me at home, where I supposedly belonged, but it was all in vain. I was rescued from her evil clutches by Chutzpah every time.

And as a matter of fact, Chutzpah & I had just snuck out on a cold November night in 1895. It wasn't snowing, but it was still freezing, & no rodent dared to go out on such a chilly evening. No one but me & Chutzpah. The moon attempted to shine vainly through the thick clouds as Chutzpah & I were sitting patiently in our hideout in a small tree. We watched, as a small girl, around my age, was finishing up her bath. She was a cute little thing, with sparkling green eyes & an adorable button nose between them.

As Chutzpah & I watched the girl dry off & put on her nightclothes, I suddenly felt the branch that we were occupying was starting to sway violently. A crack, & soon, we were tumbling to the ground. It was then I realized I shouldn't have screamed, for the girl & her frightened mother had disappeared from our view. Eventually, I heard police sirens sounding out, louder & louder as the cars came for us...

"Miss Flaversham, I hate to come at this ungodly hour, but is this your son?" I heard the constable ask as he dragged me into the living room of my house.

"Yes, Constable, thank ye so very much," I heard Mom say, trying not to show her obvious anger as she brought me further into the house. "Have a nice night, & again, thanks for yer help." When the door had shut & my mom & I were alone, I cowered in fear as her face hardened with rage, & she began to slap me as she screamed angrily in her Scottish brogue, "Ye ghastly young beast, what have ye been up ta noh?"

"N-N-Nothing," I stammered, frightened. "Chutzpah & I—"

"Ah told ye not ta ever come in contact with that naughty young swine!" Mom shrieked, slapping me even harder.

"But I had to go, Mama! Chutzpah wanted to show me this pretty girl, &...!"

"Is that what ye've been doin'!" Mom yelled, now shaking me. "Ye've been spyin' on little gels again?"

With tears streaming down my face, I struggled to be brave as I choked out my reply. Upon hearing my answer, Mom glowered, & shook her head sadly, as she said solemnly, "Oh, Timmy...I simply don' know where Ah went wrong...but there's one way Ah can make it right again..."

The next day, I was taken to Coronation Street. I was familiar with this avenue, though. Chutzpah & I often went here to pick on the many orphans who lived here.

Soon, Mom drove me up to this big, really ominous-looking building. A figurehead of Jesus was on the roof, & the sign over the entrance said, "St. Mary's Delinquent Hall & Youth Hostel For Runaway & Wayward Children, Established 1865". I did not want to go there, but Mother left me no choice. Either I lived here or out on the streets.

With tears in my eyes, I grabbed my suitcases, & made my way over to the entrance. Mom didn't even say "goodbye" to me as she drove her car away & headed back for the place I once called home.