Ray Galton and Alan Simpson are the geniuses who created the characters of Harold, Albert and Hercules and I offer them my grateful thanks.
Chapter 12
By the time they reached the car there was no sign of Harold.
"He could have jumped on a bus." Suggested Stuart. "Wouldn't have mattered where it was going, he just wanted to get away from here."
"Who can blame him?" Said Pete. "What a poisonous old man, how the hell did he survive it so long?"
"I thought it was all exaggerated." This was Ben. "I believed he had had a rough life but I thought he was making it up about his father. If you can call him that."
"How do we find him?" Said Stuart. "We can't leave him alone like this but we have no idea where he has gone." Roger snapped his fingers.
"I bet I know where he is. Find a phone box."
"A phone box, what for?"
"Just find one."
There was one just around the corner. Roger went in and found the directory. They watched as he leafed through it for a couple of minutes then put it back and came over to the car grinning broadly.
"Do you know Sandford Terrace?"
"Yes."
"Then let's go."
They found Harold in the yard of Bell's Dairy hugging and stroking a horse who clearly recognised him. He was smiling and talking to the horse and looked nothing like the man who had left the house in Oil Drum Lane a few minutes ago.
"Ok." Said Stuart. "How did you know he would be here?"
"He loves the horse and wanted to see him. I looked in the directory for the dairy closest to the house and came here."
"How is he Harry?" Asked Pete.
"He is great." Harold was stroking the horse's ears. "He's well looked after here, plenty of good food and he only goes out for a couple of hours each day. It's almost a holiday for him." He patted the horse who whinnied softly. "Thanks for coming with me. I really think I would have killed him if I had been on my own."
"We all owe you an apology Harry." He looked puzzled.
"What for? All you have ever done is be nice to me and support me."
"We didn't believe your dad was as bad as you made him out to be, we thought you were exaggerating. Now we know it was all true and we are sorry for not believing you." Harold smiled sadly.
"I don't blame you. Who would have believed me? I wouldn't have believed me in your position." He continued to croon at Hercules while stroking his mane. "I don't care what happens to that old git now I know Hercules is safe and looked after."
I started this chapter before Christmas but real life got in the way. Please accept my sincere apologies for the shortness of it. The next chapter will be up soon with Harold enjoying his life without his father.