Unbelievable

‘Oliver,’ Kevin called up the stairs, ‘dinner’s ready.’ 

Kevin paused a moment waiting for a response, any response, any sign of life from the dreaded gloom of the teenager’s bedroom. Kevin headed upstairs and opened his son’s bedroom door.

Oliver was in his usual spot, sitting in the chair in front of his computer screen, headphones on listening to pop music, while gaming onlinw with his friends. With a sigh, Oliver paused the game onscreen and turned to his dad. He pulled one of the headphones off his ear.

‘What?’ Oliver snapped.

‘Your tea is ready. I’ve made us a chilli.’ Kevin said.

‘Okay.’ Oliver said, before turning back to the screen and pressing play.

‘Ollie?’ Kevin said.

‘Dad, I’ll be there in a minute, alright?’ Oliver said.

Kevin simply nodded and headed back downstairs.

Back at the dining table, on his own, Oliver’s bowl of chilli going cold across from him, Kevin wondered quite when things changed between him and his son. His mother leaving when he was eight years old hadn’t helped, but they’d come through it and grown stronger as a result. But in the past few years, as Oliver went into his teenage years, he had changed. He became sulky, quiet and withdrawn. Where once they had chatted openly with each other, putting the world to rights, these days Oliver barely spoke to him. Maybe this was the way all teenagers were with their parents. Maybe all parents went from being their best friends to the most uncool people ever, as their children went through their teens. Maybe all children changed unbelievably from being kids to teenagers on the way to becoming adults.

Oliver appeared at the table, still wearing his headphones. Kevin didn’t bother trying to speak to the boy, he could hear the pop music from where he was sitting. Oliver snatched up the bowl and spoon, then retreated back to his bedroom.

It was tough enough being a single parent, trying to manage work, and a home-life, without his son acting up. Kevin just couldn’t get through to the boy. It was as though they were speaking different languages. It had been a demanding eighteen months. Oliver had been in trouble for bunking off school and not doing homework. All the boy wanted to do was hang out with his friends, stay up late playing computer games and listen to pop music on those massive headphones. Things seemed to have calmed down a little since then. The sulky moods continued but at least he was towing the line at school. 

The following evening Kevin’s mother phoned for her weekly catch-up. After discussing the new ukulele group his parents had been trying, and how the weather couldn’t make its mind, up, his mother asked how her grandson was getting on.

‘Oh, about the usual. He’s not said two words to me in weeks. I just don’t know what to do with him.’ Kevin said. 

‘He’s a teenage boy. I had you, your brother, and your sister all in your teens at the same time. The house was like a war-zone. You’ve got it easy, son.’ His mother said, laughing.

Kevin laughed along, then spoke.

‘I just wish I knew what to do to snap him out of it. Surely it won’t always be like this.’ Kevin said.

‘You just have to be nice to him and be there for him. Play nice. If he thinks you think he’s a little toe-rag, then you’ll get nowhere. Be nice, Kevin.’ She said. 

‘I mean, I’ll try. I’ll keep trying. That’s all I can do.’ 

‘Keep trying.’ His mother said.

Kevin repeated, keep trying, as he headed up the stairs to Oliver’s bedroom. He poked his head around his son’s door. The boy removed his headphones, the tinny pop music blaring out.

‘Dad, what now?’

‘I’m thinking of ordering a pizza. Do you fancy anything? My treat, obvs.’ Kevin said.

‘No, I’m fine.’

‘I just thought it might be nice, the two of us, a few slices of pizza. We could put a film on. There’s a new thriller on later, everyone at work is talking about it.’

‘That sounds dreadful. Can you please just leave me alone?’ Oliver said, putting his headphones back on.

Something snapped in Kevin. He marched across the room, yanking the headphones from around his son’s neck.

‘I am trying so hard. Would it kill you to be nice to me? In fact, how about you’re just civil? Is that too much to ask?’ Kevin asked.

‘You’re so dramatic, dad.’

Kevin winced. Even the way he called him dad, was with a groan. 

‘We used to me mates, you and me. What happened?’ Kevin said.

‘Honestly, dad, you’re unbelievable.’

‘What did you say?’ Kevin said.

‘Nothing.’ 

‘Say it again’. Kevin said. 

‘I said, you’re unbelievable.’  The boy muttered.

‘Right.’ Kevin said, pointing an urgent finger at his son. 

Kevin dashed across the landing and pulled down the metal ladders to the loft. He would sort things out once and for all. Why hadn’t he thought of this sooner? He emerged a few minutes later and, arms full of boxes, headed downstairs.

When he was ready, he returned to his son’s room. 

‘Can I see you downstairs, please?’ Kevin said, his voice firm. 

Oliver was about to protest, but there was something in the look on his dad’s face, this wasn’t a request, it was an order. Kevin was standing by the open bedroom door, waiting for his son to get up. Oliver followed his father downstairs. 

Oliver went into the dining room and gasped at the scene in front of him, eyes wide. His shocked and excited expression reminded Kevin of the way he would react on Christmas mornings, not too long ago. 

‘What? No way, is all this stuff yours?’ Oliver said.

Kevin nodded, smiling. On the dining table between them was Kevin’s old DJ equipment. There was a twin-deck turntable, headphones, analogue mixing machines, and a record case crammed with vinyl. 

‘I used to DJ for all my mates, back in the day. They would invite me along to parties providing I brought my records with me.’ 

‘That’s so cool! Can I have a go? Will you show me how it all works?’

‘Of course.’

Kevin delved into the record case and flicked through until he found what he was looking for.

‘This track was my favourite. It’s by a band called EMF.’

While his son looked on in awe, Kevin carefully placed the record on the turntable and lowered the needle.

‘This is Unbelievable.’ Kevin said.

By Chris Platt

From: United Kingdom