First Aiders

By Thursday morning, Mrs Brand had stopped trying to predict the week.

On Monday she’d believed in organisation.

On Tuesday she’d believed in improvement.

On Wednesday she’d believed in quiet success.

By Thursday, she believed only in coffee.

She stood in the kitchen at 6:11 a.m., staring thoughtfully into her mug.

Mr Brand wandered in.

“Morning.”

“Morning.”

“How are you feeling?”

“I’ve reached a state of parenting enlightenment.”

“Oh?”

“I no longer ask myself, ‘What could possibly happen today?’”

“Wise.”

“I’ve learned that the universe hears that as a shopping list.”

Mr Brand nodded.

“It does have a mischievous streak.”

Upstairs came an almighty crash.

Then Barry shouted cheerfully,

“I’m helping!”

Mrs Brand closed her eyes.

“See?”

Three doors down, Marjory was attempting to leave for school with Marmaduke.

Bubble the cat was sitting directly in front of the front door.

Not asleep.

Just… sitting.

“Marmaduke,” sighed Marjory, “could you move Bubble, please?”

“I tried.”

“And?”

“He says no.”

“Did Bubble actually say no?”

“He looked it.”

Bubble blinked once.

Marjory had worked alongside some of the country’s finest neurologists.

She had met Nobel Prize winners.

She had once calmly explained brain surgery to a television presenter.

Yet somehow she still found herself negotiating with a cat.

“Bubble.”

The cat stood up.

Walked exactly six inches.

Sat down again.

“Progress,” said Marmaduke.

The Scout field buzzed with excitement.

Today’s whiteboard read:

THURSDAY

✔ Helping Other People

✔ Basic First Aid

✔ Team Challenge

✔ Good Turns

Leader Sarah smiled.

“Today is about kindness.”

Barry nodded enthusiastically.

“I can do kindness.”

Leader Ben smiled.

“I know you can.”

“I helped Dad yesterday.”

“What did you do?”

“I tested whether the garden hose still worked.”

Leader Ben looked suspicious.

“…Did your dad know?”

“Eventually.”

Alfie’s Scouts were spending the morning learning more advanced first aid.

Bandages.

Slings.

Recovery position.

Emergency planning.

He was almost vibrating with excitement.

A proper first aid booklet.

Instructions.

Diagrams.

Checklists.

It was everything an eight-year-old who enjoyed rules could possibly dream of.

The Squirrels gathered around a giant teddy bear wearing a fluorescent waistcoat.

Leader Sarah introduced him.

“This is Bertie.”

Barry waved.

“Hello.”

“Bertie has had lots of pretend accidents.”

“Oh dear.”

“So today you’re going to learn how to help him.”

Barry looked relieved.

“I’m glad he’s pretending.”

The first lesson was wonderfully simple.

“If someone falls over,” explained Leader Sarah, “what’s the first thing we should do?”

Barry’s hand shot up.

“Catch them.”

“If you can.”

Marmaduke raised his.

“Ask if they’re alright?”

“Exactly.”

Barry added,

“And don’t laugh.”

Leader Ben smiled.

“That’s a very important one.”

Barry nodded solemnly.

“Even if it looked a tiny bit funny.”

The children practised asking kindly.

“Are you okay?”

“Can I help?”

“Would you like a grown-up?”

Marmaduke was exceptionally good at this.

He had such a gentle voice that even Bertie the teddy somehow looked comforted.

Barry tried too.

“ARE YOU ALRIGHT?”

Leader Sarah laughed.

“Maybe… just a little quieter.”

“I’m being reassuring.”

“You sound like you’ve spotted pirates.”

Next came plasters.

Every child was given a pretend cut on a laminated picture.

They had to clean it, dry it and apply a plaster.

Barry peeled the backing off his plaster.

Unfortunately…

…it folded neatly onto itself.

He frowned.

“It’s hugging.”

Leader Ben gently unfolded another one.

“Let’s try again.”

“This plaster’s less affectionate.”

Marmaduke placed his plaster beautifully.

Perfectly straight.

Leader Sarah smiled.

“Excellent!”

Barry looked impressed.

“I think Marmaduke’s plaster deserves a badge.”

Marmaduke beamed.

Then came bandages.

Every child worked in pairs.

Barry and Marmaduke sat opposite one another.

Leader Ben demonstrated wrapping a bandage around an arm.

“Not too tight.”

“Okay.”

“Not too loose.”

“Okay.”

“And remember…”

“No knots on people’s elbows.”

“Exactly.”

Barry began wrapping Marmaduke’s arm.

Round and round.

And round.

Leader Sarah wandered over.

“…Barry.”

“Yes?”

“I think Marmaduke still needs to bend his elbow.”

Barry looked carefully.

“Oh.”

Marmaduke’s arm was now about the same shape as a well-wrapped Christmas present.

“Can you move?”

Marmaduke tried.

“No.”

Leader Ben chuckled.

“Perhaps… one less lap.”

When it was Marmaduke’s turn, he concentrated enormously.

The bandage looked neat.

Comfortable.

Secure.

Barry admired it.

“That’s much better.”

“I remembered the elbow.”

“So did I.”

Meanwhile, Alfie’s group were practising the recovery position.

Scout Leader Martin asked, “Why do we use this?”

“So someone can breathe safely while waiting for help.”

“Excellent.”

“What do we never do?”

“Panic.”

“Exactly.”

Martin smiled proudly.

Alfie already understood that helping wasn’t about showing off.

It was about staying calm.

Back with the Squirrels, the next challenge involved pretending to phone for help.

A toy telephone sat on a little table.

Leader Sarah explained,

“If you need help, it’s important to speak clearly.”

Barry picked up the phone.

“Hello?”

Leader Sarah pretended to answer.

“Emergency services.”

“I’ve got a poorly teddy.”

“What’s happened?”

“I think he’s fallen off… something.”

“What?”

“…I haven’t decided.”

The children giggled.

Leader Sarah smiled.

“And where are you?”

Barry looked around dramatically.

“…Near Marmaduke.”

“Can you be more specific?”

“We’re both near the biscuits.”

Marmaduke had a turn.

He spoke slowly.

Clearly.

“We’re at Scout Camp.”

“Very good.”

“My friend needs help.”

“Excellent.”

“I know where we are.”

Leader Sarah applauded.

“Perfect.”

Barry whispered,

“I forgot about the where bit.”

Leader Ben nodded.

“That’s usually quite important.”

After snack time came today’s Good Turn Challenge.

Every pair received a card with a helpful job.

Carry some water.

Collect litter.

Help tidy equipment.

Sweep the path.

Water the flowers.

Barry looked at theirs.

“We’re watering plants.”

“This is easy,” said Marmaduke.

Leader Sarah handed them a watering can.

“Remember…”

“Not too much.”

“Exactly.”

Barry nodded confidently.

The first flower received a sensible drink.

The second also looked delighted.

The third…

Barry became enthusiastic.

Very enthusiastic.

The watering can emptied all at once.

The poor flower disappeared beneath what briefly resembled a small tidal wave.

Leader Ben appeared.

“…It isn’t a goldfish.”

“I wanted him to be extra hydrated.”

“I think he’s negotiated directly with the Thames.”

Nearby, Alfie noticed an elderly volunteer struggling with a heavy box.

Before anyone asked, he walked over.

“May I help?”

“Oh, thank you.”

He carried it across the field without fuss.

No announcement.

No applause.

He simply saw somebody who needed help.

Scout Leader Martin watched quietly.

Sometimes, he thought, kindness was at its best when nobody noticed.

The afternoon finished with a giant teamwork game.

Every group had to transport a pretend injured teddy across the field using a blanket as a stretcher.

Barry immediately suggested running.

Leader Ben raised one eyebrow.

“What did we learn on Tuesday?”

“…Walking.”

“Exactly.”

Four children each held one corner.

They moved slowly.

Carefully.

Bertie the teddy remained safely aboard.

Halfway across, Barry whispered,

“We’re like ambulance people.”

“You are.”

“It feels important.”

“It is.”

Barry walked even more carefully.

Parents began arriving.

Leader Sarah gathered everyone together.

“I’ve been very impressed today.”

She looked towards Barry.

“You remembered to ask if people were alright.”

Barry nodded proudly.

“I didn’t shout.”

“Mostly.”

“I nearly did.”

“But you remembered.”

She turned to Marmaduke.

“And your bandaging was excellent.”

Marmaduke smiled shyly.

“I remembered elbows.”

“You certainly did.”

Finally she looked at Alfie.

“And thank you for quietly helping throughout the day.”

Alfie blushed.

“I just saw jobs that needed doing.”

“That’s exactly what good Scouts do.”

Walking home, Barry skipped beside Mrs Brand.

“I’ve learned first aid.”

“Oh?”

“If you fall over…”

“Yes?”

“I ask if you’re alright.”

“Good.”

“Then I find a grown-up.”

“Excellent.”

“I don’t put seventeen plasters on your nose.”

Mrs Brand laughed.

“I appreciate that.”

Back at the Brands’ house, Bubble was waiting in the garden.

Barry crouched beside him.

“If you got hurt…”

Bubble looked at him.

“…I’d help you.”

Bubble blinked.

“I’d ask if you were alright.”

Bubble slowly rubbed against Barry’s leg.

“I think,” said Marjory softly, “that’s probably Bubble’s way of saying thank you.”

Barry smiled.

“I like helping.”

Mrs Brand looked across at her youngest son.

He still climbed things he shouldn’t.

He still asked impossible questions.

He still had the attention span of an enthusiastic squirrel after too much fruit juice.

But over four days at Scout Camp, she’d noticed something changing.

Barry still wanted adventures.

Now he also wanted everyone else to be alright during them.

That felt rather important.

That evening, Alfie carefully placed another completed activity sheet into his Scout folder.

Barry carefully packed a tiny packet of plasters into his little backpack.

“Just in case.”

“Just in case of what?” asked Mr Brand.

“I don’t know… But if someone needs one…”

“You’ll be ready.”

Barry nodded seriously.

“I’ll even remember where we are.”

Mr Brand smiled.

“That’s a surprisingly useful improvement.”

Marjory laughed.

“I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting the biggest lesson of the week to be Barry learning not to describe his location as ‘near the biscuits.’”

“Neither was I,” chuckled Mrs Brand.

Outside, the sun dipped below the rooftops, Bubble began his evening patrol, and somewhere in the garden a robin sang from the apple tree.

Tomorrow would be Friday.

The final day of Scout Camp.

There would be campfires, certificates, songs, parents watching, and enough excitement to fill the whole field.

Mrs Brand looked at the calendar one last time.

For the first time all week, she smiled without a hint of worry.

Then she remembered Barry.

She added one final note in the margin.

“Pack spare trousers… just in case.”

Experience suggested that was less pessimism than excellent first aid for the parents.