PARTY CRASHER

Was Jenny crazy to host her son’s bash?

The noise from downstairs was deafening, but Luke didn’t hear it. Crash! Bang! He sat in the bedroom, pouring through his magazines, totally oblivious to everything.

It wasn’t until Jenny came rushing into the room that he looked up.

‘It’s awful down there!’ she cried.

He smiled at her happily, so she walked across the room to him and took the earplugs out of his ears.

‘It’s awful down there!’ she repeated, shouting over the sound of the thumping music reverberating through the ceiling. ‘The party’s only been going for 10 minutes but already they’re trashing the place!’

‘Nonsense, love,’ he said. ‘You’re over-reacting, it’s just youthful high spirits.’

‘It is not!’ Jenny said. ‘They’re so rowdy — they’re all spilling their drinks, knocking things over, they don’t seem to care what they do. And the noise of their so-called music is shaking the foundations!

‘I knew it was a mistake to allow Henry to have his big party here. Why we couldn’t have it in the village hall, I don’t know. That’s where Paul down the road had his 18th!’

‘You should thank me, I was saving us money!’ said Luke. ‘How much did Paul’s party set them back?’

‘Not a tenth of the cost of a whole new lounge!’ said Jenny.

Luke laughed. And then there was a crash, and he went pale.

‘What was that?’ he whispered. ‘It sounded like the standard lamp!’

‘I’m on my way!’ Jenny cried, rushing out the door.

Luke sat there, his hands gripping the arms of his chair. What was going on? he wondered. What were they up to?

This wasn’t part of the plan at all.

When he was young, he’d had parties at home until he was 21. They’d thrown huge bashes, and nothing had got broken — well, nothing important.

His parents had even trusted him enough to go out and leave him and his friends to it.

But this was a whole different generation, wasn’t it? He and Jenny had had no idea what they were letting themselves in for.

They’d only just bought a new cream three-piece suite and pale yellow carpet, for heaven’s sake and he loved them both…

There was another almighty crash and a scream. Luke jumped. It sounded like... please God it wasn’t something going through his new widescreen TV!

He threw down his magazines and ran to the door. As he opened it, the sounds of a party in full swing hit him. How could they possibly make so much noise?

He tip-toed down the stairs, not that anyone would have heard him if he’d charged down them three at a time.

Someone opened a door and he caught a glimpse of the melee in the lounge. There were so many gyrating bodies, surely half of them were gatecrashers? He didn’t stop to see if there was any food trampled into the carpet and drinks

‘It’s awful down there!’ she shouted over the sound of the thumping music

spilt all over his new settee. But he could imagine it.

What was the matter with the young these days?

The door slammed again and Luke picked up the house phone to summon help. But it was useless, he couldn’t even hear himself think.

He grabbed his mobile, but it was out of battery. He had to do something.

Before Jenny could see that he was downstairs and ban him from leaving, Luke grabbed his jacket and rushed out of the front door.

The noise out there was still deafening — it was a wonder none of the neighbours had complained.

He rushed up the path to Steve’s house next door. He had to knock three times before Steve answered.

‘What a party!’ Steve said, with a pained expression on his face.

‘Sorry, mate,’ said Luke. ‘Come on in,’ said Steve, opening the door wider. ‘But I hope you haven’t come for peace and quiet, because it’s almost as noisy in here.’

He was right, the music and screams of laughter came pounding through the paper-thin walls.

‘I’m really, really sorry,’ Luke repeated.

‘Oh, it’s all right, my Simon’s there,’ said Steve. ‘He’s probably making more noise than anyone else put together. I must say I did wonder when I heard the party was going to be at your house. Presumably you rolled up the carpet or at least removed all your breakable ornaments?’

Luke shook his head. If only!

‘Could I just use your phone?’ he asked, weakly. And then he had to shout so Steve could hear him.

He found the perfect site on the internet and dialled. He got through to the number immediately but he had to beg, plead and bribe to get what he wanted right now.

But the man must have heard the desperation in Luke’s voice, because he finally agreed to come round straightaway.

‘Thanks,’ he said to Steve, as he handed him back his phone.

‘That’s all right, mate,’ Steve replied. ‘You were lucky to find us in, Sheila and I were just about to go out to get away from all the noise.’

He had to beg, plead and bribe to get what he wanted right now

Luke didn’t want to go home, but he thought Jenny would never speak to him again if she was left to suffer any longer on her own.

‘Where have you been?’ she demanded as soon as he walked in.

‘Don’t worry,’ Luke said, ‘I’ve got a plan.’

But Jenny didn’t hear him. Someone had just turned the stereo up to what seemed like full volume.

Luke went upstairs and put in his earplugs again.

Never again, he vowed to himself.

Never again would he allow Henry to have a party at home. They could hire a hall, a boat, anything, as long as it wasn’t in his house.

He counted away the minutes. He went to the front bedroom and looked out of the window. Finally, when he was giving up hope, the mucky white van pulled up outside.

Luke raced down the stairs and rushed outside to greet the driver.

‘Thank you so much!’ he said, as the man opened up the back doors. ‘You’ve saved my life.’

The man gave him a wry look.

‘You’ve no idea how often this happens,’ he said. ‘Here, give me a hand.’

It took them 15 minutes to set it up. Fifteen minutes in which the chaos continued indoors. Then finally, it was done.

Luke paid the man and rushed into the house. He clapped his hands, but no one heard him. So he picked up a party hooter and blew it as loud as he could.

Everyone turned and looked at him in amazement. Someone, maybe it was Jenny, even turned down the music.

‘There’s a surprise in the garden!’ he cried. ‘Come and see what it is!’

And then he grabbed Henry’s hand and led him out. Fortunately the others followed.

They shouted with delight when they saw it, and as one, they all rushed out into the garden, leaving the lounge in peace.

Luke and Jenny followed them out, locking the door firmly behind them and exchanged looks of utter relief — as 20 overexcited four-year-olds began jumping up and down, using up all that surplus energy, on the wonderful, life-saving inflated bouncy castle.