Read Online Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah - Free Book Online
Authors: Benjamin Zephaniah
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met Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald and Ruth, their only child, who was seventeen years old. Ruth had long black hair that she let hang halfway down her back and a slim face with brown eyes. She worked as a sales assistant in an electrical shop. Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald were born in Ireland but Ruth was born in Manor Park.
Mrs Fitzgerald had completely lost her accent and now sounded like an older version of Ruth. As she spoke to Alem, she used a yellow cloth and dusted anything that came within arm’s reach. ‘Nice to see you, dear, we’ve heard a lot about you and you’re welcome here. It’s not much, but it’s ours. We’re not rich, but we don’t starve,’ she said, leading them into the front room.
They occupied a three-bedroom house on Meanly Road where Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald had lived since getting married in 1977 when they were both just eighteen years old.
Alem was surprised at how comfortable he felt with the family. Mrs Fitzgerald told him that they had fostered many children in the past, some of whom were teenagers from various parts of the world. Mr Fitzgerald didn’t say much but they very quickly made Alem feel at home without pampering him or seeming condescending. The room that was to become Alem’s was built as an upstairs extension at the back of the house. It had its own television and a computer, and a large collection of books which immediately caught Alem’s attention. So far he had only seen the inside of museums, restaurants, the hotel, the children’s home and the barn. This was his first look into a British home. It was warm and he liked it.
There was no formal interview. The family sat with Sheila, Mariam and Alem. They just talked, mainly about other boys and girls that the Fitzgeralds had fostered in the past, but also about the area, the local schools and the increase in cars now parked on the road. Alem was offered lots of cups of tea and he refused them all, but he ate every biscuit in sight, while Sheila and Mariam drank every cup of tea that came their way.
As he ate, Alem observed Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald. Mr Fitzgerald had a shaven face but was going bald. He still had traces of an Irish accent and was a short, round sort of a man with a belly that made him look as if he was about to give birth. Mrs Fitzgerald was ofa similar height to her husband but without the belly, and was a lot more alert than he was. Mrs Fitzgerald explained that her husband had taken early retirement from his electrician job and spent most of his time whispering to the fifteen fish that he kept in the garden. Mr Fitzgerald sat nodding in agreement saying ‘Yes’ and ‘That’s right’ periodically. It occurred to Alem that if he didn’t know that they were husband and wife, he could have taken them for brother and sister.
After the visit to the house, Sheila and Mariam took Alem to the local Social Services offices, where he was asked the big question: ‘Do you want to stay there?’
‘What choice do I have?’ Alem asked Sheila.
‘Well, there are other families and there are other children’s homes. We know you don’t like children’s homes, and I have checked out the possibility of you seeing other families, but they would take time to sort out. The good thing about this family is that you can move in tonight; all I have to do is sign some papers. But it’s up to you.’
Alem quickly sensed that things could be much worse and that he was on to a good thing. ‘I want to stay with this family,’ he said.
‘Great,’ Sheila replied. ‘I really do think you will get on fine there. I’ve known the Fitzgeralds for ages and they’ve never let us down yet. And look, Alem,you don’t have to stay a day longer than you want to. If you feel that things aren’t going well, we’ll think again, and we will keep reviewing your situation anyway. If there are any problems, all you have to do is tell me or Mariam, and we will try our best to help you out.’
Alem was happy to have succeeded in getting out
Mrs Fitzgerald had completely lost her accent and now sounded like an older version of Ruth. As she spoke to Alem, she used a yellow cloth and dusted anything that came within arm’s reach. ‘Nice to see you, dear, we’ve heard a lot about you and you’re welcome here. It’s not much, but it’s ours. We’re not rich, but we don’t starve,’ she said, leading them into the front room.
They occupied a three-bedroom house on Meanly Road where Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald had lived since getting married in 1977 when they were both just eighteen years old.
Alem was surprised at how comfortable he felt with the family. Mrs Fitzgerald told him that they had fostered many children in the past, some of whom were teenagers from various parts of the world. Mr Fitzgerald didn’t say much but they very quickly made Alem feel at home without pampering him or seeming condescending. The room that was to become Alem’s was built as an upstairs extension at the back of the house. It had its own television and a computer, and a large collection of books which immediately caught Alem’s attention. So far he had only seen the inside of museums, restaurants, the hotel, the children’s home and the barn. This was his first look into a British home. It was warm and he liked it.
There was no formal interview. The family sat with Sheila, Mariam and Alem. They just talked, mainly about other boys and girls that the Fitzgeralds had fostered in the past, but also about the area, the local schools and the increase in cars now parked on the road. Alem was offered lots of cups of tea and he refused them all, but he ate every biscuit in sight, while Sheila and Mariam drank every cup of tea that came their way.
As he ate, Alem observed Mr and Mrs Fitzgerald. Mr Fitzgerald had a shaven face but was going bald. He still had traces of an Irish accent and was a short, round sort of a man with a belly that made him look as if he was about to give birth. Mrs Fitzgerald was ofa similar height to her husband but without the belly, and was a lot more alert than he was. Mrs Fitzgerald explained that her husband had taken early retirement from his electrician job and spent most of his time whispering to the fifteen fish that he kept in the garden. Mr Fitzgerald sat nodding in agreement saying ‘Yes’ and ‘That’s right’ periodically. It occurred to Alem that if he didn’t know that they were husband and wife, he could have taken them for brother and sister.
After the visit to the house, Sheila and Mariam took Alem to the local Social Services offices, where he was asked the big question: ‘Do you want to stay there?’
‘What choice do I have?’ Alem asked Sheila.
‘Well, there are other families and there are other children’s homes. We know you don’t like children’s homes, and I have checked out the possibility of you seeing other families, but they would take time to sort out. The good thing about this family is that you can move in tonight; all I have to do is sign some papers. But it’s up to you.’
Alem quickly sensed that things could be much worse and that he was on to a good thing. ‘I want to stay with this family,’ he said.
‘Great,’ Sheila replied. ‘I really do think you will get on fine there. I’ve known the Fitzgeralds for ages and they’ve never let us down yet. And look, Alem,you don’t have to stay a day longer than you want to. If you feel that things aren’t going well, we’ll think again, and we will keep reviewing your situation anyway. If there are any problems, all you have to do is tell me or Mariam, and we will try our best to help you out.’
Alem was happy to have succeeded in getting out
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