Going Home

Melvin Barnes

Loads of kids stay in Canaan Lodge. You should see the rush to get in to breakfast in the morning. Not on Saturday's of course. Saturday there's no school. And that's the funny thing about school. I mean we all get on to the bus in the morning to go to school, which is not too bad. The bus I mean. Not school. I hate school. I hate Canaan Lodge. So anyway the bus takes us to school. When you come back at night you're not allowed to get off the bus, well not straight away. One of the grown ups comes on with a load of books under their arms. If you get handed a book then you stay on the bus. Then you get taken to Red Hall. Well at least that's what the other kids say. They never tell you in the morning that you will be staying on the bus.

Breakfast was okay. I like breakfast especially on a Saturday. Saturday is the day we all get sixpence. When it came to my turn I took my sixpence from Nurse Cosgrove. They're all called Nurses in Canaan Lodge. I expect it's because they all look like nurses. Anyway I stuck my sixpence into my dungarees and ran outside. I jumped on Topper and went lickety-split for the front gate and out into Canaan Lane. I was going home to my Mum. ... (continues)