On a sunny midmorning, on a lovely Spring day, in Kilmacud Secondary School Miss Claire decided to calm things down a bit in Class 1A. The 32 twelve-year-olds had been pretty good for almost an hour as she’d moved through a boring class on the Postal Service. She’d done her best to make it interesting with lots of the usual role play but the kids hadn’t engaged in it, unlike yesterday with the rocket building project, and all were relieved to make it to break time.
Now with the break behind them all piled back into the overfull classroom, hot and giddy from the ten minutes of running around in the concrete and fenced play yard. It was time to start English and she had a poem in her hand to go when she decided to change the running order and do the “show and tell” piece first.
“Mary, can you open the windows a bit, we’re melting in here?” Claire said and “Brian, Brian …….. Brian put Zoe down! I’m not going to tell you again. Yes, the right way up please.”
“Can you help Mary with the windows, the ones she can’t reach? Good lad”
“OK, OK Class, le do thoil ciúin (Irish for quiet please)”
“Right now I am going to ask each of you to tell me what happened on your street yesterday. So think back to yesterday and what was going on in your street?”
“Was the postman delivering a parcel?
“Was some of your neighbours working in the garden?”
“Were there children playing in the street? Have a quick think.”
“I’ll give you a minute and then I’ll go round the class and give each of you a chance to tell me what was going on in your street”.
While Claire was speaking she felt a vibration in her pocket and knew a text had arrived. The minute gave her a chance to read the message. It was Mum saying she’d picked up a free 3 day pass for her gym and would Claire like it?
He fingers swiftly typed out a reply on the tiny popup keyboard.“No thanks Mum, no time at present, next assignment due Monday. See you and the Andrew monster at 6.00pm. XXXX Claire”
The phone slipped back into her pocket and she scanned the eager faces, all longing to be the first to get the session going. Kids, generally love the chance for free expression. They can’t be wrong in what they say and the whole class hangs on their every word. It is hard to choose who to start with from so many so Claire chose not to.
“Let’s start at the back for a change and Jimmy, you can get us going. Tell us what happened on your street yesterday?”
It was a change in the process that caught Jimmy unawares. She never starts from the back he thought. Jimmy was texting with his hands under the desk and the phone supposedly surrendered on arrival at the school still in his hands. He shoved it quickly into the open shelf of the desk and turned to his best mate Mandela saying in a whispered voice
“What’s she on about?”
“Dunno,” said Mandela, helpfully. Jimmy then noticed Mandela had been texting on his phone so he wouldn’t be much use either.
“Jimmy, can I have your full attention, just for a minute.” Claire allowed a note of irritation to creep into her voice. She may have to march down to Jimmy’s corner and her feet were killing her. Should have stuck to the sensible shoes but she was invited to Michelle’s shop opening after school today and had opted for high heels all day rather than carry around a bag for the day. She was now regretting that decision big time. She hoped he’d respond and she wouldn’t have to slip the heels on to visit his desk.
Jimmy was a problem kid, they all were. His three uncles and three aunts before him had gone through Kilmacud Secondary & Primary School and they had all caused mayhem for teachers. A chip off the old block thought Claire remembering their father Brian or prisoner 145352GH as he is now called, now pushing 70 and still serving time.
OK being born into a traveller family is like drawing one of the short straws in life but why do they all have to suffer the same fate she thought. Behave the same way, drop out of school at 15 and have a criminal record the length of your arm by 16?
Jimmy as it is, was only at school half the school year as the family uprooted from the settled house they were given each May to go travelling. Travelling in the old days was in a horse-drawn wagon but these days it was in vans towing mobile homes. Jimmy’s family always went to England in the Summer on a tour of scenic locations where they would let themselves into farmer’s fields or local village parks and stay there until legal action forced them on, leaving piles of rubbish in their wake. In the old days, they offered services where they went.
“Need your knives sharpened Misses?” “Need some labour in the fields?”
These days they signed on to collect unemployment benefits under assumed names, offered to tarmac your driveways for a price or get rid of your rubbish or rubble.
Claire tried one last time
“Jimmy, can you please tell the class what happened on your street yesterday?”
“Yesterday…….. Monday?”
“Yes, Monday”
“Stand up now so we can all see and hear you. That’s it. Good lad.”
Jimmy started hesitantly, uneasy and unfamiliar with this much attention. He spoke in gruff short sentences.
“I was outside feed’in the horse, bout 7 in da morning when the Mr Snotface (Mr Snograss) and da guards (police) came knockin on Grandma’s door.”
“What did they want with Granny?” asked Claire, having a few unkind thoughts of her own.
She’d given “Granny” a bag of her old clothes only a month ago when she came knocking on the door seeking any old bricka brack Claire might have. “Granny” appeared grateful but that afternoon had only to walk round the corner from her house to find the contents of the bag blowing across the street near a bin “Granny” had aimed for but couldn’t bother to reach. Claire spent the next ten minutes re-bagging all the clothes and taking them home.
“They wanted her out of the house. They grabbed her by the arms and dragged her screamin and kickin to the van.”
Jimmy had by now the undivided attention of the entire class.
“What happened next?” asked Debbie.
“I ran over and tried to stop 'em but the big guard, Murphy gave me a backhand and I fell hard on the ground. I went again but this time he drew his pepper spray and pointed it at me so I stopped going at him.”
“Oh Jimmy, I’m sorry to hear about this. How’s Granny now?” asked Claire.
“She’s staying with us now,”Jimmy said, his voice flat and empty.
“And what about her house?” said Debbie. “Is anyone living there?”
“Na, they put a lock on the fuckin door and metal plates on all the windows and stuck a notice on the gate”
“Me and the bro’s tried to get the lock off last nite but it wouldn’t budge. We’re going again tonight so …. Jimmy eyed the class and he saw an opportunity.
“If any of yez want to help, I’ll see yea at the house at 10 tonight and we’ll free Gran’s house for her.”
“Are yea up for it?”
Jimmy now stood on his desk and raised his arm as he repeated the question, this time louder, bolder.
“Are yea up for it?”
After a moment of silence, he was greeted by a roar of “Yes” and the class stood up with him and many of the children leapt about hopping and screaming their support. Jimmy was overcome and a smile broke out across his face. He’d never been this popular!
“Free Granny, Free Granny” they all chanted.
Claire was gobsmacked and wasn’t sure what next to do.
This was not going to plan. Claire noticed Mrs Heaton, the Headmistress was now peering through the open classroom door and Claire had never been happier to see her.
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