Sunday 13 July 2008

Page 30

My Mum said we were moving into a nice big flat over a tobacconist shop opposite Shepherds Bush Green. It was on the 3rd floor with an amazing bathroom which we had to share with with the person on the 2nd floor. We were moving in two weeks, no hanging about. I handed in my notice at work, we were evidently selling all our furniture as the flat was furnished, they usually were in those days.

Luckily the person who was moving into our house bought most of it as it was only 2yrs old. We were taking all the linens and crockery and other bits and pieces.

At last the day came for us to go, tearful goodbyes were said. Dennis was heartbroken, he really didnt want to go, maybe my Mum and Dad were being selfish he was a country lad, he wouldnt have the same freedom in London as he did here.

We eventually got to Shepherds Bush, went up to the flat, I could not believe it, they had lied, the accommodation consisted of a kitchen , massive living area, with huge three piece suite and a double bed and various other bits. It was really good furniture. Of course the bathroom, which was amazing, they had it all planned they would obviously have the bed, Dennis would sleep on the sofa and I would be sleeping in the kitchen on a single bed. We had moved out of a three bedroomed semi with garage for this dump. I shouldn`t have been surprised it was deja vu, we all ended up laughing, my Mum didn`t want anyone in Rotherham to know how stupid we were.

It wasnt too bad the living arrangements, we soon adapted. Dennis also settled in quicker than we thought he would. We soon met the person who lived underneath it was a girl called Karen she was about my age and came from Devon. we all got on really well, she had a boyfriend a guy called Vernon. Dennis was really pleased as Karen had a television and she said she would leave a key with my Mum so that Dennis could watch it during the day until he started school.

My Dad started his new job, it was caretaker of a block of flats in theWest End, he said it was early days but so far so good. The other caretaker who worked with him seemed a really decent bloke.

Now it was my turn to look for work , my Mum said eventually when she got Dennis sorted out with school she would look for a job in a shop. She hadn`t worked since being a cloakroom attendant at the Olympia 10 yrs ago.

We found out that the nearest school for dennis was Addison Gardens the same school I went to the first time we came to London. Dennis was very scared on his first day, when he came home that night he said the children had done exactly the same thing they did to me, thats take the mickey(tease) because of the Yorkshire accent. I said ignore them and they would soon get fed up , he also wore National Health Glasses , the ones with the wire frames, he was called four eyes and other things. He really didnt want to go to school, he got really upset. When it happened to me I was able to ignore them and go back to them with some comment but Dennis was differant, very shy and took everything to heart. After a while things got a little better, he appeared to be coping with it.

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