| Joanne |
Back up past the Job Centre I dart Jo Screams Benny who's coming out of the Job Centre all smiles and no teeth Not now Benny I yell back at him But he's chasing me up the hill Fuck sake Benny I got some new gear he says as he's struggling for breath climbing this hill Trainers and hoodies and that. You'll have to come and have a look Yeah Yeah Benny I goes Will do But by this point I'm Usain Bolt Sprinting up the hill As Benny's voice is an echo in the distance I turn left at the corner and smash through the doors of the centre Straight into the hall and I put my bag down on the chair Oh no that's not a good face says Dave The kettles on. I'll grab the biscuits. Well how did it go at the housing office first? Good news I hope |
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| Joanne |
Shit. Yeah Working Not Begging 31 The housing office. It was Well it didn't go as planned What you mean Dave says to me baffled Leicester. They offered me a place in Leicester I mean. I'm not priority apparently. For newport anyway. There were stronger applications this round. I can go to Leicester though. That's a possibility. Lots of cases are being referred to there. Dave's just looking around all confused Leicester he says But thats miles away. Theres got to be a mistake he rages We'll appeal Get it all sorted. He pops my cuppa down next to me. But doesn't make any jokes this time as my hand grabs the handle. What's the point Dave? I mean I got no home to go to No business No trips to Barry What? He buts in with I can take you to Barry |
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| Joanne |
What's happened with that the business then? I got handed this PSPO thing Dave's shaking his head I got given one of them after the housing office earlier. Didn't catch me at the best of times They've got no right Jo So where is it Well I ripped it up in this guys face Dave, chuckling away to himself goes what are you like Jo Well apparently I'm a "nuisance" to the public Which is complete and utter shit Dave I knows that he says You don't bother anyone I knows that We all know that Exactly I says to him I said to the guy I goes mate I sell flipping loom bands Hardly a nuisance But he was having none of it Tells me I got until 5 to dispose of my business basically. So I ripped it up in his face and he stormed off I got no family Nowhere here to live Nothing. Keeping me here now like. Like the other week with that smart red coat from The Salvation and the police questioning me thinking I nicked it. Remember that. Can't even sit on the benches me and nan used to and have a cone of vicaras as there's dividers or some shit on there now. I can't get a break At all. There always seems to be something like. If it's not one thing it's another. What IS the point You got me Dave says Well us I mean. At the centre. Thanks Dave but I can't live here can I Unfortunately not Dave starts Would if I could. You know that But we CAN appeal the decision being that its after 56 days and with the PSPO we can request evidence to support the claim of you being a nuisance We can do things Jo. I don't fucking care I utter It's just one slap after another Hey what did your nan always say Dave mumbles You get knocked down three times, Then you get back up four. Yeah well its a bit hard when you're constantly knocked down. Constantly invisible. I'm fucking sick of it. I'm as alone as I can be. Cant do it forever Dave. Theres a cliff in front of me. Murky water beneath and no matter how hard I try I keep getting pushed towards that edge. I make a couple of quid a day and for what?! To put some bullshit happiness into the world one loom band at a time And I can't even get a roof over my head for my troubles. A home of my own I ain't strong enough no more. He goes you're one of the strongest people I know Jo as he places his hand on my shoulder Yeah. Well I don't feel it I says to him Most of my life I've been here. Newport. My Nans house for the majority. Never left. I've loved Newport and Newports loved me. Forged in steel we are. No matter what comes our way. We can take it. We can give it back. But now it's all fucked. This is fucked. I'm fucked. It's all fucked. And I just wanna get off my fucking face |
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| Joanne |
I'm sorry. What you apologising for? Dave chuckles I dunno Everything I gotta go I says to him and I grab my bag and I'm off. Out the door Dave's chasing my heels Jo please he shouts you shouldn't be on your own this evening Look don't do anything stupid now. Come back. You've got nowhere to go. But I'm already a dot in the distance I've still got one place I yells back at him One place that'll always be home. |