However once his parents have an argument, although Paddy has not yet realised it yet, Sinbad and Paddy have something in common in the fact that they are both united by their dislike of their parents fighting and each make an effort to try to stop it. We can observe this when after the fight Da asks Sinbad how school was. Sinbad laughed and forced himself to laugh more. 'I knew why´ says Paddy. Sinbad has done this to try to take the attention away from the fight and try to create a more pleasant atmosphere. However Da is cleverer than this and also knows why. He tries to catch Sinbad out because he knows this is not the truth. Sinbad looks to Paddy for help and he saves him; 'I´d won, I´d saved Sinbad´. We can see that there is a sense of pride and happiness that he has helped his brother. After being belted by their Da they are also united in that the same fate has befallen them and they compare their marks on the backs of their legs.
When they play football, although Paddy aknowledges to himself that his brother is brilliant he is very jealous and pretends to impress his mates by giving the team with Sinbad a two nil lead. Before when Paddy was cruel to Sinbad to impress his mates it had also been to impress himself and has amused him. But now as they become closer to each other Paddy´s hatred is nothing more than a facade in front of his friends. This is just to impress them, he cannot be seen to like his little brother.
I think that the real turning point in their relationship is when Paddy locks Sinbad in the suitcase. When he is finally released he just 'turned on his stomach, pusshed up, stood up and stepped out. He didn´t say anything. He stood there. He didn´t look at us or anything.´ Paddy is scared by this reaction and for the first time Sinbad has the edge over him. This makes Paddy realise that Sinbad is no longer just his tool but a human being, a human being who can get the better of him. He begins to have more respect for him and realises that he should call him by his proper name; Francis. He realises also that there is no satisfaction in beating him up anymore.
Another example that the relationship has totally changed is when Henno brings Sinbad in to Paddy´s class and has a go at him for no reason. Previously Paddy would of thought it was funny and been glad that Sinbad was in trouble. When Henno asked Paddy to show his mother Sinbad´s ruined work Paddy would of definatly done it before just to get Sinbad into trouble but now he does not. Paddy is angry at Henno and wants to protect Sinbad.
He has a proper discussion with Sinbad for the first time when they are in bed listening to their parents fight but Sinbad is too young to realise how Paddy has changed and simply hates him for all the things he has done to him. He just ignores Paddy and does not wish to speak to him. He is not willing to forgive Paddy because he has changed.
I think that Paddy really does like Sinbad now and wants someone to be with throughout the very hard times i.e. his parents break-up but really it is too late for him as he has already done too much damage for Sinbad to change his mind about Paddy. If he was a bit older maybe he would understand but he does not. We can see this frustration when Paddy offers Sinbad the biscuit, just trying to be nice, and Sinbad refuses. In response to this rejection of Paddy´s nicety he is very annoyed and crams the biscuit down Sinbad´s throat.
But this just makes Paddy want Sinbad even more. When he is going to run away and he wants Charles Leavy and Sinbad to come with him and they don´t he says he wanted Sinbad most of all because it would be like in 'Flight of the Doves, me in charge, carrying my little brother on my back when he was too tired, through the ditches and the bogs, over rivers. Looking after him. All he wants to do is protect Sinbad but Sinbad declines.
