“SIR…SIR, I was wondering if you could tell me where the
headmaster’s office is, please?”
“Yes, it’s just down this corridor here and it’s the last door
on your left.”
“Thanks, sir”
When he arrived at the headmaster’s room he could hear him shouting at someone, which made Simon not want to enter. As he was about to knock, the door swung open and the two boys that he had just seen fighting walked out as if nothing had happened. Simon knocked on the door and went into the room.
“Who are you?” bellowed the headmaster angrily.
“Simon Smith”
“Oh yes, you’re the new boy? Welcome to Patterson High. My
name is Mr Smithers” he said in a more tame manner“ Here is your timetable and the room numbers are written next
to the subjects so you know where you’re going. If you have any
trouble, come back and see me, but you’d better be off now, so
that you’re not late for your first class.”
Not Such a good start!
As the weeks went by, Simon had still not made any friends, but at least was getting used to the school. He noticed that the boy he had seen fighting when he first entered the school belonged to a group that always seemed to get into a fight either with black or Asian kids. He though this was bizarre but thought nothing more of it.
When Simon was sitting down for, by himself, for lunch in the school cafeteria, as he did everyday, he was joined by the three boys whom he had noticed always getting into fights with Asian or black kids. Simon found this a bit strange because nobody had ever come and joined him for lunch, but he liked it. The three boys introduced themselves. Shane seemed like the leader, he was sixteen, very scruffy looking with long greasy brown hair, and was well built but very short. The other two boys were called Richard and John and like Shane were very scruffy, but were not as well built as him. Richard had dirty blond hair and was very lanky but when he spoke he seemed very smart and knew what he was talking about. John had a skinhead and in height and intelligence was the opposite of Richard. He spoke with a stutter and sometimes Simon, or the other two boys didn’t know what he was talking about. They certainly didn’t seem to make any allowances for it.
Weeks passed by and Simon was now getting on well with the new friends he had made. He had also soon realised that they didn’t care much for people of the black race. Even though he didn’t share the same views as them he still wanted to be friends with them and so kept his own opinions to himself. Simon was then invited to Shane’s house one day after school. Simon was very happy about this because he knew for sure now that he had found a new friend.
The following Friday after school Simon went round to Shane’s house again for a few hours. Simon always lived in a relatively big house and when he arrived at Shane’s house he was shocked at how filthy and grimy it was.
“Where’s your Mum and Dad?” Simon asked
“My Mum works twelve hour shifts at the pub down the road”
“Where’s your dad?”
“He left me and my Mum when I was wee, he’s living in South
Africa in a big mansion with a black bitch”
“Is your Dad rich?”
“Yes, but he doesn’t send any money back for me and my Mum.
I hate him and his cow that he calls his wife.” Simon felt very out of place at this point and there was and awkward silence.
“Let’s go up to my room and listen to some music.” Said Shane.
When Simon entered Shane’s room, he was shocked. The room was covered in posters of Nazi flags, Hitler posters and anything else that had to do with racism. Simon started to ask Shane why he had all these posters up and his answer was that he despised anyone that was not of the white race. They began to have a long conversation about racism, with Shane telling Simon why he heated blacks so much. He told him it was because a black women had stolen his father from his mother and moved to South Africa with him. He also added that if this black women had not done this, then he would be living in a big house and his mother would not have to work so hard in a grotty pub to keep the both of them alive. Simon started to feel a bit sorry for Shane and his mother, and even started to understand and even accept Shane’s beliefs.
Toward the end of term when Simon, Shane. Richard, and John were walking home, they noticed they were being followed by a group of black kids. Shane decided the best Idea was to lead them into and ally way to confront them. As the four boys walked into the ally, one of the black youths shouted out,
“HEY WHITE TRASH, YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH US?”
“YEAH BLACK BOY!” shouted Shane.
The group of black kids started to charge at Shane’s group and began lashing out at each other. The black boys were just too strong for Shane’s group at first and were only pounding on Richard, John and Shane, but left Simon alone. Suddenly Shane pulled out a knife and was about to stab one of the black boys, but it was kicked out of his hands. The knife was at Simon’s feet. He picked it up. Shane was screaming for help at him and so without hesitation he stabbed the boy in the back who was pummelling into Shane. The fighting stopped.
The other black boys rushed over to the aid of their fallen friend. Within minutes the police and ambulance services had arrived and they put all the boys in the back of the police cars. Simon was horrified at what he had done, terrified of what would happen to him, and physically sick. He felt that Shane had poisoned his mind and felt ashamed. As the police car passed, with Simon inside, he caught a glimpse of Shane who had an evil smirk on his face as if to say ‘well done’
By Allan Maclean
