Dialogue Essays: Hope

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It took twenty minutes before Simon plucked up the courage to speak. “Dad,” he licked his lips, “Um, did you look at the letter I gave Mum yesterday?” His father ignored the question and carried on eating. Simon looked at his father warily. Dinner times were to be negotiated with care. Normally he’d wolf down his dinner and excused himself before he copped it, but not today. Ever since he’d been sent home with a newsletter about the school trip, that’s all he’d thought about. So desperately did he want to go, he decided to push his luck. “Dad, Nan said it’d be okay if she gave me my birthday money early, that way it wouldn’t cost a thing.” Expecting to be cut short, Simon paused. “Yeah and, um, loads of other people are going.” Simon watched as his father continued in silence. Maybe they’d let me go? Simon struggled to smother a grin. “The Natural History Museum’s meant to be absolutely brilliant, Dad.” He nodded excitedly. “I can’t wait to see the dinosaurs. Toby’s Mum and Dad took him last year and he brought back a fossil.” As soon as his father stopped chewing, Simon knew he’d said too much. “I, um…I was just wondering if I could—” “You ‘ain’t going.” Simon stomach sank. “So what the Harlow’s have money.” He pointed his knife at Simon. “I bet that little shit, Toby, doesn’t still piss the bed at the age of nine, does he? Maybe when you’ve learnt to act normal, then you can go.” Simon slumped back dejected. Not satisfied, his father continued, “Anyway, neither his parents are worth a toss. His fat bitch of a mother’s never done a hard day’s graft in her—” “But she’s nice. She likes me.” Simon mumbled. Without warning his father scooped up the salt pot and threw it at him. It struck Simon hard in the side... ... middle of paper ... ...this time. It struck Toby just under the left cheek bone. The impact snapped his head back and sent him reeling backwards. Lost for words, Toby struggled to his feet and rushed off back through the bushes. Ashamed, Simon stood motionless listening as a gentle breeze stirring the surrounding trees. The sound of the wind never failed to calm him down. Retrieving his father’s tools he no longer felt like fossil hunting. That was something he and Toby had planned on doing. But being let down again he changed his mind. Simon could live without a fossil and without friends for a while. Instead he spent the rest of the day and a week of evenings after clearing the rubble from the stream bed. Who knows, maybe the snake would come back one day? As he walked home that evening, Simon found Toby’s dad’s lighter. The next day he posted it in secret through Toby’s letter box.

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