Before You Begin by A. Richardson©2005


Before You Begin was written during my stay with a friend in Manchester. The sight of so many down and outs living hand to mouth on the streets of the city made me aware of the serious problem our country is now having, not only with a housing shortage, but also with the totally inadequate amount of money we expect unemployed people to live on. Before You Begin is a phrase often used as a prelude to an argument. This tale shows how a minor argument can get completely out of hand, culminating in the deaths of two friends abandoned on the streets of the city, but just to add a slightly different touch......This tale is dedicated to all you UFO believers...read on and see why!


Down and Out
Joe was sixty-two last week, though you'd never guess it to look at him, with his hair as white as snow, a beard that was nearly as long as Father Christmas's and wrinkles ingrained with grime covering most of his face. His patch lay just under the clock tower where he reckoned just enough people passed by to beg daily food and drink money from. He'd been on the streets now for over a year, whereas Maisie was a relative newcomer to the ways of city street life. She hadn't established a patch as such, but roamed about the city looking for somewhere to sleep each night and the means to get food without having to go to a hostel, where you'd be forced to sleep in a dormitory on beds that were probably bug ridden, and do-gooders treated you to their pity. She hated the degredation of their pity, their kind words, their patronising attitudes, but most of all she hated their way of making her seem such a failure in life.

As soon as I've completed remodelling my site this tale will be finished so hang in there and return for the rest. It's well worth the wait!! Waggy

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