Henry Hoey Hobson Read Free

traffic jam of preps driving old cardboard boxes blocked the square of lawn fronting the playground.
    â€˜Steady on, Maxwell, you’ll crash into Rosie if you don’t keep your eyes on the road. Nice set of wheels, Addison; go see if Mrs Hillcoat can find you an equally nice car body to go with them.’
    I picked my way through the gridlock, half-listening to the principal’s guided tour. One hundred and twenty-six Perpetual Suckers at the school, and he was determined to say hello to every last one of them.
    â€˜I’m really sorry that I wasn’t able to let you know about the changed enrolment situation. It must have been quite a shock when you walked into the classroom this morning.’
    It took me a moment to realise that this time he was talking to me. When I turned, his eyes were serious, maybe even concerned.
    â€˜When you and your mother came to see me last week, I told you both that there would be three other boys enrolled in Year Seven, as well as the twelve girls. It must have been quite a shock when you realised you were the only boy in the class.’
    I shrugged, ducking the flailing legs of a determined kid on the monkey bars.
    I’d never been able to do the monkey bars, not properly anyway. Too heavy. Bad strength-to-body-weight ratio. It was a major regret in my life. Along with the inability to do cartwheels, handstands and cryptic crosswords.
    Actually, I did manage to do a perfect handstand once, on a crowded beach at Mooloolaba, in front of thousands of people. Unfortunately, I was drowning at the time. Cryptic crosswords I’ve had more luck with – I can work out the odd clue, especially the anagrams. I figure if I keep at it, I’ll be able to do them one day. Unlike cartwheels and handstands, cryptic crosswords don’t require much in the way of upper-body strength.
    â€˜â€“then when Mitchell decided he’d take up that late offer from St Joseph’s, I realised that–’
    Whoops, Mr Paulson was still talking and I didn’t have a clue if I’d missed something important.
    â€˜â€“and the other two boys, well I guess they just kind of panicked. They’d never been particularly close, I’m afraid, and they found places elsewhere as well. I’m sorry, I did try to contact your mother. Which reminds me – may I have your latest phone numbers please, Henry? None of the ones I have seem to be connected.’
    I muttered something about the move and we walked the rest of the way to the front fence in silence.
    My mum had a talent for cutting ties and moving on when things didn’t work out. Jobs. Houses. Schools...
    Over the years, we had worked our way up, down and across south-east Queensland, from Maleny down to the Tweed Coast, with a brief stint at Noosa, then half the suburbs of Brisbane. When each move failed to live up to its promise, she’d up stakes and move again, negotiating a new mobile phone along with the next new job. In the beginning it had been fun, but now her determination to start afresh every few months was beginning to wear on me.
    Mr Paulson put a hand on my shoulder and turned me round, forcing me to meet his eyes.
    â€˜I know it’s not easy starting at a new school, Henry, and being the only boy in Year Seven – well, that makes it even more challenging. I just wanted you to know that if there’s anything I can do to make things easier for you, I will.’
    I looked away from his steady gaze. Over the past six or seven years I had learned to take just about anything a new school had to throw at me. But kindness, that undid me every time.
    The loud clanging of the bell saved me answering. Mr Paulson’s hand dropped and he passed me a giant letter T.
    â€˜We’d better get a move on. Here, you’re taller than me, start on the top row, slot the letters in and slide them into position. Don’t forget to leave a gap between the words.’
    We worked quickly, in