Getting The Picture Read Online Free PDF Page B

GRANDFATHER.
    IF I COME BACK FROM WORK AND YOU ARE STILL IN BED, I WILL BAN YOU FROM USING THE COMPUTER, TAKE AWAY YOUR MOBILE PHONE AND STOP YOUR CLOTHES ALLOWANCE FOR A MONTH. I MEAN IT. REMEMBER THAT CONTRACT WE MADE WITH THE SCHOOL. THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE.
    Chill, Mum. It’s the weekend. I’ll go and see Granddad later. Promise.
    Hey, did you know that if you hang over the bed and look at the mirror upside down you see your face as it’s going to be in fifty years’ time? If you’re lucky, and the wind changes, they’ll abduct me into the Pilgrims.
    Love ya,
    Robyn
    P.S. We need more milk. There wasn’t enough for my cereal this morning.

Communications 26-50
    26. answer phone message from george griffiths to angie griffiths
    Hello Angie,
    This is your father speaking at four thirty on Saturday afternoon. I am most distressed. Robyn stopped by and she has had her tongue pierced. Apparently Nell knows, which renders me even more speechless. I told her to go to the bathroom and take it out straightaway, but she informed me she couldn’t for fear of infection.
    In addition, I have no idea why Robyn came. Even when we talked about her progress at school, she had little to say. And the silly way she dresses makes the other residents feel uncomfortable. I cannot imagine why Nell lets her get away with it. I know Nell would welcome your advice, particularly as you are doing so well and I am sure she looks up to you. Apart from this, I am as well as can be expected.
    This has been your father.
    27. letter from martin morris to mo griffiths
    Hello Mo,
    Well, I said I would tell you about Robyn when I had some news. She came today to visit George and I made sure I had the chance to talk to her after. She was a bit upset, to tell you the truth. Things hadn’t gone too well with her grandfather and she was hunting around the reception looking for tissues. I took her into the garden for a bit and we sat on the bench near the apple tree until she felt better. I could feel the packet of seeds I’d taken from George’s room in my pocket. I like to carry them around with me.
    I think you’d like her, Mo. In fact, I’m sure you would. She’s got a bit of your fire about her, once you get past the prickles. But then you had those too, didn’t you? I could never get it right with you. You were always leaving before you even arrived. Like you were just waiting for me to do something wrong so you could tell me you were skipping out.
    But hark at me. I always did get it wrong, didn’t I, angel? Anyway, let me try to describe Robyn in a way that will satisfy you. She’s about your height, tall enough to look into my eyes, and she looks direct. I’ll say that for her. She meets life head-on. Her hair is all over the place, though. And dyed crow-black. She’s got a white face, looks as if she’s ill but it’s only makeup and when she laughs, Mo, she puts her hand up to her mouth as if she’s trying to hold the laughter in to keep it for herself.
    I talked to her about art and poetry because I guessed not many others would think to do that. I didn’t mention you, of course, but it felt right it should be me passing on the names of some of your precious nature poets. Clare, Thoreau, Whitman.
    You see they’re engraved on my heart. She said she wanted to go and live on a farm up in Scotland. Her dad’s Scottish apparently. ‘I’d be on my own,’ she said. ‘I want to live really simply and naturally. Get back to nature.’
    â€˜How interesting,’ I lied. Then I asked if she wouldn’t be lonely. ‘Oh no,’ she said. ‘I’m used to that.’
    When she picked up her bag, I noticed it had this sign painted on it in big pink letters. I Hate Life.
    â€˜You don’t really,’ I asked her. I wanted to scoop her up and look after her forevermore. It was just like I always felt with you. But then, just like