Monthly Archives: March 2011

is all pedestrianised – the council blocked it with concrete poles to stop lads in cars. Paddy says They nash down the back lanes knocking the wheelie bins all ower. Wicked! The corner shop doesn’t have any windows, it’s metal … Continue reading →

his nails are always black his hands scarred he wears a boiler suit, it was blue once, an oily rag hangs out of his pocket for wiping spark plugs or dipsticks or his hands – Frankie doesn’t think it’s ever … Continue reading →

at Benwell Primary. Paddy wouldn’t let them play football in the yard at playtime. It’s always been Corinne and Frankie against Paddy. Paddy said: Girls can’t play footie and Frankie plays like a girl. Paddy had a dinosaur and Hot … Continue reading →

Frankie and Paddy are twins but they’re the opposite of identical Paddy rubs it in twenty times a day: I’m good at football you’re not I’m muscly you’re not I’m tough you’re not. Corinne says Yeah, but yer a knob. … Continue reading →

The Golden Time The summer Frankie was seven was paradise, a heaven of soft sun, fun with Corinne. At Elswick Pool they pretended the plants were jungle, crocodiles lived in the shallow end, under the water they were fish, they … Continue reading →