MUM

I remember sitting at the big table in the living room and I was scribbling on a piece of paper. I must have only been four and a half and not long started primary school.

I can remember trying to write my name over and over and I eventually got it correct...

'Mum, Mum, I wrote my name!'

She ignored me. She was vaccuming the living room carpet furiously. She was always cleaning...

'Mum? Mum!! Look? I wote my name...' i called holding out my bit of paper to her.

Still she still ignored me.

I can still see her face - angry, bad tempered, stearn... Nothing would get her away from that hoover, not even a glance in my direction.

I remember turning back to the table and staring at my piece of paper with my scribbly written name on it and just feeling so sad and alone and empty...