My life, My falls and My goals

By Mick Goldthorpe

• Hello my name River and this my life with my family mum dad and my brother Axel

this is my life.

• It all started when I was born but first let me tell you a bit about my family my mum my dad and my brother ( who is 2 years older then me ). Well we were poor and we didn’t have a home to call home we would go from place to place but I didn’t know why. My parents used the word ‘borrow’ every often, I didn’t have many things to play with, it was what ever was on the ground or until the other kids found out but we as a family always had a smile on our faces :D

• Then when I was about six when we find a a banded shack out side of the city it was small and smiley but it was home but it lived to a old farmer and his wife so my mother and father were talking about how can we stay. Then we were able to stay but we had to work for it we work on all day till the after noon with breakfast, lunch and dinner.

• Then some one form the near town told on the police about us and my mother and father were sent to away under crime of thief. Me and my brother stood in confusion of what just happened then they were out for us to lucky the father wife told us to hide in the back shed and told us if you hear anything you we should

leave as fast as we could.

• So we waited out in the shed then first we heard whispers then (bang) it was a gun shoot, I was freaking out so nervous that couldn’t move then my brother grab my hand and we both ran and ran and ran.

• We stop near a harbour and slept near crates I didn’t know what was happening but my head was fill with confusion and loneliness.

• When I woke up my brother wasn’t there, then I look up and I saw Sydney Harbour what ? then River River cried Axel here look what I got all it was a loaf of stall bread that might not every man happy but it all we have and I didn’t want complain to my brother who went out to get it then I thank him after we had the bread we both went out

exploring our new home .

• As me and Axel went out we found were we lived was a poor place nothing much to get here so we went down a ally way it was smelly we both didn’t enjoy it . Then there was a snap of bright light and we saw tall houses strange, large carry animals and people smiling me and Axel both just stood then a police men yelled there hay you two get out of he and we went off.

• With that we both laugh it off and walk off by that time it was near noon so I ask the Question ? Hay Axel ‘what's up River’, how did you get the loaf of bread, o that well I got it from the crate near the large boat said Axel but how ?. Ok listen carefully I climb up with the robes from the ship WHAT !. But that from the ship is isn’t it breaking the law yea, it not if no catches you but we have to do it night or early in the morning ok brother .

• On that night me and my bother went out on to the ship storage. Went looking for food I found a lot of food and rats and in a couple of minutes we went in and out with out anyone knowing. We did this for 16 years, now I’m 18 years old I lived a life of a scavenger by the years gone by I notice Axel has been coming home later usually drunk, falling over then sleeps but one night. I followed him and I saw him meet up with other people is he in a gang then I went back home feeling alone again.

• Then one night when we went out to scavenge food we got up on the ship and then the light went on then some one yelled out ‘We have found them, get them’ then my brother said jump so I ran off the deck and in the water. As the police were shooting at us in the water I went to the west side of the dock and hiding under the wet rough stone wall I saw my brother getting pull away by them I wanted to help but I know it was to late. When the dock was clear I went back home, and this time again I felt alone

• From this I didn’t like going out but I was hungry so went around asking people for some food, then I came across the dock I look once then I look away never wanting look again. I went along the city streets and found a wanted sign at a baker so I appealed for a job the minimal wage was 3 pounds a day and the felt others that were old I couldn’t ask for a better job.

• My first job was cleaning the trays then as time went by I would help the owner out with the baking it was fun. When I was cleaning up I found a rat eating a piece bread so I got a tray and hit it and throw it away and told the owner there was a rat ( bing bing bing ) hear gee hear gee governor wants all rat to be collected hear gee

hear gee governor……

• So me and the shop owner took a day off and went rat hunting we had 2 shapes and we were off in the we caught several rats one rat equal to 3 pounds when we

gave it in we shared the earnings.

• From this point in life I had a good life but I always keep in my mind of what happened to my parents and to Axel after about 10 years I felt ill, had a high fever and was vomiting. At this time many people didn’t have any medical treatments for what I had at this time I also stop working and stayed in bed

• This might be my last entry of my life but i know the hard ships and the fun of life in the turn of the century

So I bid you farewell …..

River Steel