It is 1975 on Antons Road

in Halewood, a new town old when built,

old with tired people thrown here by fate

and urban renewal, overrun with children

and here comes Emma, part of the flotsam

and she is crying

 

“What's wrong, Emma”

“They say am men'ally handicapt,

and they took Ginny away and said

ah carn marry Alan, and

ah carn have no more babies

and av gotta hav an hoperation”

 

“Who said that”

“Me mam and me dad and the sosha worker,

they're ganging up on me”

 

“Where's Ginny gone?”

“ah dunno....o....o”  a pause, a hankie

 

“It's okay, Emma”

“She's gonna be hadopted, and

ah can write to her on her birfday

and send her a present”.

 

“What does Alan say”

“He dunno, he useless.

He just say gotta do it.”

 

“Where's your engagement ring?”

“took it off”

 

“What about this operation?

Have you signed anything?”

“ah dunno, they talked to me loads.

Maybe. They said next week”

 

“Where will you live after the operation?”

“with me mam and dad still.

ah want me own place

but the sosha worker says no

ah carn av it”

 

“But you could look after yourself”

“Probly. ah fink ah probly could”

 

“Is Alan going to get his own place?”

“Na”. She is spent. The tears have stopped.

“ah doan spec so”

 

“What will you do?”

“Go the centre ah spose.

Like always.”

 

Like always.