by Asha Sutton.<\/p>\n\n\n
Asha is a second year Creative Writing student at the University of Gloucestershire. Her stories show her passion for social issues and the treatment of the vulnerable in modern society.<\/p>\n\n\n
My name is Harry<\/u><\/p>\n\n\n\n
I swear that\u2019s the man\nwho worked at the local coffee shop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He\nspilled the sugar on the floor behind the counter, with an \u201cOh shit\u201d\nexpression. He rattled tall, skinny glasses, or turned on the coffee machine,\nto show he was busy. He served me at the till, hands shaky and sweaty as he\ntook my change. When he finished my order, he put it down on the coaster. I\nfrowned at him for spilling my drink, wiped it up with a serviette and headed\noff to work. His hair was effortlessly gelled back, his clothes were stylish\nand his stubble, designer. Sometimes on my way back from work, I\u2019d see him\nlocking up at six, or six–<\/ins>fifteen\nonce he\u2019d found the right key, then shrug on his blue rucksack and walk home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After\nretiring, I now see Harry on the same High Street he walked down. The blue\nrucksack looks much lighter and is fading to brown. The stubble has become a\nthick, knotty beard. A grey, worn flat cap collapsed on the floor collects and\nholds a few pennies and a scrunched-up bus ticket with yesterday\u2019s date on it.\nHe grips a Gregg\u2019s cup. The steam filters into the air as he sips it slowly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A\nwoman stops to talk and presses her weight against the wall to support herself.\nShe reaches into her polka-dot bag and pulls out a small purse decorated with\ndogs. She fishes out a one-pound coin. She puts the pound coin in the palm of\nhis scruffy hand. How can I help, My name\nis Harry<\/em>, blesses the woman and puts the money into his flat cap. Harry\ncrosses his legs and huddles up in a blanket. The rain spits and spots the\nfloor around him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Penelope\nfrom gym class walks her border collie Suzie and rushes towards the park,\nbowing her head down to the floor to avoid Harry. A man wearing a prestige suit\nrushes out of the corner shop to avoid the rain and shakes his head at Harry.\nIt\u2019s raining heavily on the streets of Bristol. Puddles form shapes on the\nroads and pavements, creating mini ponds that children wearing wellies splash\nand jump in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harry\nsits under the Poundland entrance, but his feet get wet from fine pieces of\nrain blown in by the wind. He picks up his worn and dirty duvet, flattens it\ndown and sits on it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Perched\nin the doorway, Harry tries to catch people\u2019s eye. The town comes alive for\nlunch. Fruit stalls shout and bargain their stock, women\u2019s heels rattle, tip\ntap and clack on the town centre\u2019s concrete and people speed up like powered\nmachines, passing the rough sleeper. A man drops five pence into the hat and\nrushes off. When the High Street quietens down, Harry counts his money and sees\na seagull strut past him, searching for leftovers hanging out of the bins.\nHarry throws over a crumb to the bird before lying back in silence, sitting on\ntop of his things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After\nrush hour, Harry stands up, organises his belongings and puts his things into\nhis rucksack. I squint over to see if he has alcohol in his bag, but I can only\nsee a blanket. Harry puts his bag on his back and walks down the High Street\nfor somewhere to sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every\nmorning I sit at the Bean, at a similar table, exactly opposite Poundland. I\nsee Harry sitting in the same spot. I see his rucksack and the occasional\nplastic cup next to him. After hesitating a moment, I decide to guzzle down my\nFlat White and collect my things. Walking across the road, using my jacket as\nan umbrella, I head towards Poundland where Harry is sitting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Coming\nup close to him, his eyes are black with exhaustion and his fingernails are\nstained with dirt. I see his brown, stained teeth that look like they haven\u2019t\nbeen brushed in weeks. His blanket has multiple holes and is as thin as a sheet\nof paper. The wind now gets tougher and I can feel goose bumps spreading over\nmy arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Excuse\nme?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Yeah?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Can\nI ask you something?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Yeah?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018If\nI give you some change, will you spend it on drugs or alcohol?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Mate,\nI\u2014\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018It\u2019s\njust what you hear, isn\u2019t it.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018I\nbuy food and drink.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Are\nyou sure?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Yeah.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018I\nsaw some other rough sleepers drinking and smoking, though\u2014’<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018But\nI\u2019m not them?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018I\nguess not\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018They\nuse fags and booze to get by.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018And\nyou don\u2019t?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Nah.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018You\nworked at the Bean, didn\u2019t you? Over there?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Oh.\nYeah.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018I\nused to come in every morning before work.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Ah.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018I\nseemed to be so stressed all the time.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Yeah.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018I\ngot annoyed at the smallest things.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Oh\u2014\u2019\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Like\nwhen you spilled my drink one time.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Ah.\nSorry.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Don\u2019t\nbe. I shouldn\u2019t have got annoyed at stupid things like that.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harry\nstares off vacantly towards the High Street where shops fill in and out with\npeople. The rain falls harder and crashes on the roof above us. I zip up my\njacket and fold my arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Sorry\nfor assuming\u2014’<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018It\u2019s\nfine. I don\u2019t blame you to be fair.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Really?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018The\nalkies and druggies give us a bad name.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018It\nwas rude of me.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018It\u2019s\nfine.\u2019 Harry bends forward and re-counts his money from his flat cap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018How\nmuch do you have?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Enough\nfor some food.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Have\nthis too.\u2019 I drop a pound into his flat cap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Nah\nit\u2019s okay.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018It\u2019s\nonly a pound, don\u2019t worry.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Not\ngonna buy a can of larger, haha.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Haha,\nmaybe just a water bottle.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harry\nstares off towards the coffee shop. His eyes are fixed on it and his\nconcentration is broken by a dog playfully barking at the bus stop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018You\nokay?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harry\u2019s\nstomach rumbles and groans and he holds onto it in an attempt to quieten it\ndown. \u2018Yeah, all good.\u2019 His face is pale and his lips are cut and bitten,\nleaving torn skin and dry blood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018When\nwas the last time you ate?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Few\ndays.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Days?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Yep.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harry\nfiddles with his shoelaces and adjusts his sleeping bag. A little boy no more\nthan five puts ten pence in his flat cap and his mother directs him towards the\nhigh street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018God\nbless.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Do\nyou want me to get you something from Greggs?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Nah,\ndon\u2019t worry about it.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018It\u2019s\nthe least I can do. What do you want?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018I\nmean, a sausage roll would be mint.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Okay.\nAnd a tea?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Don\u2019t\ngo out ya way\u2014\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018I\u2019m\ngoing there anyway. Sugar?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018No,\ncheers.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Okay,\nwon\u2019t be a sec.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Okay.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n By\nthe time I got back from Greggs, Harry had cleared away his things and spread\nhis blanket out on the floor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Comfier\ninnit.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Good\nidea.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n After\nplacing two sausage rolls and a tea on the floor next to Harry, I unzipped my\njacket and sat crossed-legged on the floor. Harry shovelled down the sausage\nrolls and guzzled up the tea. He stopped and took some air from burning the\ninside of his mouth. I took small mouthfuls of my cheese and onion pasty and\nDiet Coke whereas Harry\u2019s food was gone. He was left with crumbs around his\nmouth and down his top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Nice?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Lush.\nCheers.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harry\npicked up the fallen crumbs and chewed on them slowly, preserving every taste.\nStaring at the tiny pieces of food, I noticed his clothes. He was wearing an\noversized Navy jumper and grey joggers that were stained, the colour fading\naway. The Adidas name on his trainers had faded on the side and piles of mud had\nbuilt up on the bottom of his shoe. The rain was showering off the dirt and\nmud. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Do\nyou usually sit here? Outside this shop?\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018This\nis my spot, ya know. My patch. I like to watch the people.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Oh\nright.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Only\nthing I got to do.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018There\u2019s\nnowhere for you to go?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Sometimes\nin the day.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018But\nnowhere at night?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018The\npark I guess. Up the top.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\nlooked over to the coffee shop where Harry had worked. I remember when he\nbrought hot drinks out to the outside tables. He spilt them on the tray and put\nthem down on the table quickly to hurry back inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Did\nyou get fired from there?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Staring\nback at the shop, we saw the coffee shop full and busy with customers. Staff\nmembers ran in and out constantly to bring out drinks, take orders and clean up\nagain and again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Yeah.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Came\nto work late.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Hmm.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Home\nstuff.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Oh.\nSorry.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018My\ndad kicked me out because I\u2019m gay.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Shit.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018That\nand he\u2019s an alky.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018That\nwhy you don\u2019t drink?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Uh\nhuh.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n Another\nwoman threw ten pence in the hat, causing Harry to wipe his eyes with his dirty\nsleeve and pick up the hat. He emptied the money into his hand and re-counted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018How\nabout I buy us a Greggs again? Tomorrow?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018You\nnot busy?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Not\nreally. I\u2019m retired.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Why\nyou getting me food? Being nice?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018I\nwas such a snob when I worked.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Bet\nyou wasn\u2019t.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018No,\nI was. Retiring has made me realise what\u2019s important.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Yeah?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Like\nyou. You seem like a nice guy.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Thanks,\nmate.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018I\nwant to help. Even if it\u2019s buying the odd sausage roll for you.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Thanks\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Mike.\nMy name\u2019s Mike.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Cheers\nMike. I\u2019m Harry.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018I\nknow. I remember your name badge from the Bean.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using\nmy hands to push myself up, I adjusted my belt and tucked in my top underneath\nmy jacket. I picked up the Gregg\u2019s packaging and put it in the bin next to the\nshop entrance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Maybe\nI\u2019ll get you a cake to go with that sausage roll tomorrow.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Sounds\nmint.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Same\ntime tomorrow? Here?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Yep.\nCheers Mike. See ya.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Walking\npast Harry and down the High Street, I saw more rough sleepers. It was coming\nup to 3pm and I had spotted three young sleepers on the promenade. They all\nlooked alike; rucksacks, dirty blankets and sitting crossed-legged on the floor\ntrying to get money from the people who dashed past. Puddles lay still on the\nground as the rain had now stopped. Instead, a chilly breeze wafted in the air,\nmaking my legs work quicker to make the bus. Waving my arm out before it pulled\naway, I paid and sat down at the back of the 15A bus. Just made it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\nsnowed overnight. Sitting at my preferred table in the Bean, waiting for my\nusual medium Flat White, I glanced over to the Poundland entrance. My view\nwasn\u2019t great but I could see Harry\u2019s bag and belongings. A plastic cup was\ntrapped in a pile of snow and filled right up to the top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Heavy\nsnow was falling. I wrapped my heavy coat around me and pulled out two black\ngloves from my pocket. I zipped up my coat, knocked back my drink and wandered\nover to where Harry would be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harry\nwas on the floor as his thin, hole-ridden blanket hanging off his arms. His\ngrip held his things tightly close to him. His icy hands looked stuck to his\narms and his lips glared a pale blue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Harry?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shaking\nhis arms, I moved his bag out of the way and felt his chest. His skin was\nfreezing. I called his name out and shook him until he stirred and struggled to\nopen his eyes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Harry,\nare you okay?\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\ncould see Harry\u2019s lips parting, trying to reply but the cold ice froze his\nlips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018We\u2019re\ntaking you to hospital.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harry\nshook his head and held my hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Yes\nHarry, you\u2019re freezing.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\ndialled the local taxi rank, watching Harry\u2019s eyes blink slowly and then stare\noff down the High Street. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Okay\nHarry, it\u2019s coming.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harry\u2019s\nfeet were buried in the snow. I pulled them out and brushed them off, taking\noff my coat and wrapping it around Harry\u2019s body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018You\u2019ll\nbe alright, you know.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n A\ntaxi pulled up. I knocked on the window to check it was ours. Going back over\nto Harry, I stuffed all of his things into his rucksack and threw it over my\narm. I gently pulled Harry up and put his hand over my waist. I helped Harry\ninto the taxi, pushing his head down to avoid banging it on the roof. I clicked\nhis seatbelt in and ran over to the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2018Hospital please, as quick as you can.\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","categories":[398],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5349","project","type-project","status-publish","hentry","category-student-stories"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/creativewriting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/5349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/creativewriting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/creativewriting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/project"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/creativewriting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/creativewriting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uniofglos.blog\/creativewriting\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}