Picture Book Moss Side

Only last week it had been a row of houses. Fairlawn Street next to St Bees Street next to another road James couldn't remember the name of. Each house had three floors and a million stairs to the top. Only last week the streets were full of kids playing catch and cars driving past the women gossiping on the corner. But not any more, all that was gone and all that was left was a pool the size of a school yard and a reflection of the church spire. The church was the only building left, apart from the pub at the end of what used to be St Bees Street. The pub had a large poster of a man and woman smiling up to the skies like they'd seen a bird. If they'd been looking to the ground they wouldn't be smiling. Who would when all that was left was a big pool the size of a school yard. It was like the 'blitts' as Aunty Mary called it, like a bomb had exploded and all the houses disappeared in a puff of smoke and a loud bang. A lot of things happened in the 'blitts', said Aunty Mary. Fernleaf Street died in one night. Hitler did it said Aunty Mary. It couldn't be Hitler's fault this time. James had seen the men with bulldozers, in their white hats and muddy boots. There wasn't a short man with a moustache amongst them.

Just think, only last week James had been playing football with Gary and Eugene against the cornershop wall with painted-on goal posts and Kilroy was here. But now everything was gone and James had to be careful of stepping in the mud as he was wearing his trousers after Wednesday choir practice and if he got mud on his trousers again Mum would kill him, again.

The reflection of the church spire in the water was so big it was like a twin brother, in the pool the size of a school yard which was once Fairlawn Street, St Bees Street and another road whose name James couldn't remember. It was like the pool was saying sorry for letting all those houses be knocked down. But it was too late now, and no amount of pictures in the pool would bring any of it back.

(Forever and ever amen, pages 51 to 52)