Tenement Funster

1: My New Purple Shoes

June 1969

Today was the day. I had been waiting for this day to come for so long, it felt like it never would. Today was the day I was moving to London. 

I was originally from Ireland. My family were quite poor but they somehow managed to gather enough money to send me to university. I attended university in Ireland for three years, getting my bachelor's in English and French. My ambition was to be a teacher, ever since I was a child, and so I decided to move to London to get my degree in secondary school teaching. 

My parents were all for it. They wanted me to have a better life than they did. So, it was with a heavy heart but curious mind that I decided to move to London and start my new life. 

That wasn't the only reason, however. My heart had been broken just weeks before I decided to move. It was my first serious relationship and I was devastated. I was now uninterested in romance and fully dedicated myself to my education. I had to, or else I'd have nothing to live for. 

I woke up early that morning, due to a mixture of excitement and the fact that the sun was beaming through my thin curtains. I scanned my bedroom once last time to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything and gathered my duvet to put into my car. 

My parents were sitting at the kitchen table, barely talking, sipping their tea and eating breakfast. They both looked up as I walked through the door. 

"Morning," I said cheerfully. I put two slices of bread in the toaster and boiled the kettle again. 

"Morning," my mother said. "So, today's the big day, eh?" She had a sad smile on her face, looking at me, then quickly back down at her cup of tea. 

"Yep..." I replied, looking at my father, who hadn't looked up from the newspaper he was reading. 

My mother noticed me looking at my father and rolled her eyes at him, silently telling me to take no notice of him. It was clear what the problem was; he didn't want me to leave. 

I had always been a daddy's girl, ever since I could talk. He wasn't home much when I was little because he was always working, but when he was home, I was always by his side. He'd make me tea and we'd watch telly and laugh together. We were so alike it was scary. Things started to change when I went to uni, though. We clashed a lot more and fought often. He was uncomfortable with the thought of me being on my own in the real world. He disapproved of me having a boyfriend, he didn't want me travelling alone, he didn't like me going out with friends at night. He was keen on keeping me as his little girl forever, but now he had to finally let me go for good. 

I ate my toast and brought the final boxes of my things to my car. I took a final look at my back garden, where I had grown up and sighed sadly at the sight. Yes, I was looking forward to my new life but I would really miss my home. I felt something soft rub against my leg and when I looked down I saw my white cat, Misty at my feet. I knelt down to pet her. She looked at me and slowly blinked, which is said to be a cat's way of saying 'I love you' so I did the same back to her. 

My mother came and stood at the back door, watching me playing with Misty. There were tears in her eyes. 

"Don't cry, Ma," I said, standing up to hug her. She wiped her eyes quickly. My mother rarely cried. 

"I'm not, I'm not, I'm just being stupid. Sure you'll ring us every day won't you?" She asked. 

"Of course I will, I promise you. Every single day." 

We both smiled at each other and looked back down at Misty. 

"Why don't you take her with you?" My mother suggested. 

"What?" I asked. "Really?" 

"Yeah, go on. You know how annoying I think she is. And we can always get another one to keep the mice away. You love that cat, Layla, take her," she said. 

I smiled as I lifted Misty up and held her to my chest. My mother went to the shed to get the cat carrier we used the one time Misty had to go to the vet. Her white fur meant she was at risk of developing skin cancer, which she did, and she had to get the tips of her ears removed. A lot of our family and friends laughed at how unusual she looked, but I always loved her, ears or no ears.

I coaxed her into the cat carrier and when I stood up again, my father was standing at the door. He handed me a white envelope. 

"What's this?" I asked, as I took it off him. 

"Just a few bob to keep you going," he said as I opened the envelope and saw it was full of money. 

"Da, I can't take all this," I said incredulously. "I'll just look for a job. It's too much for you to be giving away."

"Just take it," he replied. "It'll help with the rent for a few months, just until you land on your feet." 

I felt tears in my eyes. I didn't say anything else. Instead, I hugged my father. He smiled when I let go. 

"Are you taking Misty with you?" He asked, noticing the cat carrier. 

I nodded, whilst putting the envelope of money in my handbag. He laughed and rolled his eyes. 

"Your mother'd do anything to get rid of that cat! You know what she's like, always shouting when the poor thing used to jump up on the handle of the door."

We laughed together and then I looked around one last time. 

"Right, well I better head off," I said, putting Misty in the car and getting my keys. My mother came to the back door again. 

"See you later, don't forget to ring us!" My mother said as I slipped into my car. 

"I won't!" I replied, laughing before starting the car. I drove out of the driveway and beeped the horn at my parents who were waving at my with their arms around each other. 

They weren't great at showing their emotions, but I knew my parents were sad to see me go. I wiped the tears off my cheeks as I drove onto the motorway to Dublin where I'd catch the ferry. 

My new life had just begun.