Richard isn’t at school today.
He wasn’t there yesterday, either.
When I get home, my mother seems sad.
She crouches, looking into my eyes with hers.
“Richard’s Mummy is – “
My mother has tears now.
I don’t ask her why, I wait.
I feel uncomfortable.
“Richard hasn’t got a Mummy now.”
She is crying but still smiling.
Crying and smiling. And crying.
Is it funny about Richard’s Mummy?
Why does she keep smiling?
How can Richard not have a Mummy?
He does, and she brings him to school.
He is five like me. We all have Mums.
All my friends at school.
“Where is she….?” I urge.
My mother is doing it again,
the crying and smiling together.
“Richard’s Daddy – “
“He – “
“His Daddy tied her up….
to the bannister –“
Why?
WHY?
My small young mind tries to make
an image now, of this strange scene.
“He was –
Just playing….. they were –
They were playing a game – ”
What? What game?
Mums and Dads don’t play games.
“Then he…Richard’s Daddy – “
She keeps stopping. Stop. Cry
Smile. Talk. Stop. Talk. Cry.
“He put a sock in her mouth – “
My mother forgets about her smiling
and just does her crying now.
I am quiet. And thinking. So hard.
Did Richard’s Mummy and Daddy go mad?
Or was Richard playing the game too?
“Then he went out…. Richard’s Daddy –
And the sock – “
Why does my mother keep crying?
“Richard’s Mummy couldn’t breathe – “
Why did his Daddy go out,
leaving his Mummy all tied up?
“It was ….. just a game – “
A game? I don’t understand.
I wonder where Richard’s Mummy is.
I cannot ask Richard, because
he doesn’t come to school again.
Maybe he is helping his Mummy
to get untied.
I hope he takes the sock out soon.
Judith Staff
Judith Staff’s background is in teaching and early years education. She still teaches occasionally, though now her main focus is in child welfare and safeguarding children. Her work includes delivering training, presenting at conferences, and engaging in collaborative projects with schools around child abuse awareness and sexual violence prevention. She enjoys writing blogs and poetry on topics she feels passionate about. Judith loves running, gym classes and karate. She is married to an art lecturer and they live in Northamptonshire, England with their three free-spirited children, a 12- year-old son, and daughters aged 11 and 9.
