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Description

  Thomas Hutton’s first memories were of his mother telling him he was a special, beautiful person, and one day he would reach the stars. Somehow these last words troubled him almost as much as the tears in her eyes.

  Thomas’ parents worked long hours, so he was often left alone in front of the TV. Hi-5 was his favourite show; he loved the bright and happy songs, stories and activities. The puppets frightened him at times – Kathleen had trouble with a tentacled creature no-one on the show could see while Kelly was friends with a dreadlocked worm – but he had no problems with Charli, who became his favourite character. Yet she cursed him with a new awareness of the things he could not do. What came so easily to her – touching her toes with both hands or raising both arms above her head – was entirely beyond him. At first this made him frustrated, but soon he just gave up and watched, happy for her, yet filled with a sadness he sensed would worsen over time.

  When Thomas was nearly old enough to go to school his parents started arguing, and they scared him when they did. He could make little sense of it, but he heard his name enough to know they argued about him. His grandmother never scared him though, and on his fifth birthday she gave him a wooden bee on wheels. When it rolled its wings spun round. It became his favourite toy and it never scared him either.

  After one last argument, Thomas’ mother had her way, and he went to the same school as all the other local children. Some of his classmates picked on others but he was always left alone, as if his greater strangeness – which he was growing more aware of – gave him an aura of protection. At the end of one day when the bus did not come, two of the most popular boys offered to walk him back home. They even showed him a shortcut – a long, dark, narrow alleyway where the sun never seemed to shine and faded wads of chewing gum studded the damp concrete walls. This was a real adventure for Thomas, but he felt safe with his new friends. His mother later thanked them and sent them home with bags of sweets.

  Thomas’ grandmother passed away just before his seventh birthday, and though she left him one last present, he was so sad he barely noticed. A new teacher called Mrs. Glascott took charge of his class that year. One day she told every child to stand in front of the others and say what God had done for them. When it was Thomas’ turn he said “God made me just the way I am.” He felt Mrs. Glascott’s eyes on him, and they had never been so cold. “That’s quite enough,” she said. “Sit down.”

  A few days after this incident Thomas’ parents argued again, and a few days after their argument his mother stopped sending him to school. She stayed at home to teach him instead while her husband worked overtime. Thomas found these lessons harder and his mother started getting angry. One day she called him a stupid boy, which made him mad for the first time. He said he was a special, beautiful person, and she told him to leave the room. When he came back hours later she was crying like a little child.

  The lessons at home went on for a while, but not as often as before. Eventually Thomas’ mother gave up and watched TV all day instead. Thomas grew more attached to his bee and was rarely seen without it. His father stayed out even longer and on some nights he never came home.

  When Thomas turned twelve his parents had a long, calm talk after he had gone to bed. Thomas had trouble following it, but he understood enough. He stepped out, softly closed the door, and walked slowly through the cold dark streets of the small world he had known. He lingered in the alley his friends had shown him long ago, giving him a sense of belonging that had not been equalled since. He sat down with his back to the wall, bowed his head and fell asleep – and when he woke up it was dawn. He saw Charli standing nearby, as young as she had been on Hi-5, though her smile was brighter still. She took his right hand, helped him up, and offered him his wooden bee. When he reached for it with his left hand, he found that arm was just as strong. He saw his face reflected in a puddle, and realised it had changed as well. He was what other people called “normal” – and quite attractive with it too.

  On hearing of her child’s death, Thomas’ mother shed no tears, but it pleases some of us to think his soul now lives among the stars.

Description

  Thomas Hutton’s first memories were of his mother telling him he was a special, beautiful person, and one day he would reach the stars. Somehow these last words troubled him almost as much as the tears in her eyes.

  Thomas’ parents worked long hours, so he was often left alone in front of the TV. Hi-5 was his favourite show; he loved the bright and happy songs, stories and activities. The puppets frightened him at times – Kathleen had trouble with a tentacled creature no-one on the show could see while Kelly was friends with a dreadlocked worm – but he had no problems with Charli, who became his favourite character. Yet she cursed him with a new awareness of the things he could not do. What came so easily to her – touching her toes with both hands or raising both arms above her head – was entirely beyond him. At first this made him frustrated, but soon he just gave up and watched, happy for her, yet filled with a sadness he sensed would worsen over time.

  When Thomas was nearly old enough to go to school his parents started arguing, and they scared him when they did. He could make little sense of it, but he heard his name enough to know they argued about him. His grandmother never scared him though, and on his fifth birthday she gave him a wooden bee on wheels. When it rolled its wings spun round. It became his favourite toy and it never scared him either.

  After one last argument, Thomas’ mother had her way, and he went to the same school as all the other local children. Some of his classmates picked on others but he was always left alone, as if his greater strangeness – which he was growing more aware of – gave him an aura of protection. At the end of one day when the bus did not come, two of the most popular boys offered to walk him back home. They even showed him a shortcut – a long, dark, narrow alleyway where the sun never seemed to shine and faded wads of chewing gum studded the damp concrete walls. This was a real adventure for Thomas, but he felt safe with his new friends. His mother later thanked them and sent them home with bags of sweets.

  Thomas’ grandmother passed away just before his seventh birthday, and though she left him one last present, he was so sad he barely noticed. A new teacher called Mrs. Glascott took charge of his class that year. One day she told every child to stand in front of the others and say what God had done for them. When it was Thomas’ turn he said “God made me just the way I am.” He felt Mrs. Glascott’s eyes on him, and they had never been so cold. “That’s quite enough,” she said. “Sit down.”

  A few days after this incident Thomas’ parents argued again, and a few days after their argument his mother stopped sending him to school. She stayed at home to teach him instead while her husband worked overtime. Thomas found these lessons harder and his mother started getting angry. One day she called him a stupid boy, which made him mad for the first time. He said he was a special, beautiful person, and she told him to leave the room. When he came back hours later she was crying like a little child.

  The lessons at home went on for a while, but not as often as before. Eventually Thomas’ mother gave up and watched TV all day instead. Thomas grew more attached to his bee and was rarely seen without it. His father stayed out even longer and on some nights he never came home.

  When Thomas turned twelve his parents had a long, calm talk after he had gone to bed. Thomas had trouble following it, but he understood enough. He stepped out, softly closed the door, and walked slowly through the cold dark streets of the small world he had known. He lingered in the alley his friends had shown him long ago, giving him a sense of belonging that had not been equalled since. He sat down with his back to the wall, bowed his head and fell asleep – and when he woke up it was dawn. He saw Charli standing nearby, as young as she had been on Hi-5, though her smile was brighter still. She took his right hand, helped him up, and offered him his wooden bee. When he reached for it with his left hand, he found that arm was just as strong. He saw his face reflected in a puddle, and realised it had changed as well. He was what other people called “normal” – and quite attractive with it too.

  On hearing of her child’s death, Thomas’ mother shed no tears, but it pleases some of us to think his soul now lives among the stars.