The Real I

Today I got my first job. No more asking mum for money. No more pinching ciggies from her pack when she is asleep. No more not having stuff. Things are looking up. 

It's only a weekend job at Maccy D's but it's all I can do whilst only 15 and still at school.  I say it's all I can do, there is a paper round but getting up early is just too much for me. I like my sleep.

So I'm going to be flipping burgers, but I won't be alone. My best friend, Lee Austin, will be starting too. Me and Lee have been doing everything together since he moved to the Kingsbury estate 5 years ago and we have been inseparable since, so much so I see him as a brother. This is probably because we both come from similar backgrounds. By that I mean being the eldest children in single parent families with low income. Being the only males in all female households. Being the ones who understand the struggles our mums are going through and having to explain that to our siblings. I think that's way we both jumped at the chance to work. We've seen our mums do it and that work ethic has rubbed off. Also living on the Kingsbury estate is tough and when you find a friendly face you tend to stick together. 

Kingsbury estate is rough and that's putting it lightly. It's full of arseholes. Arseholes that have gone on to breed more arseholes. Not everyone is an arsehole but the nice people tend to be the minority. Drugs and crime are rife and if you want to be a hard working kid trying to stay on the straight and narrow you tend to become a target. Constantly being harassed by the little chavy cunts that stop you in the street and say "Gis a ciggerete" whilst their mates slowly surround you and you have to choose between giving in or having your head kicked in. But I've spent my life here so I know where to go and who to avoid and get by, to a certain extent.

So tomorrow we start our jobs. Me and Lee start working beneath the golden arches. Life is on the up.