BOBBY             Has it changed much? Home I mean? 

MUM                You wouldn’t recognise our street if you walked down it now Bobby. Our house is one of the few buildings left standing. Your old school is just a pile of bricks now, and there’s a great big hole where the sweet shop used to be.     

BOBBY             What? Perry’s sweet shop? Gone? Where does everyone get their sweets from now then? 

MUM                There isn’t anyone to buy sweets Bobby. All the children are long gone, evacuated to the country like you, and most of the other people have had to leave because their homes have been knocked down by bombs. 

BOBBY             Oh mum, I feel so sorry for you, stuck there on your own. You must get so lonely. 

MUM                It’s not so bad dear, I’m hardly in the house these days. I work all day in the weapons factory, and most nights I’m on standby to help put fires out. That’s why I could only visit you for a few days. Anyway, it’s me who should feel sorry for you. It must have been dreadful having to leave home and come and live in such a strange place. In a different country too! 

BOBBY             I’ve got used to it now mum, but for the first few days I cried and cried. That journey was the worst few hours of my life. At first it had seemed like such a grand adventure, meeting all the other kids outside school, all of us clutching our suitcases, with our gas masks swinging round our necks and name tags flapping all over the place. I remember I even laughed once, when Jenny Toggle dropped her suitcase and it fell open, and all her clothes started blowing away down the street. Mrs Jemson’s dog got one of her socks and wouldn’t let go. A brown one it was …. the sock I mean. It was torn to shreds when she got it back.  

MUM                I remember that too. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It was so hard standing there with all the other mothers, waving goodbye and not knowing if I’d ever see you again. Part of me wanted you to stay behind, but I knew you’d be safer here in the countryside, away from the bombs.    

BOBBY             Then there was that train ride. My first time on a train! I should’ve been really excited, but all I felt was emptiness. It was so hot and crowded in that carriage. Some kids had to stand up all the way cos there were no seats. Freddy Moffat fainted and cracked his head open on the window catch, and a little girl next to me was sick all over the floor. We had that stink in our nostrils for the next five hours!   

MUM                Still, at least you’re with a nice family. Mr and Mrs Wilson seem a lovely couple.     

BOBBY             I was lucky. When we got off the train we were herded along the lane like cattle, then marched into the village hall. Some nice ladies gave us milk and jam sandwiches. After a bit a woman in a nurse’s uniform took us out one by one and searched our heads for nits. I think Molly Higgins must’ve had them, cos she was taken away bawling her eyes out. After that we were stood up against the wall like we were facing a firing squad. I did what you told me and put on my angelic smile every time someone nice walked past. Eventually Mrs Wilson came along and picked me. The waiting was horrible though. Some people sounded like they were choosing a steak at the butchers: “I’ll take that one,” they said, looking down their noses and pointing. You could tell they hated the thought of having another child in their house. 

MUM                Well it must be hard for them too, Bobby. If you’re not used to having children around, your whole life suddenly changes. It’s another mouth to feed, another body to keep washed and clothed – another problem really. But I’m sure they’re all very nice, deep down. 

BOBBY             Maybe most of them are mum. But we hear stories.