THE STORY OF ME AND MY LIFE ENTRY SEVEN

3RD March 1999

Dear Abi

I have been really busy this past week. After the unfortunate call from the Childline officer, I quickly mumbled that the phonecall was just a joke. Mum asked me why didn't I make up an address so I answered that I couldn't think of one. After grumbling about stupid kids and time-wasters, the Childline officer left and Mum sent me to my bedroom; I wasn't allowed to wat
h TV or listen to music. When I asked if I could stare blankly at my bedroom door, Mum gave me such an evil glare that I thought she was going to sock me one, and so I raced up to my room without a backward glance.
The next morning at breakfast, Mum still looked pretty mad at me; after breakfast (muesli, with the raisins left in - urgh) she told me to pack a suitcase. She said she couldn't put up with me anymore - the joke call to Childline was the last straw,I wonder what the first straw was? - so she'd arranged for me to visit Nana and Grandad. I gasped quite loudly at that - Nana and Grandad lived all the way in Manchester, whereas we live all the way down in Cornwall. I looked at her, pleading with my eyes not to send me. Mum looked back at me, and said: "It's your own fault, Ali. Maybe staying with your grandparents will teach you a lesson."
I couldn't stand the sight of her anymore, so I raced upstairs to pack.
The reason I didn't want to stay with Nanna and Grandad was because they were really old - sixty. They were the sort of grandparents you only ever see at Christmas; they liked to pinch my cheek and tell me how tall I'm getting. Even though I stay the same height every time I see them. Whenever we go to their place to stay, they Squish me in the same room with Mum and Hannah, so there's barely enough to swing a cat.
Of course, Hannah didn't understand my visit was a punishment, not a treat. She whinged: "Why cant' I come to?"
"Because Ali's been naughty," Mum answered.
Then Hannah went and a chocolate biscuit, something she's not allowed to do just after breakfast, and then said: "There! I've been naughty as well! Now let me go!" Then Mum hushed her and asked me if I was done packing yet. I answered as moodily as I could that I had. Mum beamed at me and sdaid, cheerily: "Great! Now I'll drive you to the train statiuon."
Yes, Abi, she made me go on the train, all by myself!
So here I am. In the smallest bedroom in Nanna's house, talking to you. Actually, I'd better go, Nanna's calling dinner. Probably lumpy mash - urgh!

Catch ya later, Abs!