Dear Mum

Wednesday, 23rd of April, 2012.

Dear Mum,
How are you? I’m fine.
Today, we played a game of football and I scored two goals and one penalty in a penalty shoot-out. We won 5-3.
I’m doing well in class and Mr Peabody reckons I’ll be a prefect if I keep my nose down and don’t hang around with Jeffreys as much as before.
Isn’t it awful about the war and the oil crisis. Are you coping at the hospital alright? Are they looking after you? The last time I came to visit, Dad seemed upset about the food and I worry about your diet. Dad told me not to, but you know how it is, Mum, I just love you so much.
The BBC news wasn’t good today. It’s been confirmed, ‘beyond doubt’, they reckon, that the oil leak is now unstoppable and that it’s only a matter of time before it gets here. I still can’t believe it’s wiped out the east coast of the Americas.
They never tell you the whole truth but I’m good at reading between the lines, and Mr Thomson gave me a book on the Mayan calendar, which is like my bible now.
I’m not worried about dying, though, Mum, because according to the Mayans, it’s ‘all meant to be’, so don’t worry about me!
I don’t like it when the prime minister and all the newsreaders say it’s our own fault for digging so deep, though, because I wouldn’t have done anything of the sort if I’d been in charge. Not in a million years!
They say we’re not turning on our axis as quickly as we should be and that that’s the main problem, but to me the worst thing is that it could have been avoided if BP had checked the stupid battery-pack on the BOP (which is a deep sea welding machine that welds all the leaks).
Isn’t it a shame about Obama being killed last week? I really liked him. He looked quite honest compared to the one that’s taken over, but then he is an army man.
Do you remember when I was younger and Dad told all us kids that America and Britain had a ‘special relationship’ like the one you two have? Well, it doesn’t look like that now! They’re seriously divorcing, aren’t they!
No one here can believe we’re at war with America, though. Even the teachers don’t understand why we need to do it but Jeffreys reckons it’s because neither of them want to take the blame for the oil leak.
The headmaster did a speech at chapel yesterday saying that we mustn’t talk about the leak or the war in future. He said it was because it made everyone sad and that we need to focus on the time that we have left, which is true I suppose.
I can’t wait to see you in the summer, Mum! I’m going to show you all my books and I’ve got a really good surprise for you. It’s going to take me all term to make, so you’ll definitely like it.
It’s a shame that the Olympics have been cancelled but I don’t mind. We still get to play cricket and football and Arsenal are still playing. We’re top of the league with only three games to go so I’m dead chuffed. Van Persie’s top scorer, of course.
Mum, take care, won’t you, and don’t worry about me and the sisters. We’re ready for whatever happens and when the oil gets here, we’re going to come and get you and live in Scotland. You know Dad’s found a nice little cottage on the east coast that won’t get the oil for ages, don’t you?
Don’t forget, Mum. Keep your chin up. I love you so much that it’s making me cry, and you know I don’t do that much any more, being a big strong lad.
I miss you so much and pray for you every night, so there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll be better by the time we come and get you.
When we get to Scotland, Dad says we’ll be able to do anything we want, but all I’ll want to do is be next to you and play noughts and crosses and snakes and ladders and all the other games we play. I’m getting seriously good at football so I’ll want to show you my skills, too. You’ll just have to grin and bear that!
Got to go now because we’ve got a chemistry lesson.

Missing you like crazy, as usual!

Rick (van Persie!) xxxxxxxxxx