The New School

Jimmy had just turned fifteen when his Mum and Dad told him they were moving house. It came as a shock as they weren’t just moving up the road but to another country. His Dad had an overseas post and they had to be there in two weeks. That was difficult as Jimmy had made some strong friendships during his life and now he had to say goodbye. He was half way through his final year of studies at school and had hoped to enter University with some of his friends. Now all that was going to change.

The last few days were very sad as Jimmy said his last goodbyes.
A truck and two men arrived one morning and began to place the things that ere packed up in boxes for shipping to their new home in a far off continent called Australia.
Jimmy had placed some keepsakes into a tea chest and left a few other things with his school friends and his teammates in the local football team.

Jimmy had been told he already had a place in a new school in Sydney.
It was almost just too much for him to cope with and on the day he was leaving he broke down in tears.
His Mum and Dad tried to console him but he was grief stricken all the way to Australia. The plane landed and the heat was stifling. Jimmy had never imagined it to be this hot,
After collecting their baggage they stood out the front of the front doors of the International Airport at Mascot in Sydney. His heart was heavy, his worries many and his eyes wide open. Out of the blue a man came an introduced himself to them. It was a connection of his Dad who had come to transport them to a section of the city where his Dads company was situated.
Another man assisted with the baggage and in a short time they were on their way to Bondi Junction.
Jimmy was intrigued at this new land. The shop fronts were colourful, the people were dressed differently. Many around his age rode skateboards and pushbikes. They were all well tanned and very fit.
He saw some really nice girls and soon started to think maybe things were not as bad as they seemed.

“Well here you are “
Said the driver of the van was he pulled up at this two-storey house over looking the beach.

Jimmy and his parents made their way to the front door and were assisted inside with their luggage. A few brief things were shared between the men
And Jimmy’s Dad they handed him some money.

“This should be enough until you get settled. See you in the morning then”
One of them said.

“That’s fine. About ten then.”

The door was opened and the two Australians walked out.

Once the door was closed Jimmy looked at his parents and spoke for the first time since leaving Ireland.

“Is this our house?”

A very surprised look appeared on Jimmy’s face when his Dad replied.
“It is son. What do you think?”

“Brilliant.”
He said.

“Its brand new.”
Said his mother.

“Its ten minutes walk to the beach “
Said his Dad.

”Its like huge. Where is my room?”

“Upstairs. I’d expect.”
Said his Mum.

Jimmy tore up the stairs in a helter skelter dash and in a few minutes he screamed out.

“Jesus. Mum Dad come and see.”

Inside a room with Jimmy’s name on the door there was a huge entertainment area with a computer, a plasma TV and a stereo system.

His Dad said,

“We thought you’d like a few things to help you settle in our new home.”

“Little things. This is mad. Look at all this, Its like wow all mine. “
Said Jimmy.

His Mother replied
“Now listen, don’t get too excited son as tomorrow morning you’ll be starting a new school. So in case you’re thinking about sitting up all night playing those computer games forget it. “

“What. We’ve just landed.”
Said Jimmy.

“I know son but school term begins here tomorrow and we had no choice.
You’re enrolled in year 10. Its just an early see, Ok.”

“I’m still jetlagged Mum. I can’t concentrate.”
He replied.

“I know but tomorrow it’s just a introduction to the principal and the school environment. That’s all. “

“ I don’t want to go.”
Jimmy said.

“I know. But give it a go for an hour or so. Your Mother and I have to go to a meeting in Bondi in the morning. After that we will come and collect you.”

Jimmy’s Dad looked at him and after a moments silence Jimmy’s Mother ran placed her hand on his dreadlocks.

“So what do you say son?”
She asked.

“Well ok then. So long as it’s just for an hour ”

“That’s the spirit now. So lets find a kettle and have a drop of tea.“

After unpacking and getting familiar with the house, they spent the rest of the day sitting around quietly outside in the back garden in a sunny position with a fleeting thoughts about the cold winter back home in Ireland.
They ordered a pizza for dinner that was delivered within ten minutes if them ordering it. They soon found out that their accent was going to make it a little tricky. The young lad who brought them the pizza couldn’t understand a word they said.

As morning came so did the fear of starting a new school for Jimmy.
He had spent most the night awake thinking about new teachers, new students, and new methods of application to his subjects and by the time he was ready to Jimmy was a bundle of nerves.

Jimmy and his parents left the house in a taxi that stopped at the new school.

Jimmy’s Dad spoke very slowly and clearly so the taxi driver would have no problem understanding what was said.

“I wonder if it is possible for you to wait here for us please. We won’t be long.
Is that ok?”

Jimmy’s Dad said to the taxi driver.
The taxi driver replied in a thick Irish accent.

“So what part of the oul sod are ye from then?”

We all burst out laughing. After a moment Jimmy’s Dad said.

“We’re from Kildare and yourself?”

“The quiet side of Dublin. So now tell me, where do you want to be going after here?“
Came the reply.

“Bondi Junction, anywhere near the shops will do.”

The taxi driver lifted up his radio handset to and communicated back to base where he was and where he was headed.

As Jimmy and his Mum and Dad got out the taxi a bus pulled up and twenty students dressed in school uniforms all got off. Jimmy looked at them with a kind of distant gaze until a pretty girl smiled and said
‘Hello “
That made Jimmy feel a lot better and also helped his parents a lot.

Shortly after that they made their way to the front office but were met at the door by the principal who reached out his hand and said.

“You must be the Moore family. Welcome to Australia.
I hope you’ll enjoy our way of life here down under in. I take it you must be Jimmy then?“

“Yes sir.”
Jimmy replied.

“Hello Jimmy. How would you like to come with me and I’ll introduce you to some of the students in your year and a few of the teachers here who have been told all about you.”

Jimmy looked at his parents who smiled.
His Dad said.

“Right then son. We’ll see you in an hour or two. “
Jimmy stood there feeling a bit lost but tried hard to be positive.

“Have good morning. See you later on Mum and Dad.”
He said and they parted company.

Jimmy was shown around the school and the principal explained he had a meeting to attend and so left Jimmy with a class who were doing music, which just happened to be Jimmy’s favourite subject.

The teacher provided an opportunity for Jimmy to introduce himself to the class. So without hesitation Jimmy lifted a six string guitar and played a blues song he had written a few weeks previously called Nobody’s Fool.

The lyrics went
When I went to school, the teachers thought they knew,
lots of things to talk about and lots of things to do.
But I learned to use my head and I said what could I do,
For one day I knew all they said it just wasn't so true.

Listen they said to me, you’ve got to learn your ABC,
and count on the meanings that are in the dictionary.
So learn to multiply and then divide by three you see,
For in the end my friend you'll be nobody's fool like me.

I was nobody’s fool. Nobody’s fool.
The teacher said to me don’t you be nobody’s fool.
Sometimes I remember those days when I went to school.
But I understood in my own way, cause I am nobody’s fool.
See I can fix a fence and use my commonsense.
The teachers said to me, we can't teach you anymore.
That’s when I took my last look and walked right out the door.
Because there and then I took a pen and wrote goodbye for evermore.

I took a chance on farming, bought a tractor and a truck,
it wasn't that long until I found my feet and had some luck.
I planted some seeds in another field and in a year or two,
the good earth gave up a yield and the crops just grew and grew
.

So what good's a degree to people just like me?
I became a millionaire by the age of thirty-three
Still I remembers what the teacher said when I went to school.
I understood in my own way cause I am nobody’s fool.

Yes I’m nobody’s fool. Nobody’s fool.
The teacher said to me don’t you be nobody’s fool.
Sometimes I remember well when I went to school.
I understood in my own way, cause I am nobody’s fool

When Jimmy stopped playing the students and even the teacher applauded and cheered. Jimmy and his song were a big hit.

It wasn’t long before a knock came to the door and the principal asked Jimmy to come as his parents were waiting.
As Jimmy left the class one of the students said aloud,

”Hey that was great. Are you coming tomorrow.?

“Yeah, I’ll see you soon.”
Jimmy replied.

“Cool.”
Said another.

When Jimmy and his parents walked out the school gate they got into a new company car.

As they drove back home Jimmy said,
“I think I’m going to like this new school.”

The End

By Paul McCann