The O'Brien Press

whatever you may think

couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw number 13 Crag Road. No wonder everyone at the Sunny Hills Children’s Home had sniggered when I’d said it was going to be my new home.

She held up her hand and started counting on her fat fingers

and I have never had a proper home. I’ve been at Sunny Hills Children’s Home since I was a tiny baby

She has been annoying people for years

she would be a far worse pest if she wasn’t afraid of one thing:

you ever see

straight at me, and hissed.

I drew back from the crystal ball. The image went wavy

She embraced the whole pottery thing with this wild enthusiasm, making one bowl after another, then (because they were easy) dozens of ashtrays, even though no one in the family smokes.

vases and ashtrays