{ELEMENTISTS OF WILLOW FOREST BOOK IV} The Day of Death

Dining Halls Don't Serve Ginger Beer

15:  Dining Halls Don't Serve Ginger Beer

 

 

 

Unfortunately, I wasn't to be attending Malory Towers.  I discovered that fairly quickly.

In books, Darrell Rivers or Elizabeth Allen or Pat O'Sullivan or Isabel O'Sullivan always describe their first glimpse of Malory Towers or Whyteleafe or St. Clare's in heavy depth.  They wait for the first peak of their magnificent school as the car or train snakes round a cliff and reveals a schoolgirl paradise, naturally complete with swimming pool (Oh, what a coincidence!  Darrell/Elizabeth/Pat/Isabel loves swimming!), tennis courts (Super!  Darrell/Elizabeth/Pat/Isabel is a champion tennis player!), and riding stables (How grand!  Darrell/Elizabeth/Pat/Isabel recently won the nationals at show jumping!)

I got my first glimpse of some grey building set against some more grey buildings as the bus turned a corner past another set of grey buildings.  No rolling hills for me, but a small tarmac playground.

Next they take a moment to admire their 'jolly nice' school uniform.

I didn't have to wear school uniform.  I was wearing some borrowed clothes of Josie's, which were far too big for me, and probably looked awful.  Blonde ten-year-olds didn't really suit huge, baggy, navy hoodies, checked t-shirts worn over big heavy silver unfashionable medallions and jeans which had to be turned up about ten centimetres.

Darrell/Elizabeth/Pat/Isabel is then overwhelmed by all the other girls who all knew each other already, discussing their 'jolly nice hols' and demanding why 'you never wrote to me, you mean pig'

I was overwhelmed by all the other kids on the bus who already knew each other and were discussing this and that 'totally fit boy band' and demanding why 'you didn't like my selfie on Instagram, you b*tch!'

Darrell/Elizabeth/Pat/Isabel usually got greeted by a warm, smiling house mistress.  I got a sloppy PA who couldn't touch any of the papers because she'd just had her nails done.

Then, Darrell/Elizabeth/Pat/Isabel is shown another girl, who's her buddy for the day.  I could tick that one off.  Josie was my buddy.

I couldn't then go to explore my dormitory, because I was at a day school.  I remember being extremely disappointed at this, as Josie walked me to the classroom.  Day schools seemed incredibly boring in comparison to boarding schools.  Why couldn't I go to a boarding school instead?  I managed to console myself that the care home was a bit like a boarding school.  That made the school just the lessons part.

Except Mama and Gama wouldn't be coming at half-term for parents evening.

My form room was blindingly white.  All these people came up to me, and asked me all these questions about what my name was and what my favourite animal was and whether or not I had any brothers and sisters and pets.  I decided not to mention that I lived in the middle of a forest with a representative of virtually every part of the animal kingdom, so at that point I just said I had three cats, which was sort of true.