Lots of Love, Mike

"Ooooh. Not bad Mikey, not bad at all," Billie said looking at the picture of the dark haired girl with big green sparkling eyes and a sweet smile. "I suggest you write back soon and make sure you enclose a photo of yourself."

England...

When I let myself and my friend Jessie into the house I noticed a letter on the doormat. It was an airmail letter.

"What's that?" asked Jessie. "Is that an airmail letter?"

"Yeah, it looks like another letter from Michael," I say excitedly picking it up. "He's that boy from America I told you about. We're doing a pen pal thing at school, remember?"

"Oh yeah," said Jessie. "Cool."

I'd known Jessie for two years. She lived across the street from us and we got on so well. She was much nicer than all the other girls at school. We had loads in common and we spent nearly every spare minute together. She always said that when she was older she wasn't going to get one job but would travel around the world getting different jobs on the way and visiting everywhere she possibly could. Jessie was a bit of a dreamer.

"Open it up then," she said. "Maybe he's enclosed a photograph of himself this time?"

We sat at the kitchen table with a glass of orange juice each and I read the letter aloud.

Dear Stella,

Thank you for your letter and also the photograph. You are not how I imagined you would look. I think Billie Joe thought you looked pretty cool. He likes brunettes.

Sorry that it took so long to write back but my mom and step dad are having some problems at the moment and it's not been much fun at home. I like to get out of the house as often as possible and just go over to Billies and listen to music and strum our guitars.

Yes I do like the Sex Pistols stuff and I think it's real cool that your mom and dad were 70s punks. Did they ever get to meet Johnny Rotten? Have you any photographs of them dressed in their punk gear? I'd love to see them if you have. What music do you listen to?

It would be wicked if you took up keyboard lessons. I love playing my guitar and writing songs it's the best thing ever. What are your hobbies?

I haven't got much to tell you at the moment so I shall go now. Oh and I've put in a photograph of myself. I can't remember when it was taken though, may be a couple of months ago.

From,

Mike (yes Mike, not Michael)

I couldn't believe that someone from America could think that boring old me had a cool mum and dad. How bizarre. I looked in the envelope and there was the photo of Michael. He was quite a skinny boy with a blond mop of hair but he looked really sweet. Sweet! I bet he'd hate to be called sweet. He looked like he had nice eyes and a kind face.

"Let me see him then," said Jessie holding out her hand. "Mmmm, he's quite nice." She said sounding surprised. "Does he have many friends?"

"He talks about someone called Billie Joe who is the same age as us," I said.

"Get him to send a picture of him next time will you?" said Jessie.

"Oh Jessie behave, I can't do that," I told her.

"Yes you can. I'll write it on the bottom of your letter in my handwriting so that it doesn't look as though you wrote it."

"We'll see," I said to her.

After Jessie goes home I take out the letter again for another read.

Mike thinks it would be wicked if I took up keyboard lessons. May be I'll ask mum and dad this evening, that's if they're not arguing again. They're not getting on too well lately.

Picking up the letter I went upstairs and got changed out of my school uniform. I tucked the letter away in an old scrapbook with the other one. I know, I thought, I'll get a new scrapbook tomorrow and put Michael's letters and picture in it. Any others that he sends can go in too.

Later...

"Mum?" I said while she cooked.

"Yes Stella," she answered.

"Do you think I could have keyboard lessons?" I ask politely.

"Oh Stella. What do you want those for? You're not very musical you know."

"Well I would like to be able to play an instrument. It would be wicked."

"Wicked? Where did you hear that word? I'll have a chat with your father and we'll think about it. Now help me peel the potatoes for dinner?" she said.

That will be a no to keyboard lessons then I thought.

"Mum?" I said again.

"Yes Stella," said mum almost impatiently.

"You know when you used to be punks?"

"God yes. Don't remind me," said mum laughing.

"Have you got any old photos of you dressed like that?"

"I'll have a look. Why?"

"Well Michael the boy I've been writing to in America thinks it would be wicked if he got to see you and dad dressed as punks."

"Would he now? Who is this Michael"?

"Michael Pritchard from California, he's my pen pal," I said.

"So that's where you got the word 'wicked' from is it," she says laughing.

"It must be," I say getting on with peeling the potatoes.

California...

Mike and Billie are at Billie's house playing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody on the tape machine when Mike remembers the letter from Stella in his pocket. He had rushed in from school, quickly picked up the letter from Stella and shoved it in his pocket to read later. He couldn't bear hanging around at home for long at the moment so he spent as little time as possible there, and most of his time at Billie's house.

Dear Mike (see I remembered to call you Mike this time)

Thank you for your letter and photograph. You look like a typical Californian boy with your blonde hair and tan. Are all American boys like that?

Michael read out the letter and Billie Joe laughed. "If she could only see me she wouldn't think that," said Billie Joe.

"She must watch too many American movies," laughed Mike.

I've enclosed some photographs of my mum and dad for you to have a look at - don't laugh but they do look weird, don't you think? Apparently mum once touched Johnny Rotten's arm after a concert. She said she didn't wash her hand for a week. How sad is that?

I am sorry that you are having some problems at home at the moment. I think I know a little of how you are feeling. My mum and dad don't stop arguing either. I get quite lonely and sometimes sit in my room and cover my ears when they argue. Dad has gone away for a few days and mum is a bit sad so I might not be able to write for a while but please reply to my letter. Your letters really do cheer me up.

I've got to go, as Fatso needs his walk.

Bye

From,

Stella xx

PS. have you got any pictures of Billie Joe to send as my friend Jessie keeps asking about him? Sorry. Oh and my hobbies are listening to music nearly all the time. Do you like Queen?

"Oooh," said Billie Joe, "you got two kisses at the bottom this time and it looks like she's a Queen fan too. I wonder if her parents ever got to meet them, and who is this Jessie girl anyway?"

"She's not mentioned a Jessie before so I don't know. Poor Stella," said Mike. "I know what its like when your parents argue. I wish I could ring her up and chat to her and tell her everything will be OK."

"Fucking hell Mike that would cost loads of money. Just keep on writing, she says she likes getting your letters, so that'll be fine. Come on, hey listen to this, I wrote a little song earlier what do you think of it?" And they went back to strumming their guitars.

England...

"Mum? What's wrong?" said Stella coming down to breakfast

"It's your father," she said. "He didn't come home last night."

"What do you mean?" I said. God mum looked dreadful like she hadn't slept.

"What I mean is," she said angrily then softened, "he stayed out all night."

"Where?" I asked innocently.

"Look darling. Mum and Dad have got a lot on our minds just lately, how about you get ready for school and we talk about this later?" Then she kissed me on the cheek and headed off upstairs.

At school I couldn't concentrate. I really hated some of the lessons at school. I loved doing art and writing stories but that was all, everything else I hated.

As the bell went for end of lesson I reached down to my bag but noticed it had been opened. What? Then I heard laughter. I saw Isabel holding something. It was the picture of Mike and she was laughing at it with some girls. How dare she. I went over and snatched it from her but in doing so I scratched her hand and she went off screaming to the teacher. I got given detention but I didn't care, as I didn't have anything much to go home for anyway.

As I was walking home from school I saw Isabel up ahead with a couple of the other girls.

"How's the American guy?" she said. I ignored her.

"Are we not good enough to speak to you now?" She said standing in front of me. I could smell her cheap perfume. "I said how's the American guy you write to? Do you still write to him? He looks like a geek doesn't he girls?" They mumbled a "yeah" at the same time.

"Piss off Isabel - what do you want?" I snapped at her.

"Nothing - just to see if you're still writing to your American boyfriend," she said.

"He's not my boyfriend and he's most definitely not a geek so butt out will you?" I said barging past her and on to home.

"Stupid cow," Isabel shouted. "What's your problem?"

Dad was actually home when I got in. "Hi sweetheart," he said. It looked like he was packing an overnight back. "Look baby, I'm going away for a bit. I'll be in touch though I promise. Oh and this came for you today," he said handing me an airmail letter. Mike.

"Dad where are you going?" I asked taking the letter from him.

"It's your mother and me," he said. "We're not getting along too well and for all our sakes it's best I just leave for a while to think things over. I'm sorry it's got to be like this," he said and gave me a hug. "Mum may be a bit sad for a while. Look after her and make sure she's ok will you?" he said.

"OK," I said but why was that my job. I started feeling scared. Mum gets real moody sometimes.

"I'll give you a call to let you know where I am and a phone number for you to contact me anytime, OK sweetheart?" he said hurryingly getting his bag and opening the front door.

He blew me a kiss then stopped. He had his house keys in his hands but decided to leave them on the hall table. Now why would he do that?

I went up to my room to read Mike's letter. It made me feel better straight away.

Hi Stella

Thank you for your letter and yeah I do like Queen, they're awesome. Freddie Mercury rocks. Your Mom and Dad haven't' met them by any chance have they? They looked real cool in their punk gear by the way. Billie Joe wants a pair of tartan trousers now! He's still on about starting up a band but I'm not so sure.

We both play the same instrument, we don't sing, although Billie can a little bit and we have no drummer so I doubt us starting a band will ever happen.

My step dad has left home now and sometimes I go and be with him and sometimes stay with my mom. It's very hard to be with them as they really hate each other and are always moaning about the other. I spend most of my time at Billie's house. He's got such a cool mom and brothers and sisters. It's a bit sad sometimes at their house though as Billie's dad died from cancer not long ago and they all feel it. He was such a lovely man.

Anyway, make sure you get those piano lessons fixed up. I love music and couldn't do without it and when I play it sends shivers up my spine.

Next time please send a picture of Fatso, as I'm intrigued as to what he looks like. Oh and Billie Joe says hi to you and hi to Jessie (who is Jessie you haven't told me much about her) and to tell you that not all Americans are blonde (Billie's got brown hair by the way).

From,

Mike

Poor Mike I thought. I think I know a little of what you're feeling. I wish I could just call you up sometimes to talk about it but the call would be so expensive and we don't have a lot of money...