*
Jambo lives in a street called "No Ball Games". It must be -
there's no other street signs left on the estate. The council
never bother about putting the names back up. All the fire-
engines and taxis and ambulances get lost every time they come
here.
The council can't afford to build playgrounds. And they can't
afford to replace street names. But they can always manage to
come round and put up brand new signs saying "No Ball Games".
Then the kids just rip them down again. It's the only game left
to play.
*
Jambo doesn't like watching telly. But the telly likes watching
him. It would watch him all day if he'd let it. Right through
the kids' stuff in the morning, right through the racing in the
afternoon, right through the news, and the film, and the news,
and the film, and the snooker. Right till it's time to turn off.
The telly likes to watch Jambo.
Just to see what he does all day. Picking his nose, picking his
feet, picking out winners, falling asleep. Getting up to make
a cup of tea, then letting it go cold beside him on the floor.
Scratching himself and reading the paper. Wondering whether to
go out. Wondering if his mates are coming round. Looking at the
time. Picking his nose. Falling asleep.
The telly likes to watch Jambo. Right till it's time to turn
off.
Just to make sure he wakes up in time to go to bed.
*
Jambo inks tattoos on his arm with a biro. Pirates and
lovehearts and mermaids. A death's head skull and "MUM" - all
writhing and dancing together.
Underneath he does his name. "JAMBO ACE OK". Jambo would like
to be an artist - just so he could sign his name.
But he can't be bothered with paintings. Paintings take too
long.
So he just signs his name in all the places where they ought to
be. On empty walls, on the back of bus shelters, on the sides
of houses, on the stairs in tower blocks...
JAMBO ACE OK.