JSM - Edition Four

F ather J ulliards ’ s D iary

Dear Diary, My name is Richard Julliard and I want to write about something that happened to me recently that changed my life forever. This is my first ever time writing a diary, but I need to clear my mind somehow. Unfortunately I’m on a tight schedule as I need to pack up my office at the Pascal Aquila Mission School on the Behala Dumpsite in advance to my retirement – partly because of this story. I’m going to have to start from where I came in, because as I said, a diary isn’t my top priority. They’re not at fault, but if it wasn’t for three young boys, Gardo, Raphael and Jun, I wouldn’t be having to make this change. I knew Jun (they call him Rat) quite well; he would visit me regularly. Oh, how I’ll miss Jun. He had a smile that lit up the room and he was always very polite – but could still have a laugh. I didn’t know the others as well, apart from seeing them spend long days in the stifling heat picking up trash. All three came one day to use the school computer for some sort of history quiz that Gardo and Raphael were doing. How was I supposed to know it was all a lie? When I found out what was really going on, I didn’t know what to think. Should I have been disappointed? It was quite clever actually. Then came the drawing. It was the day after All Souls Night and I had gone to the safe to change the lock combination; like I do at the beginning of every month. I opened the safe to just double check that the money was there. Nothing. I was shocked. How could someone have gotten in? Who would have done this? That’s when I saw the drawing that Jun did. I burst into tears – this was goodbye. I treasure that drawing of us both hugging with his name over the top. I will never forget him, or the other two either. There is so much more I want to write but I’m simply out of time. I hope Gardo, Raphael and Jun will always remember me as I will remember them. I hope they’ll have a happy life. God look after them please, they’re alone in the world now. Richard

A my B arry Y ear 6G

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JSM Edition Four