THE BLUEBIRD OF HAPPINESS

(COLIN STORY)

Colin’s mother left Colin’s father when Colin was just a baby. So, Colin never knew his real father.

Colin’s mother left Colin’s real father because he was rough and violent.

Jack came to live them when Colin was 8 months old. Colin called Jack “Dad”. Colin even looked like Jack.

Jack called Colin by many names - Col, Collie, Sonny-boy, Buster, Mr. Bluebird. It is said that a boy who is loved has many names.

Jack loved to sing.

Jack rolled his own cigarettes out of tabacco in a tin

Dogs loved to follow Jack.

Colin’s mother worked in a shop. So, Jack took care of Colin.

Jack walked Colin to school and back.

He made him tea/meals.

Jack took Colin to the park and played with him.

One day, Colin’s mother took Colin and moved away when Jack was not at home.

Colin’s mother left all Jack’s things in the flat. At first, Colin thought Jack would join them later so Colin took Jack’s tobacco tin with him.

Colin’s mother worked in the canteen. She would do all the housework. When she came home she complained that she had a headache and was feeling tired. She had no time for Colin.

In the new school, Colin was not happy. His school mate would make fun of him. He would day-dream in class.

Colin always asked about Jack. This made his mother angry. She left Jack because Jack did not have a job.

Colin missed Jack. So he wrote a letter to Jack and posted it. He did not ask his mother to post the letter because his mother would throw away the letter.

Colin did not get any letter from Jack. He thought Jack had probably moved away or the family which lived in their old flat did not give Jack his letter.

Every night, Colin took out Jack’s tobacco tin and he smelt the tobacco. Colin secretly hid the tin in his boots.

He then hummed Jack’s favourite song, The bluebird of happiness.

Colin was lonely. He stayed up all night talking to Jack pretending as if Jack was there.

Jack remembered all Colin’s friends’ name, his favourite animals, names of teachers Colin liked and disliked.

Jack also knew what size batteries for his favourite games.

Colin was always asleep in his class and he did not do well in his studies. He got into troubles with his teachers because he was always daydreaming in class.

One day a man came to the house to talk to Colin’s mother about Colin’s problems in school. She never mentioned Jack but said that Colin had not seen his father since he was a baby.

Colin felt hurt because his mother could forget about Jack and also told lies so easily. She was not interested to know about Colin’s feelings.

One day, Colin’s mom threw away his boots with the tobacco tin in it. It felt as if he had lost Jack.

Colin missed Jack very much. He would buy chewing gum and saw Jack’s cigarette papers which he used to buy. He would look out if someone mentioned Jack’s name or wore the same jacket as Jacks. He would write secretly Jack’s name in all the school forms.

On day, he saw a birthday card that had a picture of dogs following a man. It reminded him of Jack. He would carry the card around the shop but he did not buy it. He is afraid that his mother would be angry if she knew that Colin was still thinking about Jack.

So, he stopped talking about Jack to his mother. He felt that the things that were happening only affected her and what

Colin’s thinks or feels did not matter.

Colin wanted to find Jack. If he were to find Jack now, he would be sent back to his mother since he was still too young to take care of himself. Colin’s mother and Jack were not married . Jack did not adopt Colin to be his son. So there was no legal relationship between Jack and Colin.

So while waiting for the right time to find Jack, Colin did 3 paper rounds. He asked for money during Christmas and on his birthday. He would get enough money to go back and find Jack.

Colin had not seen Jack for more than 5 years.

Colin always went to the skating sink to listen to their favourite song , the Bluebird of Happiness.

• SelflessWhen his mom left Jack, Colin did not complain.Colin missed Jack. He did not tell his mother because his mother did not like it. His mother had no time for Colin.

• Hopeful/DetermineColin still wanted to find Jack even after 5 years.He worked 2 paper rounds and saved money so that he could looked for Jack.

• PatientHe would wait until he grew up to look for Jack. If he looked for Jack now he would be caught and sent home.

COLIN

• CaringJack looked after Colin. He took Colin to and from school. Jack also cook food and played with Colin. He knew Colin’s teachers. Jack called Colin by many names - Col, Collie, Buster, Sonny-boy, Mr. Bluebird JACK

MOTHER

• InsensitiveShe got angry when Colin asked about Jack. She also had no time for Colin. She was busy, tired and complained of headache.