I am 13 years old. There are 32 boys at the home ageing from 11 to 16. Sleeping four to a room, separated by age. Our freedom revolves round going to local schools, anything else you earn by discipline. "In other words you behave you get privileges." The people that run the children's home at least treat us like Human Beings not cattle. It's like one big family. After school I would walk to the docks and hang around watching the cruise liners and boats go in and out. There was one man who was there once or twice a week picking up goods. He looked like someone in his thirties. One afternoon he came up to me and spoke.
"Hello there, I'm Steve."
"Hi I'm Brian."
"I see you sitting here every time I'm in dock."
"I like too look out at the sea, watch the boats come in and out."
"So you live close by?"
"I live at the children's home!"
"Oh! So what's it like living there."
"I don't have a choice. But it's okay."
He said he was going to get a drink at the Tea house and asked if I wanted to join him.
I said thanks.
We walked to the cafe, "What do you want to drink?"
"Coke please."
We got our drinks sat down and talked.
"How old are you Brian?"
I said, "You know I shouldn't really be talking to strange men." Then I gave a grin.
He just laughed.
I told him I had just turned 13. (July 21st)
"Well I hope to see you hanging around Brian. Perhaps we can talk again and maybe get another coke."
"Thank you, Sir."
"No Sir" just Steve.
We seemed to meet regular whether by fate or choice. We still had a drink, we still talked, but the mood was always light. At first I was worried about all the questions and what he was trying to find out, but it got as I would ask a question and he would answer in return. After a while we were getting comfortable in each other's company. The questions he was asking were; where I lived and what I did apart from hanging around the docks. I told him pretty much all about myself. Where I was born, how I ended up in care. 'You know the usual." I also told him about Mrs. Kennedy my social worker. I also said I liked reading, football and swimming.
He told me he was from Canada. He came here on a Visa, and met what would become his wife. He had lived in the UK for about 12 years, which gave him Dual Citizenship. He had lived in Cornwall all the time he was married and just settled there. He was a pilot in the Canadian Air Force, but was now retired. He said he was "where life was supposed to begin", 40's. He lived in a cottage near the beach, and owned another which he rented out to tourists.
He had been married, but with flying a lot it hadn't worked out. I still would have guessed he was in his thirties, being tall and a trim muscular build.
I was starting a new term at school, St Mary's Secondary School. I was really looking forward to the new term. The school had its own football team, and I was hoping to play in the team this year. I wasn't straight A's but I wasn't dumb either.
We went through the same routine for months. We were getting too really like each other's company. I really thought Steve was as near to a family as I could get.
Steve wasn't really a football fan he preferred Rugby Union. But nobody's perfect. "Right?"
When I came home one day I was called into the office, Mrs. Kennedy asked if she could meet Steve. I had been raving about how we got on, and how easy he was to talk too. She asked if I would invite him to the home as she would like to meet him. When we got to the home Mrs. Kennedy was just coming out of the office. I introduced her to Steve. She wanted to speak to Steve in private so she asked me to go get a drink from the fridge, then run upstairs and put my things away. A short time later I was called downstairs and went to the office. While they had been talking, (I didn't know it at the time) Steve had been asking Mrs. Kennedy about adopting me.
I was asked if I was given the chance would I go and live with Mr. Gould. (Steve) `STUNNED` (understatement) "You mean like a family?"
"Yes Brian just like a family. You might even get a Dad."
"YES! YES! YES!"
"He could also adopt you if you wanted."
"IF I WANTED?" I had prayed for this my entire life.
"But" she said, "all the paperwork had to be sorted and put in place before that.
What a downer. In the UK that can take forever, but it was worth the wait.
It took a month for social services to make two visits to Steve's house, "Make sure everything was suitable," they said. Then it took another three weeks for the paperwork to be signed and sealed. About a month later, (Don't they work fast?) I walked into the office (Steve was there). Social Services had approved Steve for the Adoption.
In the UK Social Services have a few options, Permanent Fostering or Special Guardianship (where there may be other families involved). The third was Adoption. Social Services agreed to Adoption. I was told everything had been approved.
I could now call Steve my family. I was now hoping there was a way to change my Surname. "Becoming Brian Gould. WOW." But heh, "who cares." Now I had a 'DAD' and a HOME. I ran upstairs to pack my things, (nearly breaking my neck. I was so much on a high.
I returned to the office with two carrier bags containing all my worldly goods. I was so excited I even gave Mr. Kennedy a hug. I ran over to Steve with a sly Grin, (you know the one) "WHERE THE CAT GOT THE CREAM."
I went to saying goodbye to everyone, while my dad went to get the car. I got in the front seat and we drove away. From the minute I got in the car I was talking a hundred miles an hour, Steve just laughed. I finally stopped talking when we got to the house, and that was only to say "WOW."
"Son you are home" That sounded really neat.
It was a beautiful cottage. I got out the car and took my things in, putting them down just inside the door. As you walked through the front door you were in a hallway, to the left was a door that led into the kitchen. To the right was another door that led into the living room. It was pretty big with all the usual electrics. TV, VCR and Stereo.
He then took me upstairs. The first room you came to was he told me his bedroom. Then there was the bathroom, then my bedroom.
"This is mine"?
"Sure is. Soon you will be going on another adventure. There is a cottage in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada that I own. The cottage is right beside the Lake. I had decided I was going to sell up and move back to Canada permanently, but now I will keep both cottages and rent two instead of one. That will give me a second and third income," he said laughing. "We can even come back here and stay or holiday if you want.... As soon as your name is changed legally, I will apply to get you a passport. Sound Good?"
"WOW!" thanks Dad.
Oh, I nearly forgot. Within days of me being officially Adopted, we went to see a Solicitor, He could have done it on his own, but wanted me involved so I could have my name changed Legally. It took seven days for my Surname to be changed by "Deed Poll." I was Now "Brian Gould."
"YES."
"It's getting late son so why don't we go and get cleaned up, then go and get a bite to eat. What you say Matey?"
"Great."
We showered and cleaned up. We went out to get something to eat, then came home and settled down for the night. Tomorrow we will go out and get you a few things. I would need some things to be going on with. Dad said he would get all I needed when we moved to our new home, as styles would be different when we moved to Canada.
I won't bore you with the delights of shopping, "but it was good." When we got home we loaded everything into the house, cleaned our teeth and went to bed.
The weeks went by. It felt like Steve had been my dad my whole life. My passport arrived, "two months to get a passport." We really do work at full steam here in the UK don't we? Dad booked the flights. We were to leave on the Saturday for our new start. I was going to get "Another new home," (at least for me) and a new country to boot.
We showered and brushed. I put some of my new clothes on then went down for breakfast. We had our last English breakfast, (In England that is) then it was nearly time to leave. (Dad had already sold the car, so we had to get a taxi to the airport). We checked in, half hour before the flight (First Class), and then went to the boarding lounge to wait for our departure. I don't know if I was scared or excited! The flight was long and really boring. I couldn't wait to get to my new home. I wondered what it would be like; living in a new country, meeting people and making new friends.