A BOY AT THE CROSS

She told me it's best not to come here. So because she's told me not to, I come as often as I can.

It’s not a nice place to be, a bit scary, but I'm getting used to it, now it doesn't bother me as much.

There's three of them being crucified today. The one in the middle is called 'King of the Jews'. He's not like the usual lot we get, he's not swearing and cursing, he's not screaming out though he must be in pain. He's quiet and sort of calm.

I get a bit nearer so I can see him a bit better. There's a couple of people with him. He says to them, “Woman this is your son,” and to the bloke, “This is your mother.” They turn to look at one another and you can see it was just the right thing to say. King of the Jews has got it spot on.

It’s got me thinking. Its four years since my mum died. I was the best boy in the world, she used to say. Four years since she died and I still think about her every day.

And it's just over a year since dad married Sarah. I resented her from the start, me and dad had got really close and she muscled in. I did everything I could to get rid of her but, as one of my friends said, “She'd got her claws into him.”

She's tried all sorts of things to win me round, cooked my favourite food, bought me lovely presents, done up my  room and made it look brilliant and I've managed to seem ungrateful for all of it. My favourite phrase is, “You're not my real mum -you can't tell me what to do.” Truth is I've been a total pain.

But today's got me thinking.

If that bloke at the cross can accept a new mum maybe I can too. I'll call her Sarah mind, I won't be able to call her mum, not straight away, perhaps never. But I can be a bit more grateful for stuff and try not to argue as much.

I know what else I'll do, I'll pick some flowers on the way home and give them to her. It'll be embarrassing and she'll probably go all gushy but at least it'll let her know I'm trying to be different.

And if she ever asks me what made me change I'll say it was King of the Jews who did it.