Jamie Brown Is NOT Rich (15 page)

CHAPTER 21

THE HOVEL

Dad drove me. We took the Porsche. It was
waaaaay
too cool.

We wore our old clothes and parked a way away then walked to Hovel Street. Dad had really taken Barnaby’s advice to heart. We knew our friends liked us for who we were, but money can make people go crazy.

Like when this guy won the super jackpot.

Actually, he was probably already crazy.

I played a game of mini-golf with the triplets, and we ate some sultanas. I’d brought along some extra packs.

It didn’t help Trav.

I said goodbye then sat on the step with Mr Kravoski. I had 15 minutes till Dad came and got me, and I needed advice.

‘You sad, Jamie Brown?’ asked Mr Kravoski. He’d read my mind, another talent from his circus days. It had taken him a while to get this one perfect though.

‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘I sad. I have to do this dumb Academic Challenge thing and the kids are only getting me to do it so I look stupid. They totally rigged me getting picked because they want us to leave.

‘
And
they tricked me into getting detention and making Mum and Dad mad, and making my new friends hate me.

‘It’s all too hard. I’m going to wreck things for us just as we’re starting to have a good life. I just think maybe I belong here. I’m a Hovel Street kid. This is Hovel Street. It works. I know this place, and I know who I am here.’

I lost it a bit. I don’t usually cry, but it was all too much.

Mr Kravoski nodded.

‘This just like when new monkey join troop. Other monkey nasty and play the tricky tricky. You not to forget Hovel Street, Jamie Brown, but you not to come back neither. You no let monkey live life for you. You like new place?’

I nodded. I did like it. I liked the house and my new friends, I liked Mum and Dad being happy, and even though I missed so much of my old life, I knew my new life could be amazing.

‘Then you stay! You not come here except to see me and crazy triplets! Now. You Hovel Street kid, this true. But maybe new place need Hovel Street kid. Hmmmm?’

I shrugged. Mr Kravoski continued.

‘You still be Jamie Brown, no one else. You have skill here, no? Still skill in new home.’

‘All I have is the circus stuff and mini-golf,’ I said. ‘How’s that going to help with my friends and Academic Challenge?’

Mr Kravoski smiled.

‘That not all you have, Jamie Brown. You good boy. You honest. You loyal. Life like circus. You be yourself. You give 100%. Sometimes you up, sometimes you down, sometimes you fall and there no net. People be like monkey, Jamie Brown.

‘They mean to new monkey. They throw monkey poo to him. They no eat nits for him. You new monkey. Other monkey throw poo at you.’

Well, Nasty Jefferson hadn’t done that … yet.

Mr Kravoski kept talking.

‘But some old monkey, they like new monkey. They want be friend with new monkey. They want eat new monkey nits. Other monkey, they like when new monkey give banana. You see?’

He wiggled his eyebrows, making me laugh like always.

Like I said, he’s the master. I didn’t totally get it though. I wasn’t going to eat Harmison’s nits. Then my hair got itchy just thinking about nits, and when I thought about scratching my head it got itchier and I started thinking maybe I
did
have nits, and I needed to relax but I couldn’t so I took my putter and Mr Kravoski’s walking stick and started scratching!

Maybe Mr Kravoski was right, though. Being me, being circus, being Hovel Street, even if things didn’t always work out, I had to be myself. I would fit in with kids who
Wanted
me to fit in, not kids I thought I should fit in with.

‘Thanks, Mr Kravoski,’ I said. ‘You’re the best.’

I gave him a hug, and saw Dad coming. Mr Kravoski nodded and I left, still scratching my head.

It was time to go home.

And maybe time to get some special nit shampoo … just in case.