As the middle child Zach was used to being ignored most of the time to the point of now loving it. He longed to be left alone with his thoughts, alone to dream and fantasise about all kinds of things, What it’ll be like to be the heavy weight Boxing champion or a young rich businessman with all the trimmings; cars, clothes and not to forget the girls. Today, Zach’s a talented footballer at the peak of his career, just won the world cup and he’s giving an interview to the press. “Zach! Is there anything else left that you feel you need to achieve” the pretty journalist in the front row shouts, fighting hard to get some attention in the manly world of sports journalism. Zach smiles, she smiles back and it seems genuine enough, divine too. Zach, Zach, Zachary!!! He’s in his own little world again, Zach rings out one last time and the 12 year old dreamer snaps out of it, turns around to the tall figure of his father gawking down on him. This startles the boy who jumps and everyone laughs, Tammy his older sister, Joe his younger brother and Aunt Kerry. Mum was at work she’s working a night shift at the factory down the road but she probably would have joined in his ridicule.

Femi also known as dad dropped his bag next to ‘the boy’ which usually contains his laptop and bridge drawings on a large paper, probably 6 times the size his school notebooks. Next, HE slumps into the sofa, tired than usual, “make us a cup of tea would you… Zach”. The intimate session between him and his thoughts if it wasn’t disrupted before has now been completely ruined, he gets up but promises to get reacquainted with them very soon. Femi’s phone rings, on the screen is the name Esperanza, also known as mum (to Zach).  “Hey babe, how are the kids, Kerry and you” he answers they’re good, she’s fine but hesitates to give an answer about his wellbeing but moves to his room to avoid the kids hearing what’s being discussed next. “Darling …. well, bad news, we’ve been expecting this, it was only a matter of time… they’ve finally let us all go even after we took the pay cuts, the extra hours, the company still folded, they damn near asked us to work for free” . Esperanza’s Spanish accent only make an appearance in emotional situations, when she’s mad, overjoyed, frustrated. “Como estas, cariño. What are you going to do?” although he’s thought about the different ways he could weather this economic downturn storm, all he could say was “I don’t know”. “You don’t know” oh yes, the Spanish accent peeped out again. The two lovers vent out their frustrations first on each other, then Femi’s employer – the civil Engineering company, the greedy bankers and finally the government but they only arrived at one conclusion “No one can get you out of a squeeze better than yourself”. This seemed to be a suitable conclusion at the moment, plus they needn’t worry much, ezperanza’s job is guaranteed at least for now. She had got a letter from the factory a week ago reassuring her, jobs were safe, especially hers, being a loyal worker and all, 7 years of service.