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This is not intended to be an actual children's book in this form. It would need to be seriously edited and illustrated. It is a way of telling Nick's life story in a compact way. It is the outcome of his reluctance and postponing of writing a proper book which went: do I have to? > won't a website be enough? > a collection of articles > a professional autobiography > a novel about Nick > a short skeleton to that novel as if it were a children's book.
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BEN AND THE FUTURESCOPE
By Nick Child
In a strange country a long time ago, there lived a boy called Ben. Born there a stranger too, it was all Ben knew.
Life was not bad. But it was confusing. Inside Ben felt muddled. He had a fuzzy mist in his head.
50 years later Ben invented the futurescope. As a boy he had to find his own way through the fuzz.
Ben’s father and mother loved their son but weren’t sure how to do it. So they sent him away to stay at a good school.
Five years old, saying goodbye to his mum, Ben was grown up and brave. His dad was not there to see it. So Ben cried.
Ben didn’t know that was why he cried then. He worked that out years later when he could cry and know why. Mainly Ben didn’t cry.
Family life with his Mum, Dad, brother and sisters wasn’t much. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and neighbours were another country.
By the time Ben was 18 he had lived in 18 homes and schools. School rules made things clearer to him than at home.
Instead of crying, Ben started to find out about other people. He wanted to find out how to help the ones who had been upset and let down.
Helping others was a good thing to do. It was what Ben’s parents did. By helping others he would find out what would have helped him.
Ben puzzled hard during his school years. No boys, not even day boys, ever dared to talk of their family or home. So he didn’t either.
The puzzle continued. Being puzzled and unsure got in the way of trust. It got in the way of fun. Ben didn't have proper friends until he was old.
In the holidays, without anyone to share the puzzle, being at home just kept Ben confused. Ben was friendly so he was liked. He was good at school subjects and sports. So no one worried about him. And Ben was no closer to answers or the futurescope.
What was clear to Ben was how he was meant to behave. So he did. He did well in his exams. He went to college to learn how to do an important job helping others.
Ben just knew that it would help to stay in one place. So he planned to do that as soon as he got a chance.
Luckily the people of the country Ben chose had lots of clear thinking, straight talking, and sharp good humour. He felt sure this would help clear up the cotton wool in his head.
As a young man, Ben began to find things out. Lots of ideas came from college teachers and books. Mostly he wasn’t happy with these ideas either. To him they were more of the puzzling talk he’d always heard - just cleverer.
Now Ben began to clear away the fog. Where he was going wasn’t clear. He just knew what was fuzzy. He worked hard to cut through and sweep it away.
Others had people around to talk to, comfort and guide them. Ben worked that out years later too. Just now as a young man, Ben felt excited nervous and shy.
Around him freer spirits partied hard with sex, drugs and rock and roll. Ben could only join societies, drink coffee and sing in a choir.
Ben should have looked around the world more. But he knew he’d fall for his life long partner even before he met her. Someone’s gossip gave her sparkle away. Ben needed her sparkle.
Ben didn’t fit his college course. But he wasn’t brave enough to change it. He didn’t know yet what he was fit for.
Ben’s lively energy went into serious thought and activities. He was searching for something human. At first he found this in long words and ideas.
Ben moved from mending the human body to helping people. His wife’s studies gave him more ideas.
With even more energy, Ben turned these ideas into his own blueprint for his specialist work with people. But it was a bit weird and he couldn’t persuade his colleagues about it.
Ben did manage to keep his long training in the one city. So he and his family could stay and grow in one place.
So that they could stay in the same place, Ben got a job he commuted to for over twenty years.
Ben grew more confident in the plan for a happier way to live. At home and work the blueprint could now be set aside as real people took over.
The road was long and uphill, but steady progress was the reward.
From more ordinary work-mates Ben learned about more ordinary life. He learned that the hairdresser, football, chocolate or friends sometimes help more than specialists do.
Ben and his first family met up over ten years to make things work better as grown ups. They had a better funeral for their mother than they had had with their father.
Ben learned he could start looking after himself too. He learned to say No. He discovered he could dance. He danced. He began to make more good friends.
They say it takes a village to bring up a child. Ben’s village had been very spread about. He celebrated with a big 50th birthday party.
Ben called his party “Prospecting for Joy”. The whole village came.
From early on, Ben knew what he most wanted. He dreamed that his own family - his children and grandchildren - would settle nearby.
To Ben’s amazement and delight, they did. He could walk to their houses in five minutes. Papa Ben and Granny loved being part of this wider family.
So Ben was pleased. He had mended the broken family life circle that confused him at the start. And looking back on it all, he could invent the futurescope!
Here are some of the things that Ben spent his life finding out for himself. Maybe they will help you if you are confused too.
- Recognise your fuzzy confusion.
- Trust that you just know what you have to do.
- Trust that you just know to sweep away fuzz even if you don’t know what’s on the other side.
- Working through confusion means challenges, ups and downs.
- Don’t give up. It may take a long time.
- Make your past help build your future; don’t let it drag you back.
- Look for anyone you can turn to. Talk to them. That’s what children and adults should have and do with their family and friends. Professionals can help too.
- Take care though - some people are safe to trust, others are not.
Well you’re holding it! This book is the futurescope. You’re holding your future in your hands.
As you clear the way you want to go, Ben’s right beside you.
