One Million Project Magazine

CHRISTMAS CARDS
By Sheena Macleod
Snow-filled clouds gathered outside the highrise
flats. Inside, in a small sitting room on the
ninth floor, Janie MacKay’s gaze drifted back to
the official-looking envelope on the mantelpiece.
Sitting beside the letter, a clock mocked
her as it ticked off the minutes until the contents
came into force. Many others throughout
Scotland would have received the same standard
letter. The only difference would be the
name and address on it, she thought.
Chewing on a fingernail, she wondered what
to do. She had grown up in the care system
and learned early to let other people make decisions
for her. Her mother had died when
Janie was two-years-old, and she had no idea
who her father was. Having been moved about
between foster homes, she had grown up feeling
on the periphery of life. Though she was
made welcome in these people’s homes, she
had no recollection of what it felt like to be a
‘real’ member of a family.
Ten years ago, when she turned sixteen, a
social worker had brought her and her meagre
possessions to this flat. A sitting area,
bedroom, kitchen and bathroom within the
large multi-story complex soon became her
home. She had been taught to cook, shop
and clean. No sooner had she stepped
through the door that first day, when a large
van arrived with the new ‘white goods’ and
household basics that she was entitled to
from the Council; a fridge-freezer, washing
machine, cooker, bed, chairs, and more. She
had stroked it all, unable to believe her eyes.
Every week she received unemployment
benefit and, by setting some aside, had
saved enough for a second-hand multimedia
screen with a built-in social network
box.
Copyright © 2016 by OMP Magazine Publishing