The Simple Gift

I was not expecting to enjoy this book nearly as much as I did. It surprised me at first to discover that the story was written in a poetic form, but this simply enhanced the entire experience. I was truely touched by the simple pure relationships formed between the characters. Herrick doesn't weigh down the plot with too many detailed descriptions. The characters and events of the story speak for themselves. Each 'scene' stands on its own as a glimpse into the lives of the three characters. This book is highly reccomended to any readers who are prepared to sit back and enjoy a heart warming, thoughtful book.

In a counterpoint to THE LORD OF THE FLIES, and other grim tales where a lack of structure or authority leads to chaos and harshness and evil intent, Australian author Steven Herrick has created a world in which a young man striving for autonomy is able to attain an idyllic existence away from the rule makers and the rule breakers. When sixteen-year-old Billy Luckett packs a few things (including the old man's booze and cigarettes) into his schoolbag, says good-bye to his dog, and walks out of the house, he doesn't know where he will end up. But Billy's certain that anything will beat living with his abusive father. "Please don't tell what train I'm on And they won't know what route I've gone" --Elizabeth Cotton, "Freight Train" Hopping a westbound freight train in a teeming rain, Billy immediately crosses paths with the first of a series of characters who will each enrich and transform his life with their kindness, and who will each in turn take something away themselves for having been able to see through Billy's exterior. "Men...........Billy There are men like Ernie, the train driver, in this world. Men who don't boss you around and don't ask prying questions and don't get bitter at anyone different from them. Men who share a drink and food and a warm cabin when they don't have to. Men who know the value of things like an old boat built for long weekends on a lake. Men who see something happening and know if it's right or wrong and aren't afraid to make that call. There are men like Ernie and there are other men, men like my dad." "When we came to the station all the trains were rusty The doors were open and the windows broken in There was grass in all the cracks and the air hung musty The travel posters were flapping in the wind" --Al Stewart, "Apple Cider Re Constitution Billy reaches the end of the run at an old railroad town named Bendarat, and takes refuge in a lovely old abandoned train car. When he purchases a lemonade at the McDonald's in town, and proceeds to gather himself a fine meal from what fellow diners leave behind, he meets Caitlin, a well-off teenage schoolgirl who is working for The Clown as a way to gain her own measure of independence, in her case, from doting parents. "Caitlin and mopping...Caitlin When I first saw what he did I wanted to go up and say, 'Put that food back.' But how stupid is that? It was going in the rubbish until he claimed it. So I watched him. He was very calm. He didn't look worried about being caught or ashamed of stealing scraps. He looked relaxed, as though he knew he had to eat and this was the easiest way. I had work to do, mopping the floor, which I hate, so I mopped slowly and watched. He read the paper until the family left, then helped himself to dessert, and as he walked back to his table, holding the apple pie, he looked up and saw me watching him. He stood over his table waiting for me to do something. He stood there almost daring me to get the Manager, who I hate almos