An elite western suburbs private boy’s school who doesn’t wish to be named has reached out to former student Jack who grew up on the povo side of Nedlands and spent much of his time there during his enrollment at the school.
He has been asked to appear as a guest speaker over several weeks to dive deep into what life was like North of Stirling Highway and how the struggle shaped him as a man.
To many alumni’s surprise, the man not only managed to stave off homelessness but even found a high-paying job in a relative’s law firm. Jack told The Times,
“I reckon it will provide a little inspiration for them, you know? Where I grew up we didn’t have much. No tennis courts, river views, or any of that but we did have each other. Which made nights where we could only afford 3 large Chelsea pizzas for the fam with no sides a lot more bearable”
Jack plans to pull no punches as he describes life in such unthinkable poverty. Including having to wear some of his brother’s school uniform hand-me-downs and a forbidden romance with a girl who grew up on Bostock Road. He added,
“I couldn’t go to hers as the parents would call the police. She couldn’t come to mine because I was too embarrassed by our small pool and lack of a 3rd storey. So we’d meet up at the Captain Stirling where we could be free from the shackles of intra-Nedlands class warfare”
We spoke to the educator who came up with the idea. Under the promise to remain anonymous she told The Times,
“I could never forgot that boy he had a tough life. I never once saw his lunchbox filled with artisan bread or french cutlets. I think his parents shopped at Coles a few suburbs across. Couldn’t even afford Taylor Road IGA”
Unsurprisingly, some parents are outraged. Telling the school that if anything gets stolen while the former student is there then there will be hell to pay. A spokesperson for the concerned parents committee told The Times,
“I heard his family used to offer car parks for Royal Show people who couldn’t find one on the Claremont side. I really don’t want my young boys to be exposed to that kind of lifestyle. How ghastly!”
It’s like some people never want to see the less fortunate pick themselves up by their bootstraps and make something of themselves. For shame, concerned parents committee, for shame.
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