Pain and Struggle

Alas, I still have a day job. And it is what I will do until that blessed day when writing can pay my bills.

So there I was in my day job, just yesterday. In a secondary school in London supporting students with their Literacy and Personal development.
 For this particular session a rap artist was invited in as part of a music project. I forget his name, but he really was rather good! Said he recognised me from Battersea, as he was raised there, as was I. So there he was doing his conscious rap thing and the students were indeed inspired and engaged.

Afterwards he asked the young people to get into pairs and create their own rap. I sat with a young man who I'll call Justine- to protect his privacy. So I'm sat with Justine.
"What do you want to create a rap about?" I ask.
"My pain and suffering ," he said.
"OK, fine," I said. This would be a good way of getting his thoughts down on paper and hopefully alleviate some of that pain.
We write down a list of words that rhyme first, just to help him when it comes to writing down the actual bars.
He starts talking about his 'struggle and pain, and how he's going insane.'
"What does it look like?" I ask him in an effort to get him to disclose. "Just talk and I'll write it down."
I look at his young face and brace myself, as over the years I've heard many horrible stories. I poise my pen.
He looks at me. "Tell me. I'll write it down," I repeat.
"I've got to go to school," he said. "I've got to do chores." Uhh? (I don't say this out loud, but I think he could see the confusion all over my face. He may have read my mind when I said- THAT's your pain and suffering? So I guess for effect he added the big one:
"And I've got to help my mum with the shopping."
Now don't get me wrong. I am not impervious to a person's pain. On the contrary, sometimes I care too much. But this? Of course it is all relative. One man's pain is another mans bliss- I totally get that. But can you imagine his bars?

Let's talk about my pain then, 
walking to school in my brand new shoes again,
taking black bags out,
just isn't cool.
Carrying the shopping,
All those bags of food.
I need a new Blackberry,
I feel like a fool.   
Oh yea,
lets talk about my suffering.... and on it would go.

But he never did complete writing his bars. He must have been in too much pain. :)