COMMON GROUND by Naomi Ishiguro

 

Two boys, outsiders in their own worlds, each used to spending time alone, one day randomly find each other. A friendship of sorts develops, one boy benefitting more from the friendship than the other. Ten years later, the tables are somewhat turned, the other boy in need of the relationship.  Great premise for a story, a classic tale of misfits, loyalty, and renewal. In this story, it is 2003. The first half of the story is narrated from the point of view of Stan who is 13 years old, a scholarship kid at a posh boy's school. His father has recently died of cancer, his mother is a mess, and Stan has no one to turn to, to talk to, to be a friend. He is bullied relentlessly by other boys and the only joy he has in his life is biking on the local common, where it is quiet, spacious and he can be alone with his misery and his thoughts. One day he meets Charlie, a bright confident and self assured 16 year old boy who seems to have a life of complete freedom. But he too is an outsider, part of the local Traveller community, that no one wants in the local neighbourhood. Together the two boys forge a friendship, cycling around, talking, getting into a bit of mischief as youngsters are wont to do. Stan loves spending time with Charlie's Traveller community, but knows it has to be a secret, and all along he begins to find the essence of himself. Until a terrible accident destroys the contact the two boys have together. 

Ten years later, it is Charlie's turn to tell the story. He is in London, trying to hold his life together. Despite his intelligence he just has not been able to get his life sorted. He drinks too much, his warehouse job is not going well. But he has the gift of the gab, is charming, handsome and pretty good at picking up the girls. One night he meets a young woman who bizarrely leads him to a chance meeting with Stan, now a journalist with a good job, a girlfriend, a flat, friends - a great life. But the dynamic  between the two has changed after ten years of no contact. Stan really wants to reignite the friendship, help his old friend who did so much for him. But life has got in the way.

It's a strange story really, I liked it - beautifully written and slowly rendered. But I didn't really find it completely plausible. The friendship between the two when they are boys lasts only a matter of weeks, I didn't think long enough to leave such an indelible mark on the two, to such an extent that ten years later, there is this compelling need to rekindle it. I remember friends I made at that age, they were intense for a period of time, usually short, loyalties are frail at that age, and I certainly wouldn't bat an eyelid if one popped up ten years later. Anyway, despite the possible unlikeliness of it all, it certainly is a well written and good story of enduring bonds, loyalty and how we can make positive differences in each other's lives.