My Polish Teacher's Tie

Quotes

'part-time catering staff,…’ (ISOLATION)

‘that’s me, £3.89 per hour’

‘Not after Steve…’ (ISOLATION)

‘knew who I really was’

‘I saw him thinking…’ (ISOLATION)

‘trouble’

‘a real…’ (ISOLATION)

‘professional’

‘I am half-Polish. They don’t know that here…’ (ISOLATION)

‘My name’s not Polish or anything’

‘baby…’ (CULTURE)

‘Polish’

‘teachers are used to getting out of the way…’ (ISOLATION)

‘of catering staff without really seeing them’

‘Mother, I’ve…’ (ISOLATION/CULTURE)

‘lost the words you gave me’

‘They can’t keep a straight face…’ CULTURE

‘it’s the way he talks…I can’t say I blame her’

‘A Polish song…’ CULTURE/BELONGING

‘I knew it. I knew it.’

‘Nor…’ CULTURE/BELONGING

‘did I’

‘It was a flag from another country…’ CULTURE/BELONGING/HOPE

‘a better country than the ones either of us lived in’

'It went through me like…’ BELONGING

‘a knife through butter. '

'He sounded different, not like Steve….’ LOSS OF HOPE

‘ Not just polite any more, but all stiff, and a bit hurt.'

'He'd still be smiling, because that's what you do…’ LOSS OF HOPE

‘in a foreign place when you don't know what's going on '

'He'd think I was trying…’ LOSS OF HOPE

‘to make a fool of him '

‘It looked too…’

‘big for him’

'it was red with bold green squiggles…’ HOPE

‘on it. It was a terribly hopeful tie '

His face looked much…’ HOPE

‘too open, much too alive'

'I saw it all swim in…’ HOPE

‘his eyes. Surprise. Uncertainty '

‘his big bright…’ HOPE

‘tie blazing’

‘Very keen on fairness…’ BELONGING

‘we are, here.’