Kerry is a young boy who goes to the Good neighbours club. Kerry joined the Good Neighbours club because he wanted to help the old people who lived alone. Sandra doesn’t like Kerry at all; she thinks he is dirty and very good looking. We only get this impression through Sandra’s eyes: the writer reveals Sandra’s thoughts as she meets him on the way to Mrs Rutter’s ‘Kerry Stevens that none of her lot reckoned much on, with his blacked licked-down hair and slitty eyes! ‘ Kerry and Sandra meet in the forest.
Kerry greets Sandra by frightening her: ‘Christ! ‘ she said’, ‘Kerry Stevens, you stupid so-and-so what d’you want to go and do that for, you give me the fright of my life! ‘ When Kerry and Sandra go to Mrs Rutter’s house to help Kerry helps her by cleaning the garden and mowing the grass. We learned about Kerry’s ambitions for the future that he wants to become a mechanic, like fixing cars and doing the jobs that get you all dirty: ‘I’m leaving’ July. They’re taking me on at the garage, the Blue star-I been helping out there on and of! ‘
The reason Mrs Rutter’s takes more interest in Sandra is because she is always ready and willing to talk about personal matters and takes a great interest in what Mrs Rutter talks about. And on the other hand Kerry always seems more distant from Mrs Rutter because she sends him outside which is the reason she doesn’t try to make conversation with him. Kerry is like a stereotypical boy in some ways because he is very scruffy and when he grows up he wants to become a mechanic. Kerry is only interested in what job he is going to do he isn’t interested in girls, marriage or children.
Kerry’s reaction towards Mrs Rutter’s story about the war was that he was shocked and disgusted. Kerry was shocked because of what Mrs Rutter did to the man in the plan; Kerry was emotional and had sympathy for the soldiers and he never thought Mrs Rutter would be like that. Kerry wasn’t interested anymore: ‘The boy’s spoon clattered to the floor; he did not move. ‘ And ‘The boy shoved his chair back from the table’ his reactions show that he is shocked. When Kerry couldn’t take it any longer Kerry got up: He glanced down at the girl.
‘I’m going’ he said ‘dunno about you, but I’m going’ When Kerry left the house he said to Sandra: ‘I’m not going near that bitch again’ and then went off. The fact that he swears shows the strength of his feelings. I think Kerry did the right thing by getting up and leaving Mrs Rutter’s house. I would like to make friends would Kerry because he is a mature and sensitive boy. I agree with Kerry through-out the story. At the end of the story Sandra thinks that he is a sensitive boy who realised Mrs Rutter was before she did.
