Monkey Boys by Ali George

When I was around 13 years old, a fight was organised to take place at my school between myself and a boy I didn’t know. Neither of us wanted the fight to go ahead, but the leading thugs at the hellhole which was my school had declared that it would go ahead. It was considered a kind of circus freak show, as both myself and my unwilling rival were physically unimpressive, and we were both quite unpopular. Everyone thought it was a great joke!

As an anxious and timid kid, I was dreading the fight so much that I couldn’t sleep for days leading up to the event. In the morning on the day of the fight my nerves could no longer take it, and I broke down. I confessed the truth to my parents and ratted out my ape-like tormentors to my parents and then to the headteacher (a decision I don’t regret in the slightest to this day). The fight never happened, and I managed to avoid the “Monkey Boys” for the rest of the term. Whatever disciplinary procedures took place; the kids left me alone (so perhaps the school wasn’t as much of a “hellhole” as I make it out to be).

The following year I made friends with a nice group of guys and my life got much easier, thankfully.

Looking back on the incident now, I realise it was very possibly motivated by darker reasons than simple teenage cruelty. There were very few mixed-race kids in my school. I have Indian ancestry as well as British, and I certainly didn’t look like an average white kid when I was a teenager. I was called a “paki” on multiple occasions. The racial element is hard to ignore. The other kid was bullied for being gay. It was certainly no picnic.

I’m extremely glad those days are over. They might be over for me, but there are thousands of kids who are going through similar experiences right now all over the world.

Tracklist

1.	Monkey Boys	3:52

Credits

released June 2, 2023

releases June 2, 2023
Written by Ali George. © Ali George 2020.
Produced and Mastered by Josh Clark.
Recorded at Get Real Audio Studios in Bath. Some additional recording made in Athens, Greece.

Ali George - Vocals, Electro-Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals.
Josh Clark - Drums, Percussion.
Irakles Kopitas - Electric Bass.
Jools Scott - Organ.

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