The Camion

This story, The Camion, is based upon a letter published in the Irish Daily Mail in September 2010. Its characters, events and experiences have taken place in actual homeless units both in the United Kingdom and France. The author was upon assignment in London to research a manuscript that he was in the middle of constructing, and needed help from the local community in order to achieve this end. He does find help from the eventual hero of the story, an African man named Wole, who turns out to be an illegal immigrant residing here in New Cross, London, SE14. Our hero Wole, it is to be found, has a complete fascination with anything concerning lorries, which is derived from his economical/environmental upbringing in Nigeria. But a violent incident involving a fellow homeless man, who also inhabits the homeless unit in SE14, sees Wole make a hurried departure toward France, afraid of deportation back to Nigeria by British authorities; but unknown to him, the author is hot on his heels in pursuit. Wole, as the story unfolds, manages to achieve his dream of becoming a long distant lorry driver here in Europe, and also finds the real love of his life in Connie, who happens to be an international businesswoman, and who assists in helping him achieve this dream by sponsoring him into the transportation business. The author too, happens to find love within the story, by falling in love with his French teacher Maud; while extending his research into the use of cultural idiom, which he argues, is better perceived within its philosophical context by an individual's willingness to accept suffering. With this acceptance therefore, comes a closer comprehension to the spiritual side of one's life, and where wisdom and enlightenment may bring the individual into the realms of a more positive, contented and fulfilling lifetime experience. Finally, Wole and the author eventually meet up in a bar in Marseille with some of the story's other characters, yet waiting for them at the end of this story is a twist, and a sting in the tail for one of those characters; but whose tail is waiting to be stung; is it the author's?!