Stone Cold

1. Stone Cold Ginger Hana, Jess and Jade

2. When Ginger met Link… • Ginger met Link not long after Link had been evicted from the bed and breakfast. • He had been on the streets of London for 6/7 months and knew the scene pretty well. • He bumped into Link when he asked if he could share Link’s doorway. • From then on, Link and Ginger became friends.

3. Ginger the Tour Guide… • From then on, Ginger took the role of ‘tour guide’ and began to show Link the way of the streets. • He was very streetwise and was looked up to by Link. • When Link told Ginger how much money he had, Ginger was very blunt and told him he shouldn’t tell people how much money he had. This showed an honest side to Ginger and made the reader and Link respect him. ‘Folks like us, we’ve got to look after number one. And don’t tell anyone you’ve got nine quid or you won’t have it long’

4. Tour guide continued • As the streetwise guy Ginger was, he knew all the best places to get the best night possible for a guy on the streets. • This is where he introduced Link to Captain Hook’s boat. • Captain Hook was otherwise known as Probyn. Probyn had collected six narrowboats which he used as an overnight sanctuary for the homeless. • They were known as ‘floating doss houses’. • Each person was to pay three pounds per night to stay on the boat.

5. The boat… • The boats looked similar to the famous picture of the slave ships. ‘Works out, he can cram sixty kids on each boat – all under cover.’ • However, Link and Ginger were grateful to have a place to stay for the night. • Many health and safety regulations were ignored and the boat smelled. ‘I’ve told you it looked like a slave ship. What I haven’t said is that it stank like one, too. You went through a narrow door and it hit you – the stench of too many damp, unwashed bodies’.

6. His disappearance… • One day, Ginger and Link went their separate ways as Ginger had to meet some friends. • Link had waited all day and Ginger didn’t return. • It turns out, Shelter had confronted Ginger at the train station. He told Ginger that Link had been knocked down by a car and was at his house. Ginger raced to Shelter’s house where he was killed.

7. Characteristics • Caring – He looks after Link and helps him learn the ‘ways of the street’. • Likeable – Because he took Link ‘under his wing’ when he could have quite easily used his naivety for his benefit. • Streetwise – He knows the streets of London well and ways to survive on the streets.

8. More characteristics • Optimistic – He always seems in a good mood despite his situation. • Homeless – Lives on the streets of London. • Loyal – Sticks by Link’s side as much as possible. • Concerned – Rushes to find Link when Shelter tells him he’s been hurt.