Miriam Wakerly's "No Gypsies Served" begins with a chillingly real situation following on from the campaign for a Gypsy site that we read about in "Gypsies Stop tHere". The heroine receives a threatening anonymous letter that seems to be linked to her advocacy for the Gypsies. This has actually happened to someone I know and have worked with, so I was instantly hooked on the story!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/No-Gypsies-Served-Miriam-Wakerly/dp/0955843219/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379370380&sr=1-1&keywords=No+Gypsies+Served
The other totally believable storyline is about the importance that Romany Gypsies attach to their identity as Romanies. If you saw Countryfile yesterday, you will have seen this illustrated in real life. A Romany living a "settled" life was interviewed as he walked with his horse in front of a traditional wagon or "vardo", which he takes out on the droves every summer, to allow his children to see the traditional Gypsy way of life. His children were in the vardo, obviously enjoying every minute of their lovely nostalgic trip, and when he asked his little girl "What are you, Gypsy or Gorgie?" her reply was immediate: "Gypsy!"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03bjlb4/Countryfile_Dorset/
In "No Gypsies Served" the hero, Dunstan, is trying to come to terms with the feeling that he has betrayed his family by staying away from them, and living a settled life, even if it is in a mobile home. As he delves into his memories of his early life, we are aware of how strong the bonds are that bind the Romany community together, and how important that identity is to every Gypsy. This understanding leaves us deeply concerned for the heroine, who has unwittingly caused great offence by implying that Dunstan is no longer a Gypsy. I always say that you will never find a truer friend that a Romany Gypsy who has come to trust you. But equally, you will find it very hard to regain trust if you have caused offence!
Like the father interviewed in Countryfile, Miriam Wakerly is keenly aware of the pain of a whole community whose valued way of life has almost completely disappeared, and paints a vivid picture of its joys and hardships. As Dunstan attends the funeral of his old friend Copper, the chilling facts of the injustices that persist for the Gypsy community haunt the story. Roma, Gypsy and Traveller communities experience the worst health outcomes of all communities in the UK, and have a life expectancy 10 years lower than the average. And the "No Gypsies served" scenario still happens in our country to this day.
As Copper's funeral was described, I had a vivid memory of standing outside my local parish church and watching white-faced, black-clad groups of grieving Gypsies arriving for a funeral, and feeling overwhelmed by the depth of the loss they felt.
So although this is a work of fiction, the research and the genuine empathy which went into its writing make it a really moving experience. Like Gypsies Stop tHere, it deserves the widest possible audience.
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