SETTING & SYNOPSIS

Tense: Present

The novel, Catch Us If You Can is set in Scotland and England. The main characters, Rory
McIntosh and his grandfather whom he calls Granda live in Scotland in a flat all by themselves. Rory
takes the responsibility to look after his Granda who is old, sickly and has memory lapses. He also puts up
with his Grandas annoying habits and forgetfulness. One day, because of his condition, Granda
accidentally sets the flat on fire and is rushed to the hospital. As a result, Rory is sent to a children's
home at Castle Street. Later, Granda is sent to Rachnadar, the local old folks home when the
authorities find that he is not fit to look after Rory.
Staying in a children's home is Rory's greatest fear. Granda too hates staying in an old folk's home is.
According to Granda, Rachnadar is a place "where you went when nobody wanted you". Rory has a hard
time at the children's home where he is becomes the target of Tess, a troubled and aggressive girl who
waits to attack Rory at every opportunity. At the same time, Granda is totally unhappy at Rachnadar. Rory
becomes very sad to see Granda retreat "further and further into a shell". Thus, Rory makes a decision to
take his Granda away and run off from the homes. Rory plans carefully and their escape begins.
First, Rory and Granda take a train towards the pierhead to a caravan site located uphill. They
spend a couple of days here. They are rescued by Sammy and his family when the police cornered them
at the caravan site. Sammy and his family take them through the countryside up north passing tiny villages
to meet with his brother, Bernie, who is waiting at the outskirt of Forfar. From here, Sammy and Bernie
suggest that they take a train from Dundee to Glasgow as they have family there. However, while on the
train Rory and Granda are being recognized by one of the passengers. Thus, they are forced to alight at
the Perth railway station before they reach Glasgow. At Perth railway station, they confront a young thug
who threatens to hand them to the police. But, Granda bravely managed to knock the thug down. Then,
they travel on a stolen car on the back roads to go south. They stop at quiet lay-bys to rest and eat, and
finally at a dimly lit petrol station at the edge of a tiny village to fill their petrol tank. Here, they meet Rab,
the owner of the petrol station. Rab gives them food and a place to stay. Rory decides that he will to go to
Liverpool to look up for his father, Jeff McIntosh when he finds out from the news that his father is in
Liverpool.
Rab arranges a line of people to get Rory and Granda to Liverpool. He drives them along the country
roads to the Borders of Scotland and England. His girlfriend, Annie, is waiting to drive them onwards to
the Lake District, England. Annie takes them to her cousin's remote cottage at the Lake District where
they are to spend a night before being driven to Liverpool. Unfortunately, Annie's cousin, Norma, decides
to report them to the police when she gets terribly concerned over Granda's health.
Hence, they have to run again. While Granda is resting at a quiet stone bus shelter on one of the
deserted roads, he suddenly loses consciousness causing Rory to think that he has died. Rory manages
to get help from William and his wife, Alice. They immediately contacted the police and got an ambulance
to take Granda to the hospital. It is here that he meets his father who appears with the police.
In the end, Rory is reunited with his father, Jeff McIntosh. Granda recovers, and both he and Rory
settle down in Liverpool in a flat close to Rory's father.