John Major (no not that one) had written a story called ‘The Bus’. Pauline with her 2 children was making her way to the shops in Dublin for the sales. A vertically challenged person (in other words a dwarf) got on the bus. A young boy offered her his seat, having been brought up to be polite, and the short person told him to sit down saying that she was not disabled just small. The young boy was embarrassed. When Pauline got off the bus she turned round to the young boy saying, ‘your mum and dad should be proud of you’, and to the short person, ‘I hope Snow-white beats the shite out of you when you get home’. Political correctness had not reached Ireland at that stage. Everybody burst out laughing. It was a brilliant story and a very good first effort.
Michael read out a story called The Box. Some young lads went to play in the forest and found a box. It was difficult to fit all the parts together but eventually they did and one of the lads, Robert, sat on the box and promptly disappeared. In desperation another of the lads, Douglas, sat on the box and he disappeared but Robert reappeared. Robert is still in hospital now and Douglas was never seen again. The story was thought to be entertaining but needed more dialogue. Advice was that Michael should re-write the story with himself as one of the boys and that it could then be sent in to a short story competition.
Jenny had written a poem on the theme ‘talking plants’; about what plants out here in Spain would say if they could speak, i.e. asking for the hose to be switched on.
Mary's contribution was a poem about keeping a secret. How people are sworn to secrecy but can’t help but tell all. How true.
Brenda read out more of her book about Belle. About how her children were so glad when their mum finished with Richard because she had made their life hell while she was trying to keep him in her life. As always there was good dialogue, which comes easy to Brenda.
Douglas (see Michael’s story) suddenly reappeared and gave us details about when he got his MBE from the Queen Mother (the Queen being in Canada at the time). It was very entertaining and interesting and was obviously a day to remember.
Glyn read out a poem about a prostitute ‘Burnt out Brass’. It was a very well executed poem about the life of a prostitute from birth to when her services were coming to an end at the age of 50. Very relevant to today’s society.
John’s contribution was a very amusing story about a holiday to Portugal when he stayed with Sylvia and Clarence. Another guest Claus turned up with a new young girlfriend. The other ladies thought her breasts were false. Clarence couldn’t get his head around this, although he would have liked to! When he revisited 4 years later he learned that Claus had had a heart attack. (I wonder why!) Entertaining and a bit naughty as ever. It was thought the travel documentary side of the story should be separate from the amusing anecdotal side.
Maureen wrote a poem called ‘after the rain.’ 'My heart was empty, shunned by society.' She wrote this in memory of a line in a poem by Racine called Phaedre.
Extract from Wikipedia about Racine. ‘Phèdre is right to fear judgment; she is driven to an incestual love for her stepson Hippolytus, much like the other women in her family, who tended to experience desires generally considered taboo. Her mother, Pasiphaë was cursed by Aphrodite to fall in love and mate with a bull, giving rise to the legendary man/bull hybrid the Minotaur. Phèdre meets Theseus, her future husband, when he arrives on the Minoan scene to kill her monstrous half-brother, the minotaur.’ Them ancient Greeks were a naughty lot.
Another enjoyable meeting. Hot pen next week!!
Cynthia
No comments:
Post a Comment