The Canada Goslings, Lilly and Scooter, A Lesson Learned by Patricia A. Thorpe.
The Canada Goslings by Patricia A. Thorpe is a very cute children’s picture book. The book has a very cute story of two Canadian Geese, Maude and Arnold, who fly to Lake Kristine in Wisconsin to lay her eggs. After the eggs hatch and as the goslings learn to fly, one has trouble learning. This book teaches young children not to give up, to keep trying. It teaches children that through perseverance they can accomplish their goals. The illustrations are bright and young children will love to look at them as someone reads them the story. I very highly recommend this book. What a wonderful gift it would make for a little one.
The Wrong Side of the Badge is another absolutely great thriller by Marshall Ginevan featuring Eddie Donevant and his wife Elaine. In this installment, Eddie is in prison having been framed for a murder. When he gets released he joins a team to go after the crooked guards and cops and a judge who is bringing illegal drugs into the U.S.. Elaine even proves she isn’t a meek little wife when she goes after the one who is paid to kill her. Love that part. So get a copy of The Wrong Side of the Badge for another thrilling installment of the Eddie Donevant Thrillers and enjoy. I absolutely recommend this book.
A Child’s Guide to Wisdom is a very unique book on teaching a small child how to be a smart, compassionate person. This is a great book for all parents of young children. It also teaches good manners and not to be rude. On each page is a bit of wisdom for the child to learn. A chart is provided on each page to show how many times the child remembers. There is also a small reward chart. I highly recommend this book for parents of small children. This is important especially in this day and age where rudeness and hatred seems to be so acceptable anymore. Christmas is almost here and this would make a lovely gift. I, myself, will be gifting mine to my daughter in law.
For far too long women have been put by the wayside in their importance in humanity. This book tells us of the highly important role that women had in Biblical times when their rights were nonexistent. This is an excellent book to read by oneself or in a book club or Bible Study. Rev. Dr. Bonnie ring emphasizes the importance and compassion Jesus placed on women. They showed their faith in Him and how much they believed. It tells of Jesus’ mother Mary and what she would have gone through with the pregnancy of Jesus. It tells us that no matter who we are or where we have come from, we matter to Jesus and that He loves us and wants us to have everlasting life. This book tells of other women and their stories. This will touch your heart and show us how much our faith counts. This book is an excellent gift for a friend or even yourself.
Space Rangers is a very unique sci-fi book in that the author is 10 years old. It is about two boys who fall down a sewer hole and land in a Robot City. They are then chosen to fight the enemies. This is a brilliant book and shows that if someone has the will they can put their imagination down on paper and turn it into a book. This is an absolutely great gift for a child you know. They will love reading it since the author is their age. I absolutely love it and know that Sebastian will have a great career as an author ahead of him!
Life is really a grand festival
With different shades and colours
In different stages and occasions
In stillness and in silence
ln motion and in noice
It is a season of celebration,
A celebration of the breath of our existence
It makes us free our mind to find the liberation
We have to celebrate it with full swing
And in every walks of our life to go higher
Until it becomes impossible to bring us down
All you need to enjoy this world, is imagination
Celebration is an act of expressing reverence
Our affection towards all being is the best part
Of celebrating our life blissfully
Celebration is an act of impressing someone residing in us
Love oneself is the best method of celebrating
Our life and then the world will love us
Each day renders us a reason to celebrate
Either a birth or a death awaiting us to celebrate
Celebrate stillness and silence alike
There are moments of joy and sorrow
Both we should celebrate in a grand manner
Don’t hesitate to cry when your sorrow over flows
Celebrate with tears when you are break down and
Transform your weeping into the highest form of joy
Don’t hesitate to laugh when it comes the moments of rejoice
Celebration is truly a confrontation, giving attention
To the transcendent meaning of one’s action
Yes, life is a celebration!
Hero number one
He has no official status or designation as hero
But it is the highest honour he deserved
Since the World recognized him as a hero
Heroes are not created out of a fiction
They are born out of circumstances
And rise to the occasion when their spirit
Can no longer coexist with the hypocrisy
Of injustice to his fellow beings
Being a hero means ignoring how silly he feels he is
A true hero is not only a brave individual,
But he dares to be different; and never go astray
To follow trends but creates new paths and walks alone
His secret of happiness lies in his freedom
And the secret of his freedom lies in his Courage
He is courageous, doing what all afraid to do
There can be no courage unless you’re scared
He is used to leading this hard life!
He is a hero who is afraid to run away
God gives the hardest battles to his strongest soldier
Perseverance is the act of a true hero
He feels profoundly alone, cut off, unattractive…
His dirty outlook makes others to punch on his face
While he is helpless to show his beautiful soul
Aware of his singleness in his own destiny
While familiar with his final destination
And sometimes he feels like a soldier
Who can survive without love and care!
As a true soldier he knows nothing but war,
He for lack of an enemy, attacks himself
His battle is for true love and care
Men are poor soldiers in love’s war
And love is an endless war they always fail
Leader console the World with his vision
Hero console the world with his mission
He is free from greed and can do selfless services
Sometimes a hero is unbelievably good for so many
But terribly bad for someone else
The true hero isn’t the one, who is right,
But the one who steps forward to take the blame;
Whether he deserves or not;
And willing to apologize to save a relationship
The real hero is he, who is forgotten,
Forsaken and remain the nameless one,
In the history of time but his heroic death
Declares that how glorious he was!!!
Christmas Time! is a collection of short stories that reflects the mood of the season-Christmas-as it affects the lives of people who have its worth appreciated. From children to young adults, it mirrors, in the form of stories, the ordeals people go through to observe the yuletide but the encouragement they get, the courage they summon, the inspiration and the motivation they receive leave footprints of happy endings-celebrating the season in delight.
“A Christmas to Remember” tells a story of a certain couple, Frances and Sean, whose over-the-years Christmas celebration routine was cut short by the inability of Ron, Sean long-time friend , to pay back his debt as at the time stipulated. His whereabouts weren’t known and this subsequently brought hopelessness to Sean (though he had some ‘belief’ that something would happen) until the eleventh hour miracle…barely two hours before Christmas-the 25th day of December. His twin daughters witnessed it!
Chapter two shows the sudden end of a relationship that existed between Sandra and Grace when a Skater, disabled in physique, hit Sandra on their way coming home from the shopping mall, after the purchase of their favorite cloth- The Grant’s Designer’s Blouse. This was seven days to Christmas. Grace’s sudden departure from Sandra’s life paved way for James, the skater, whose life experienced a meaning…seven days to Christmas. It continued afterwards…
Chapter Three’s “I Love Christmas” portrays the boy-in-a-man figure in Mr. Ted whose ‘boy-child’ manner was inspired by the statement his five-year-old son, Grant, made, ‘I Love Christmas’. The way Mr. Ted and his wife celebrated Christmas as their son had fun with his peers, was a scene to behold!
“Your Christmas View” is a play depicting how the long-held ‘tradition’ (yearly hosting of the event-twenty four hours before Christmas and whose venues were held at their various apartments) of meeting of Yates and friends not only ensured the proper view of Christmas to readers or listeners but enabled he and his wife, Michelle, to be in the ‘business’ of putting to proper perspective the view of Christmas in the life of their twelve –year-old daughter, Jasmine using what we recorded the last time the event was hosted- ‘Your Christmas View Hosted by Yates’.
The feel of sensuality in the stories harmonizing with their “messaging” undertones, and the unveiling of the article: “Christmas: Recognizing its true worth” birth…Christmas Time!
Merry Christmas!
Chapter One
A Christmas to Remember
Sean and Frances have been happily married and living in Oakland for close to twelve years. Their union produced a set of two lovely female twins-Tania and Juliana. A successful contemporary entrepreneur for years, Sean has always ensured that needs of the family are met. Frances, on the other hand, is a compliment of her husband. A caring housewife and an excellent store keeper, the total well-being of every member of the house has never fall off her shoulders, since her marriage to Sean and she has been a great asset to her manager for the past five years. Tania, Sean’s look-alike, is the very jovial, yet down-to-earth type while Juliana, Frances’ carbon copy, is rather reserved and would always chose to be alone, though related with her sister and parents.
Though both liberal in general, Sean and his wife have painstakingly nurtured their lovely twin daughters, since the age of three, to learn how to stay calm in the midst of life’s troubles and appreciate whatever that is given to them, regardless of size. This would come in handy in the future.
The best of Sean and Frances had always been shown during the Christmas period. This had been a tradition for almost eight years: To them, Christmas preparation typically begins on Dec 1 of that year. All the paraphernalia of Christmas-Mistletoe, hampers, the Christmas interior and exterior decorators, the Christmas tree, Christmas lights, songs and Cheeses, Bunnies and a countless list would occupy their entire Oakland duplex. They would ensure her daughters’ room had Christmas treatments-children versions of what was in their bedroom and living room. From December 23, countdown to the Christmas celebration would be alarmed. It was as comparable to the Track and Field drive-‘On your mark…,’ ‘Get Ready…,’ ‘Go! ‘
As with Sean and Frances, Tania and Juliana have so grown up with this orientation and gotten used to tradition that Dec. 1 is when Christmas begins. Celebrating the festive season with the rest of the neighborhood at the Oakland City Square to see the Santa Claus, have fun, play with the ‘Mary-go-round’ facility at the Oakland Amusement Park was what Sean, Frances. Tania and Juliana were fond of doing. Visiting Santa Claus at the Park would start from Dec. 18 all through to Jan.3.
At some point, however, they were confronted by a chronic turbulence that almost shut down completely their yuletide bliss…
Sean’s success attracted Ron, a friend and colleague of twenty years. He would always come to celebrate Christmas with Sean and his family. Through the years, “Ron” as Frances once observed, “has now become part of the family”. But a time came when he needed the assistance of Sean. Ron requested that Sean borrowed him a sum of $120,000 to execute a business plan in Young Island and promised to pay five months later with an interest rate amounting to 55%! He requested for this loan February 3 and assured his bosom friend updates every two weeks. On grounds of trust and after discussing it with Frances, Sean took the risk by lending the money to him.
What he thought would epitomize a ground-breaking business feat became tantamount to his insolvency! Two weeks later, Sean had nothing from Ron! Two months later, he still didn’t hear anything! Before he could bleak his eyes, eleven months have gone buy…Ron’s whereabouts in Young Island wasn’t known! Sean had to close down his fast-growing T and T communication business to face the harsh reality he dreaded-poverty
From the period that chronic turbulence began, Frances had been the one shouldering the entire responsibility of the family. She would be the one to pay for their daughters’ tuition fees, utility bills, other miscellaneous expenses, and even Sean’s daily up-keep. They both endured through life’s thick and thin, complemented with the understanding of Tania and Juliana. Though they had cause to exchange words at each other, the strength of love between them kept the home in one peace.
Unlike Sean and Frances, all through from Dec 1 to Dec 22, nothing happened. In fact, their Oakland building had been a residing graveyard. Life was taken away. Absolute silence had its way. Yet, they still endured until the countdown periods came Frances, Tania and Juliana couldn’t stomach the pain any longer…
Dec. 23, At their Oakland Residence…
Time: 9:00AM
At the living room, Sean was with his daughters getting set for breakfast while Frances was in the kitchen to dish out the plates of Swiss cheese, fried chicken and Hamburger
“Dad, this is two days to Christmas…I haven’t seen any Christmas decoration in the house. We haven’t been seen Santa Claus! We haven’t heard fun like our friends and neighbors! Why?” Asked Tania, with a worry on her face.
“Sweetheart, dad is going through some issues right now. But we’ll celebrate this Christmas. I assure you, Tania”
Sean was looking sobbed. His sudden mood change didn’t catch Tania’s attention as she charged towards the kitchen to assist her mom. But Juliana knew something wasn’t right.
“Dad, tell me what’s wrong? You were looking happy before now…but you’re keeping a pale face…”
“Oh! My princess”, Sean replied, pretending all was well, “it’s just that dad is beginning to see life from a different perspective. Remember what I used to you and Tania…”
“Hmmm…Yes! ‘No matter the situation in life, always stay calm!’” Juliana answered in burst of enthusiasm.
“That’s good of you, Juliana. Remember how we celebrated Christmas last year? It was great and worth remembering. We had fun all the way, you know. But something really happened this year…It’s something that’s difficult to explain!”
“Why so difficult?” She asked out of curiosity.
Sean calmed the storm arising from Juliana’s wanting to know. “Baby, don’t worry about it. The bottom line is we’ll celebrate this Christmas like never before.”
Again, Juliana asked, “You’ve not answered my question, dad!”
Sean saw the ‘I-am-serious-to-know-what-happened’ look on her face but decided to tell her a tip of the iceberg.
“Okay…The resources are not available at the moment. But be rest assured, we’ll have the greatest Christmas fiesta! All I want from you now Is your confidence. We’ll be fine this Christmas. Have I ever disappointed you before?”
“No Dad”
Tania and Frances joined them at the dining table. With the food all dished out, they all began breakfast. It was at this time Sean said: “Juliana, Tania and Frances, Christmas celebration is not necessarily having fun with Santa Claus at the amusement park, playing with friends and neighbors and singing Christmas songs…It’s about knowing one thing…you’re the reason for the season! Tania, this Christmas celebration is made possible because of you! Juliana, we’ll be celebrating Christmas at a time as this because of YOU! Honey, Christmas celebration is blissful because of you. Bottom line is…we’re all the reason for the season, neither Santa nor the amusement park!!! Without us in the picture, there won’t be Christmas. But guess what? We will celebrate this one big time! You can eat your food”
The atmosphere of life lifted the dying hopes of Tania and Frances. Juliana was strong in her belief that Christmas will be celebrated. After breakfast, they both left the house to the Oakland Playground, several miles away from the Oakland Amusement Park, to have fun with their peers-neighbors and friends-as they usually do, while Sean was with his wife in the house, appreciating the essence of their union. The Oakland Playground management ensured that none of the kids present returned home on an empty stomach by serving each and everyone of them lunch and ‘take-away’ foods-cookies, French fries and canned milk. It was late in the evening the duo of Tania and Juliana came home. It wasn’t long enough that they retired to bed.
All through the night, Christmas songs filled the entire building as Sean took out time to search get tapes of recorded Christmas songs in his room with Frances.
Surprisingly, Sean had no idea of how this year’s Christmas celebration would be: there was nothing that looked like a glimmer of hope of celebrating the season-Money yet to be recovered from Ron whose whereabouts were unknown and how ‘realistically’ untrue his assurances were to his twin daughters who wouldn’t want to discover the liar in their father.
However, he kept his hopes alive. Sean wasn’t alone in this. Frances, all along shouldering the weight of responsibilities of the family, was on hand to always assure him of that which he was confident of –celebrating Christmas with the rest of the Oakland Neighbors.
“Honey, you’ve always been the one that would say to me, ‘there is light at the end of every tunnel’ I know you…You’re really not confident as you ought to be. Yes, I know the mistake has been made…But guess what Sean? We’re all in this together. I’m happy we have a set of understanding daughters—Tania…Juliana. For over ten months, I’ve been carrying the whole family. Have I ever complained? It’s because I’ve always loved you, I love you and will continue to love you all my life…So, be of good cheer, Sean! They say, ‘two good heads are better than one’. With yours and mine fixing our beliefs together to making this year’s celebration a reality, it will happen, even though it’s less than 2 days before Christmas…”
Sean was consoled. On the bed where the both laid, she cuddled him and was able to wipe away the tears he tried shedding.
“I’m the happiest man in the world. An understanding wife and a set of two pearls—Tania and Juliana—all believing in me! Baby, I’m grateful! All through the years I’ve known you, you’ve never let me down; matter of fact, you’ve turned my world around for the better…God blessed the day I found you…”
Honey, its 2:00AM! Let’s take a rest with a knowing that something great within the next twenty four hours would take place…Christmas celebration this year is a strong possibility. I’m having the feeling…”
“You’re right, Frances. I agree with you hook, line and sinker. Let’s rest…”
They both slept on each other’s arms to the early morning hours of 7: 30AM.
Two Hours Later, Dec. 24…
Christmas songs permeated every part of the house. Christmas themes as Jingle Bell, We Wish A Merry Christmas, Joy To The World and Noel were heard. Unlike yesterday, everywhere was booming with life, though there was no single Christmas decoration.
Tania and Juliana were done with breakfast and as usual, went off to play. Sean and Frances were in the house hoping, looking from all cardinals of the earth-north, south, east and west-for that miracle to make this year’s celebration a Christmas to remember.
1:00PM
“Honey, we don’t have to panic. We have to keep a positive outlook…Because a positive mindset produces a positive thought field and like a signal, it emits itself to the universe. The universe, you know, reflection of our being, sends to us what we attract-the right people, events and places. So, let’s go inside the bedroom as we observe our siesta, have fun with each other with the mindset or knowing that before tomorrow comes, we’ll have all that we require for this year’s celebration.”
“I agree with you, my love”, Frances said, hugging him passionately. She couldn’t just wait for them to go to bed! Eventually, the deed was done…
At about 9:58PM, when Tania and Juliana had long retired to bed and fell asleep, Sean and Frances were on the brink of losing out on hope when they heard a rather strange knock on their living room’s door, the entrance and exit points of the house. Meanwhile, the Christmas songs were being played; although very slowly because of the time.
“Sean, I could hear someone knocking on our door”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Sean”
Sean switched off the audio player to confirm Frances’ claim. He heard the knock again.
“Sweetie, go get the door”
“Okay”
Frances went get the door as Sean sat on the Master Size Sofa looking on. To their bewilderment, it was Ron! They realized that he didn’t just come alone: he came in the company of other men, ready to decorate the house with the best of up-to-date interior and exterior Christmas decorations.
“I can’t believe my eyes! This is Ron!”
Sean jumped out of his sitting position and hurriedly charged towards Ron, hugging him.
“Where have you been?”
“Man”, Ron replied, as the men dressed like the Santa Claus stared at them, “It’s quite a long story. Do you mind them coming in?”
“Of course…guys come in!”
The men positioned properly all the exterior decorations at the building’s front yard and took the interior decorations with them.
“Gentlemen, please do have your seats”, Sean requested, as excitement took complete control of him. “Frances, Serve them a glass of water…at least, you must all have something!”
Sean knew that all was settled. After they had been served each a glass of water, He didn’t waste much time to begin a discussion with Ron. Frances gladly took her seat at the dining room area to hear them discuss and observing all the decorations the men came with.
“Ron, how you’re doing? I tried looking for you all over the place, even in Long Island, but never thought you could disappear into thin air just like that”
“First, I’d say I’m sorry for what really happened. I thought the business would yield its anticipated success but my partners wanted to swindle me. But with my informants working for them, I was able to ensure that all went well. This came with a price, Sean…I had to live the comfort of my home and family and travel to Falk Island, where the business was later taking place. For the next ten months, I ensured everything went on as planned. Fortunately, everything went on as planned!”
“Woohoo!” Sean exclaimed. “This is incredible! This is a great feat!”
Frances couldn’t help but to express her tear-joy mood and the rest of the men, seven of them in number nodded their heads in happiness, chuckling at different intervals.
“Sean if you don’t mind, we would like you and your lovely wife to give us the permission to decorate the interior and exterior part of this house…”
“It’s fine by me! Frances, what do you think?”
“Honey, let them go head!”
“You have our words, Ron…Go ahead!”
Alright! Men, work starts now!”
For the next two hours, decorations were in progress-the interior and exterior parts of the building. All manner of Christmas lights, candles, bunnies, Christmas trees, toy versions of the Horses’ Rides, Amusement Park and others were all put in place. Sean and Frances, together with Ron saw to completion the decoration process.
“Merry Christmas” Ron said, shaking hands with Sean as Frances looks in awe at the building’s back yard. “All is finished! My men are done with the decoration… You, know Ron, we have to our leave.
“What can I say? It’s what words can’t explain…Frances, don’t you think we need to wake Tania and Juliana up from sleep? This is Christmas! This is a dream come true!”
“Yeah! You’re right!”
“Hurry up! Wake them now!”
Frances went climbed the staircase to wake her twin daughters in their rooms. Seeing that Frances had gone into the house, Ron took out something from his all-round jacket pocket a sealed envelope.
“Sean, I know I’ve been a disappointment to you these past few months and I know how much I’ve caused you and your family…”
“Never mind, Ron. It’s all happened in the past. Our concerns are today and tomorrow”
At this point, Sean was looking forward to what would in that envelope.
“I promised to make it all up to you…This is an envelope I specially sealed for your eyes only. Please, do me the favor of opening it.”
“Alright”
Sean opened the envelope and saw in it a check of one million dollars! Sean couldn’t believe his eyes.
“You must be kidding me!!! A check of one million dollars?!!! This can’t be true!!!”
“Shh! Hey, let no one hear this. You may tell Frances later. Once again, Merry Christmas to you and accept my apology… My manager is on ground for you to cash it anytime from now.”
“Wish you the same…Apologies accepted…Thank You…This wonderful…Exciting! I think you should be on our way to the bank. But let me message my wife…Hmmm…what do I say now… Yeah…Ron, call one of your men…the one you trust most. They are all at the front yard while we are here. Just would like him to tell my wife where I’ve gone to…the bank”
“But I’ve told you not to…”
“Don’t bother yourself” Sean interrupted, “Call that trusted man for me…”
“If you say so, no problem.”
Ron ran to call one of his workers but surprisingly saw Frances with her excited Tania and Juliana advancing towards him. As he halted, seeing that Frances and her daughter were standing opposite to him, he said: “Your husband and I are going to the bank right about now…There is an urgent call from my bank manager. See you later….”
“Let’s go together” She suggested.
“It’s not a bad idea”
It wasn’t long Ron, Sean, Frances, Juliana and the seven men drove off and hit the Oakland City Bank. As the cash was withdrawn, Frances and his family had to part ways with Ron and his men.
Three hours later, the Christmas celebration was heated up in the house like never before. No eyes went dim all through. It was fun all the way. Each and every member of the family couldn’t just wait for the breaking of the day…To catch the fun they thought they have for this year’s Christmas. Their building’s decorations were sights to behold: it was the most decorated in the whole Oakland!
From Dec.25 through to Jan.3, the following year, Christmas celebration filled their mouths and touched all fibers of their being.
At about 4:00PM at the Oakland Amusement Park, Sean said to Frances, as they observed their daughters having fun with other kids, “This is a Christmas to remember…the power of collective belief brought us this far… Yes, our countdown didn’t go as we expected but everything happened for a reason”
Copies of the book, ‘The Success Story’ are showcased in the living room. There are the first ordered one thousand copies, courtesy of the advanced payment money. Sales of copies of the book are ongoing. Dwellers from the same Gat Street are trooping into the house to purchase copies of the book.
At home, Andrew, Jane and the author himself, Greg, are on hand to monitor sales as neighbours come into their residence to order copies of the book. Mr and Mrs Smith are not left out. They are assisting in the sales of the work by ensuring the gate and the entrance to the Living Room is opened between the hours of 8:30AM to 8: 30PM from Mondays through Fridays. Copies of the books are rested on two wooden tables located just steps away from the gate, where Andrew is supervising and the one positioned at the door side of the Living Room, supervised by Jane. They are arranged in such a way that movements of book buyers, in and out of the apartment, will not be hindered. Each table has five hundred copies. The hundred free copies rests on the Center Table and it is only given out to family members, close friends, associates and well-wishers.
Andrew and Jane are to earn a commission of ten percent off the total sales for the week and have for free three copies of the book each, for a start. Greg reserves for himself ten copies, gives his mom and dad a total of eight copies, four each. Greg is left with eighty six copies of the book lying on the Center Table. Greg is moving around to ensure no interruption in flow of movement of people by his book and Jane and Andrew are doing what they are told. Mr and Mrs Smith, each having a copy of the book, are reading it.
Though there is the influx of interested book buyers coming in, three people, Mrs Smith is typically gazing at, entering the Living Room through the gate,appear familiar. One, a male, is the youngest and tallest. The other two appears to be his parents. The young man is at the middle. Mrs Smith drops the book she is reading on the Center Table to approach them closely. Mr Smith is concentrated in the reading of the book and does not have any faintest idea of what is going on. Greg holds a copy of The Success Story book in admiration and keeps it alongside the resting-on-the-Center-Table copies. His gaze is not in the same direction as his mom’s.
Mrs Smith realizes they are the duo of Mr and Mrs Daniels. The older female leave the older and the youngest males to charge towards Mrs Smith. They hug each other passionately.
Mrs Smith (looks at her properly): Mrs Daniels, is this you?
Mrs Daniels (identifies): Yes, I am. Full flesh and blood
She showcases her feminine physique to Mrs Smith.
Mrs Smith (comments): You never change from your old girlish ways
Mrs Daniels: I’m the girl about town, anytime!
Mrs Smith wants to confirm they are—whom she came with. The older one is taking his time to stylishly walk towards them. The youngest sights Greg and smiles, as he walks about the same pace with the older
Mrs Smith: Is that old man not your husband? Mr Daniels?
Mrs Daniels: Yes
Mrs Smith: Long Time, no see long time no hear
Mrs Daniels (laughs): It’s been donkey years. It’s been ages!
Mrs Smith yells the name of her husband, tells them—-the identified older one, Mr Daniels and the youngest to hasten up. She creates attention as every Tom, Dick and Harry in the building, including Greg, Jane and Andrew stand still to find out what’s going on. Greg has not seen his long-time-no-see friend, the young man, Harp. Harp has seen him but takes his time to suspiciously tip-toe his way from the door’s entrance to where Greg is.
Mr Smith (screams in excitement): Mr Smith, come and see our august visitor!!! Mr Daniels, why not hasten up and join us?
Mr Daniels hasten up and meets them at the Living Room few steps away from where the second wooden table is positioned. Mr Smith does same. Harp makes it to where Greg is sited—the long sofa, now reading his book. Harp watches his ‘’long time, no see’’ read his written book. He takes a copy and begins the reading, in hopes that Greg call his attention in surprise.
Mr Smith shakes hands with Mr Daniels. They hug each other. The women, Mrs Smith and Mrs Daniels accompany each other to the dining table to talk their talk—The Women Talk
Mr Smith (notices changes in Mr Daniels): How time flies! You used to be very chubby, young and sweet. But now, you’re ageing gracefully
Mr Daniels (admits): You man, how it is…Stress. Why won’t I age when I have chains of business to run and all that… And you know, women
Mr Smith: You need not to tell me
Mr Daniels: It’s really been a while, Smith. How is life?
Mr Smith: Trying to make ends meet
Mr Daniels (looks at his casual dress): Hmmm… I see
Mr Smith: I thought I wouldn’t hear from you again.
Mr Daniels: It’s not what it is, Smith. It’s just that the time for, you know, all that…
Mr Smith: All that what? I’m listening…
Mr Daniels: Never mind
Mr Smith: I guess something brought you here…
Mr Daniels: Yes, in a way
Mr Smith: No wonder they say ‘Success has many fathers, and draws family from afar but failure is an orphan’’. Now I see
Mr Daniels: You said it!
Mr Smith: Let’s make ourselves comfortable! We can talk more on this and other stuff.
Mr Daniels: Ok
They both head to take seats on the sofas, facing Greg and Harp who are sitting on the longest sofa. Sales are ongoing. Mr Smith and Mr Daniels are discussing issues but quietly to avoid by heard by Greg and Harp.Greg is about to stand up to stretch is body a bit when he sees a surprise, just staring at him but holding a copy of his book In his hand…Harp
Greg (shouts in utter disbelief): Who am I seeing? Is this Harp?
Harp (dressed in all black suit): Yes…This is Harp!
They shake and hug each other
Greg: Why didn’t you pay me a visit for once in the past three years?
Harp: I’m sorry. School issues and other things—like dad’s businesses
Greg: And you didn’t take a time-out to see me for three good years…You’re funny!
Harp: I told you I’m sorry
Greg (accepts his apology): You’re still my very good friend, no matter what!
Harp: You name is everywhere in school, libraries, media houses…Been to places and I’ve heard your name mentioned.
Greg: Thanks to the publicity and media coverage by my publisher, Creative Publishing Press
Harp: That’s good to know!
Greg: It’s been a three-year journey. Wished you were coming to visit me all these while…
Harp (feeling guilty): I know, Greg. I ought. However, I will make it all up to you.
Greg: Okay. By now, you should be done with school…I, for now, haven’t kept in touch with Dr Tim Yale
Harp (corrects): Prof Tim Yale
Greg: I see. Like I mentioned, I haven’t kept in touch with him except for the recent book signing at the school’s Main Library. It was an impromptu call from my publisher to do it there. Though Dr, oh sorry, Prof Tim was there, I didn’t even get to contact you. Look at me! Students from other departments bought copies of my book and I had some autographed.
Harp: You see… you were at fault. In fact, the last time you communicated with me was over the phone. But you didn’t give me details on what went down behind the letter of release…
Greg (admits): Yes, that’s another flaw. I agree with you. I felt it was a long story…What was important to me was the fact that I’ve been granted a release letter.
Harp: Hmmm…
Greg (Ponders): That reminds me…I’ve been thinking on the inside of me and I’m voicing it out: ‘’how did Harp locate this place? Without his locating this place, his parents wouldn’t know’’
Harp (Laughs): You’re funny man. Do remember when you scribbled your address at the ME Lecture Room?
Greg (closes his eyes as he remembers): Ahhh….Yes!
Harp: You get it now, Right?
Greg: I see
Harp: I need not to be explained to because your success is self-explanatory. My parents are here because I had to force them to come. They are one set of business people I’ve ever seen! Workaholics!
Greg: With the chains of businesses you dad has, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. That’s all I have to say.
Harp: In the next fifteen minutes or so, we’ll be out of here. Dad wants us to move to Burke County for a business deal. He’s using me as s front because I finally finished as the overall best graduating student. And based on my qualification as a trained mechanical engineer, he wants to secure the deal.
Greg: I understand. But I wished you stayed a bit longer. Business has to be attended to.
Harp: Thanks for your understanding!
Greg: Alright. Let’s read. I know you weren’t concentrating on the book you held in your hand. You wanted catch me unawares. You did. But let’s read…
Harp: You said it! I agree, let me read…More seriously
Greg chuckles as Harp takes the copy from the table to read. Mr Smith and Mr Daniel are seen exchanging contacts and business cards as they discuss. Their audibility is below the hearing reach of Greg and Harp, Mrs Smith and Mrs Daniels.This is ongoing for the next sixteen minutes. Books are being sold in twos, threes, fours, to neighbours and other buyers by Jane and Andrew. Mr Danielsstands up, shakes Mr Smith, alerts his observant wife and son, ‘’it’s time to leave for the deal’’. He checks his gold-coated Rolex wrist-watch. Harp takes his standing position and is being joined by Mrs Daniels. They meet at the Center Table area. Mrs Smith is still sited, as is her husband. But Greg is upstanding, side by side Harp.
Mr Daniels makes an informal closing speech to the hearing of the trooping-in book buyers. Majority of them are listening to what he is saying, though purchasing, but Andrew and Jane are in the business of sales of the book’s copies.
Mr Daniels (audible): It’s a great time being here. I’m happy that we’re all together again after a long time of absence.Success, they say, draws many family members from far and wide but failure keeps them at armslenght. It is with great joy to see Greg attaining this height of success. He’s a specially gifted young man. But the show of maturity this young man exhibited, in terms of giving up what he was excellent at to face his dream in a time as ours is something worth applauding. Now, I know success isn’t cheap…It comes with a price! Greg, congratulations on this great feat of yours. More powers, more grease to your elbows of aspirations in the future! I wish I had the time in the world to stay all day with you—this is a great family. Unfortunately, time is not our friend. My very good friend, since our schooling days at the University of Berth, is aware of this—or at least—-I told him how very pressing my schedules have been. I want to believe my wife has told his the same thing. Harp, I believe, would have told Greg the same. We have discussed at length—Mr Smith and me. The old memories are rekindled once again!
Of course, by we have discussed, I know better his current family as does he mine. Andrew, Jane and the big man himself, Greg…You’re making dad and mom proud!
As we take our leave, we want to support this celebrated young man, Greg, with a cheque of 80, 000 Talars
Mr Daniels hands over the cheque from his wife to Greg. Everyone under the sound of his voice clap hands. The ‘wow’ reaction is expressed obviously on the faces of Andrew and Jane as they take a look at the presentation of the cheque to their brother.
Mr Daniels (concludes):Twenty friends can be together in the same place for twenty years. But their coming together after over twenty years is indeed The Success Story.
Thanks for listening.
The trio of Mr and Mrs Daniels and Harp are leaving the Living Room. Applauses from people present at the time of his informal closing-speech presentation trail them. Greg accompanies them. He presents 18 copies of the book to them for free—-seven copies each to Mr and Mrs Daniels and four to Harp. Mr and Mrs Smith wave their hands to Jane and Andrew. They responded the same way.
Mr and Mrs Smith finally wave the ‘bye, bye’ sign at Mr and Mrs Daniels, together with Harp, at the gate. They wave back in a heartfelt way, and left…
THE END.
*Barrister Frank is not able to make it because he informed Mr Smith of an impending case he has to handle prior to the day of Greg’s ‘’at-home’’ book event.
EPILOGUE
The Publishing Company is making huge profits off the sales of Greg’s book, just a month after publication. People are massively ordering copies of the book. Young, middle aged and elderly people, organizations, mega bookstores, all ministries within Perth and outside the city are all ordering en masse copies of the 105-page book. Greg’s royalty promises to be very colossal. The company is currently scheduling various speaking arrangements, book signings, and TV and radio interviews for Greg outside Perth. The book has sold in the last four months over 300,000 copies. And still counting!
The University of Perth is currently strategizing on working out for the first time in its history the College of Creative Writing for students who intends to make writing as their career. Greg has just en conferred an honorary Doctorate Degree by the university with the intention of making him the first Creative Writing lecturer
Creative Publishing Press is working on publishing the other nine works by Greg, considering the success of The Success Story. Never Too Late and Dare to Come Back are the first two works of his undergoing production.
Barrister Frank is currently dating Pamela Jong, secretary, Creative Publishing Press, in secret.
Greg is currently in a serious relationship with Sandra Brooks, the younger sister to the publisher
The running of Mr Daniels chains of businesses falls is Harp’s responsibility.
The Smiths are regular visitors to the Daniels (vice versa)
Greg makes Jane his personal assistant. She’s through with her studies.
Andrew is working with Pearl Management Services, a company situated in the heart of Perth. The Daniels are looking at incorporating him in their business network.
Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood, our greatest weakness lies in giving up, but the most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.
Don’t stop trying, the future might be brighter.
Have a great day and a blessed week
E. Saunders
“after a few laps
we find ourselves wondering
why we race at all”
– anonymous, for Chris
#1 (Mother’s Day)
god, what was the name of that girl
I brought back to the office last night
I guess these sunglasses are mine to keep then
useless today but essential nonetheless
a traveling salesman artificially awake
a town I’ve never seen the rain an added effect
futile attempt supermarket bouquet in disarray
umbrella gone awry shivering & seated
in a church where they served me
good black decaf from the rectory
and the music they played upstairs
was loud and fast
a kind stranger said he’d wake me before
the train arrived and I believed him
a luxury though sleep
sandwiched between two
one singing Spanish hymns
the other spitting cherry pits into her palm
almost rhythmically
the elements delay commuters
distressing headlines serve as my protector
politically ambient yet I feel
lost in the weeds so to speak
instead sketching out the failed itineraries
of the vaguest days & editing irrational loves
for my submission to be the writer-in-residence
of the fast food district where
here at Wendy’s the chili
is still warm and benevolent
and when did they get hip to the stylings of Nick Lowe and New Order
while everyone I know is busy resisting themselves
to dust on feeds for all to see
ambivalent apparatus I still hate to even have
my picture taken I get that from my mother
among other things
her life lived offline
she may never see this
but she should know that
I do miss her cooking
when the rains fall hardest
#2 (Despicable me) “You are now listening to Whole Foods Radio.”
“I can’t dance. I can’t talk.” Would you like to try? To live & die by the organic olive bar,
distributing all-natural sugar-free release.
We sample & sample, but are reluctant to buy.
Mindless motions & scripted answers,
Yes, you can really taste the apples. free to craft sinister thoughts targeting nameless cashiers, soundtracked by the hits of late nite infomercials.
-Huh? Who said that?-
Rattled & rattling, the train towards home,
fixated on a small child speaking more
of I guess Chinese(?)
at the age of 4 than I will ever know.
Little fucker.
-What is going on here?-
Resentful, I want to punch the Hasidic man
seated across from me.
WAIT! Hear me out.
Let’s not jump to conclusions here.
You really should’ve seen this guy’s wife.
-Stop it, whoever you are!-
Stumbling through to my transfer, the angle of
my trajectory shows what looks to be
a set of conjoined twins singing R&B.
Some strange excitement envelops me.
Imagine the disappointment
washing over me to see
that they merely bought the same
ill colored sweater for this stupid act. Bitches.
-Please. I’m asking nicely.-
Home at last,
a bedsheet hung shoddily on the wall.
Workshopping pseudonyms,
scribbled Sharpie crossed-out, circled, starred.
The karaoke host calls for me by tonight’s name.
Sleepwalk through Margaritaville
(or something like that),
better to focus on the task at hand:
What is the most effective way
to throw myself through
that window and walk away
a transformed man,
the exorcism complete.
#3 ($1 Long Island Iced Teas, all month long at Applebees!) “While performing the duties of this job, the associate is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and talk or hear.”
the rain waited up for me,
& knew my train schedule home.
Shelter found in hell’s half acre.
Cash in your passion for the irony
of suburban discount cocktails
& reading closed captioning.
Failing at policing myself,
leave a 20 unknowingly
if only to catch my train,
demonstration gear in hand.
Only after my ticket punched
did I notice, my lazy nervous
sideways glances,
each gaze surrounding me set to screens.
I knew then, it to be, I wasn’t alone
on that sinking ship.
Naked, save our devices.
(supplemental readings upon request)
Binging on the grisly details
of small town murders and Top Chef.
Freshly posted baby pics in blur,
career opportunities.
Proximity-based dating apps
on speeding trains,
all the more reason
to revisit towns passed by.
Jessica, 32
3.5 miles away “I wish to be the cornerstone for a cowboy and guard love from harm with him.
Must love curves.”
Distance is seen through rate and time
but never forget to account for
the variable: who’s doing the measuring.
Judging profiles, it struck me, looking around,
that I simply cannot comprehend
the magnitude of complexities
in the human form.
More of you there where here I have less.
How do you do that with your tongue,
that “r” thing?
And so on,
reductio ad absurdum.
Set down your romance novel and ask yourself:
have you ever entertained the idea of
the Pope donning Levi’s,
or, say, Bob Dylan taking a shower?
Give it a shot, if only to distract yourself.
Sunset cuts through the manhattan mountains
Swipe right or left?
I looked again at a binary question
I hadn’t considered in so long.
Don’t you know, babe,
I’ve got a special notification set up
for you.
#4 (5′ 1″)
it’s not her fault really
throwing out the toothbrush left behind
she speaks I think it’s russian
comes by once a month
how could she have known
unsteady weightless
i need to get some air
sidewalk closed use pedestrian walkway
feeling stuck like birds in grand central
overslept if at all
waking up in shoes I didn’t leave wearing
front door ajar keys tbd
suburban bound new haven line
dim the screen swiping through
forensics they’ve estimated
the height of christ and I’m sure we all
look at ourselves how does one
process something like that
it appears i tried to pay someone last night
via venmo for tHe waay we uss ed to be
transaction denied
trash
weekly scan google my name + obituary
no relevant results
try it for yourself
curious there were four for hers
that’s a new way of looking at this
none of them were her of course
there’s still a possibility anything could happen
a delusion carried with me like the toothbrush
in my luggage fished from the trash
google search dental practices old judea
next stop mamaroneck.
Fuck.
I Really Hate you Christopher..
Jessica <pqa5r@aws.amazonaws.com>
To me.
Hey…I really hate you Christopher and u know why is that
just Don’t tell me u are the wrong person i know that u are Christopher Nold…
Sent from my iPhone.
on May 30, 2016, Mary and I walked to the bus stop on a chilly morning… we caught the 74 bus to the 46th Street light rail station in Minneapolis and from there it is five minutes on the train to the Airport… we got on our 9 a.m. flight to LGA with no problem… Mary ran into a friend on the plane and so we rode the bus together into Manhattan… it was a hot day and since we got off a few blocks away from our actual stop, we had our first opportunity to haul our carryon suitcases around by hand…
we took the downtown subway to Columbus Circle and walked to our Holiday Inn on 57th Street… after a rest and a cool down in the hotel, we contacted a friend of mine who lives in Manhattan and he came to the hotel where we met in the lobby… it was really good to have a chance to talk and so we walked looking for a dinner spot, no shortage of those in Manhattan… and settled on a little hole in the wall Cuban joint that seemed quiet and like a perfect place to talk… so we had no sooner made our orders and got down to serious conversation when the Cuban band showed up… they set up in about five minutes, turned their amps all the way to 10 and since conversation had become impossible, we ate up and left…
when I told him the story, my brother said that musicians seldom see their music as “background to conversation” and I think he may be on to something there… lol… anyway, we finished the evening with a great conversation sitting by an outdoor fountain… lovely ambiance, good conversation, a warm/cooling breeze and the towers of Manhattan all around…
the next morning, we walked to McDonalds for coffee and soda and then had a great hotdog for breakfast at the Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park… then with a few stops to sketch passers by, we walked across the park to the Metropolitan Museum of Art… I went to see my favorite old European paintings and then we spent some time looking at the Egyptian art… I love those amazingly intricate patterns of wings etc. painted in lovely watercolor touches all those years ago in the desert of Egypt… of the European paintings, my favorite is Oedipus and the Sphinx by Gustave Moreau… it is kind of odd and probably not a “great” painting but, it is to me an interesting one and one of the few pieces which that very strange painter actually finished… I love the red handled spear… well, I cannot explain this art stuff very well, I am afraid…
as the afternoon was wearing on, we took a bus downtown from in front of the museum and made it back to our hotel, collected our bags and headed for the pier… I chose this hotel because it was sort of cheap (for NYC) and only about six blocks from the pier… at the pier, we boarded the Princess Cruise Lines Pacific Princess… a smallish cruise ship that holds some 650 passengers… and of course, headed for the buffet… at 8 p.m., the ship left the dock and we sailed down along the edge of Manhattan… it was truly a spectacular sight with the sun setting behind Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty… and a cool breeze freshening as we sailed out under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge…
after a cool but pleasant day at sea, we arrived in Halifax… we walked through the port area of Halifax which is nicely fixed up with restaurants, a local marketplace and even a busker playing fiddle tunes for the tourists… from the dock area, we walked up the hill maybe half a mile to the lovely public garden… we walked around the garden and sat enjoying the wonderful fresh air and the warmth of the sun when it came through the clouds and the glorious flower beds… I know almost nothing about flowers, but agree that they are very pretty to look at and so we feasted out eyes…
then after a stop for sodas and coffee, we made our leisurely way back down the hill to the ship… it was a lovely day of walking in Halifax with great views out over the harbor… then we were five days at sea heading for Reykjavik, Iceland… it was chilly outside with high temps in the lower 50s, but we were prepared and so I enjoyed a brisk walk of two miles every morning on the walking track at the top of the ship… it was really nice seeing the gray ocean spread out to the horizon and buffeted by the wind which was pretty strong considering the ship’s motion added to the actual wind which was blowing a little bit… the sea was calm and on the way out of Halifax, we saw many humpback whales and dolphins… once we passed the grand banks, we saw little sea life… we spent the days mostly bundled up on deck five reading and drawing… it was great to be out in the ridiculously fresh air, hearing the waves crash on the side of the ship… we found sheltered spots on deck out of the wind and it was glorious… then after a day in the fresh air working on a drawing to go in to a lovely dinner with some very cool and interesting people who invited us to join their table… after dinner we would go to the show in the theater, turn our clocks ahead one hour and sleep like babies “cradled in the arms of the sea…”
in Reykjavik, we paid $30 each for one of the hop on hop off buses… so we rode the bus all around and saw the sights of the city… it was a lot of fun because the tour guide was a sweet young man who said it was his first day on the job and kept yawning because he had been too nervous to sleep the night before… he kept getting lost in his script… but he was such a jolly and pleasant kid that it was super fun… the bus was not heavily used, so on some of the legs, we were on alone with the guide and the driver… and we had a rollicking good time joking and laughing… as we went by the shopping center the driver stopped at a cross walk to let and elderly lady cross… when she got right in front of the bus she turned and gave us the finger… we all thought that was so funny that we almost split from laughing… especially because all of the Icelanders that we actually met were lovely and friendly, if a bit stand offish at first…
the second port was Isafjordur, Iceland… this is a small town of a few thousand people situated on a fjord with mountains streaked with snow all around… on shore, we found a small tour operated by a local farmer that took us around to some scenic spots, including a gorgeous waterfall coming down from the mountainside… we had scenic overlooks of the fjord and drove to the next fjord where I made a snowball out of mountain snow… he then took us to a small town for a look around and then to his farm where he showed us the nests of the eider ducks in his fields… when these ducks make a nest, they lay their eggs in eider down and when the chicks are old enough the nests are abandoned… the farmers collect and sell the eider down from the abandoned nests which is very valuable… we saw a nest with four little chicks cuddled very cozily into their eider down…
it was a cool, fresh, sunny day… the landscape was covered with wild flowers and flowering weeds and very pretty with lots of big spectacularly yellow dandelions… and of course the deep blue water of the fjords with the towering snow streaked cliffs rising from the sea…
the next stop was Akureyri, Iceland, a city of 18,000, so considerably larger than Isafjordur…
here we decided to walk so did a walking tour around the town which included a climb up the mountain to see the gorgeous botanical gardens and the views overlooking the fjord… after a lovely hike around the town and through a wooded, park area down the hillside, we still had some time before we had to go back to the ship so we stopped and used the last of our kroner to buy a very strange but delicious hot dog from an outdoor stand… there was a bus stopped near where we were sitting so we asked the driver how long it took her to make a complete circle back and forth around the town… she said 25 minutes, and since we had that much time we got on the bus (which was free) and had a ride through the residential areas all around the town and got to see people going about their business in Iceland which was kind of cool… the town was clean and neat and everybody we saw seemed affluent… children seemed nicely dressed and cared for and although there were apartment blocks there were lots of private houses looking not much different from those in Minnesota…
after Iceland, we had a day at sea (more drawing on deck)… then we arrived at Orkney Island which is part of Scotland… on shore there we found a nice inexpensive bus tour that took us to see the local sights… before we left on the tour, we walked around the town… they were having some kind of commemoration at the local church for animals killed in wars and five or six horse owners had their horses on the church lawn for the people to pet and admire… the horses were big browns and blacks with glossy coats and their manes were braided (except for one very pretty little Shetland pony who had one long braid in her bushy mane)… they were lovely animals, with sleek powerful looking muscles and heavy hooves, and it was fun to talk to the horse owners about their horses…
on the tour we went to the small town of Stromness were we walked and looked at the old buildings looking out on the little harbor and then had lunch at a picnic table in the sun… there was a chilly breeze off the harbor and we could see a large boat that looked like a ferry of some kind and smaller boats in the harbor in front of us… then we went to a prehistoric archaeological dig… called Skara Brae… which is an excavation of a stone village that was originally built around 3100 BC… from the size of the houses, I would guess that the people were fairly small and it was interesting to try and picture those little people working hard to pile these stones in careful rows to make walls to keep them warm and safe in that cold northern place… how hard their lives must have been… but I am sure that, like us, they had their joys to mitigate their hardships and sorrows… and probably lived rich lives fishing and tending their farms…
after a quick look through the manor house of Skail which is nearby, we went on to see the ring of Brodgar, a Stonehenge like circle of huge stones stuck upright in the ground… making a huge circle on an isthmus between two lakes… it is amazing to see these huge stones, to feel the smooth gray stone warm in the sun and wonder why those Neolithic people went to all this work to build these monuments… there are many theories but nobody knows for sure… we then went on to see the smaller Ring of Stennes which may be the oldest of the stone circles in Britain and may date back to the same time as the founding of Skara Brae…
the driver let those of us on the tour who were on the ship off at the end of the pier so we had a nice half mile walk back to the ship past the industrial and undeveloped areas of the port…
the next day we were in Dundee, Scotland… we walked to the tourist office in the center of town and they gave us a map with a nice walking tour of the town which we did… the highlight for me was a visit to their small and somewhat provincial art museum which had a magnificent Dante G. Rossetti painting of Dante’s Dream… I have been studying Rossetti and the Pre-Raphaelites for years and it is always a treat for me to see these paintings which are often found in out of the way museums in the UK and elsewhere… often museums which cannot afford a Matisse or a Jackson Pollock, so exhibit their Rossetti… after an hour or so of just feasting my eyes on this painting, we left and walked to the Jute factory… it was kind of sad really to see this monument to a business, the business of jute weaving, which used to be a big industry in Dundee but today is all done in India… like in Minneapolis, we have a similar museum dedicated to the history of the flour milling industry in Minnesota… I don’t know where flour is milled these days, but it is not in Minneapolis… it is like they are saying with these museums, “our city used to have great important work to do and this is how we did it” implying that whatever we are doing now is pretty much thumb twiddling…
at a museum dedicated to the explorers Shackleton and Scott, we saw the old ship Discovery, a polar exploration vessel from the early 1900s, a full rigged ship with steam power supplement… from childhood I have been fascinated by sailing ships and it was fun to imagine what a thrill it would have been for me at age ten or so to have actually stood on the deck of one of these ships and looked up at the rigging… imagine climbing out on one of those spars with nothing for support but a foot rope and the ship rolling wildly in stormy seas… yikes… I was glad to get back to the calm decks and dining rooms of the Pacific Princess… still there is something about those huge old wind driven machines that stirs me…
by the time we left Dundee, sailing south to Dover, it had warmed up a bit so we enjoyed our last sea day sitting on deck not quit bundled in every garment we owned… then we were in Dover and the cruise was over… we took a cab from the ship to the bus station and the bus to London Victoria Coach Station where we got another coach for Swindon at the edge of the Cotswold area of England… the British coaches are very cheap if booked in advance… we arrived at Swindon bus station in the rain but a friendly person helped us figure out which bus to take to our hotel and so we made it dragging our bags with only a minimum of soakage… our plan had been to rent a car in Swindon but when I saw the traffic in Swindon, I realized that my days of renting a car and navigating the roundabouts from the wrong side of the road are done… I did that many years ago with no problem with a car full of kids!! but I decided that driving, even in the rural areas would be too nerve wracking so we re-planned the visit by finding a bus to our hotel in the village of Lechlade… the hotel in Lechlade hooked us up with a local guy, an old retired guy with impressive mutton chops, who sometimes drove people around in his car for a cheap rate and so the first day we had him drive us to Buscot Manor about three miles from Lechlade…
Buscot Manor is an old house that has some murals by the Pre-Raphaelite painter Edward Burne-Jones… this series of four maybe 8×4 foot paintings with smaller panels between them is based on the story of sleeping beauty and was installed in the late 1800s… Mr. Burne-Jones was staying with his friend William Morris at the time in nearby Kelmscott and walked across the fields to work on the small panels between the main paintings… I have wanted to make the trip to see these in the original for years and was really impressed… in site, in the room, altogether, they are just ravishingly beautiful… if you like that sort of thing… which I do… I could write a lot more about the experience of seeing these lovely pictures and my thoughts on them, on the age and ideals they embody and on 19th century art in general, but I have said much of that elsewhere and this is already 5 pages long… the curator seemed surprised that I spent over an hour looking at the art in that room and then came back later, after our walk around the grounds to look some more…
just a few quick words about the paintings… I love how Burne-Jones painted the draperies, the shadows, the fall of light and how these paintings are poems in tone and the lovely color is only the icing on the cake… I think that this kind of artwork, where the medium makes images which do the work of what? conveying meaning? I’m not sure, but whatever it is that art does is done by the images which are made by the oil paint… in a work in the contemporary aesthetic, the work of the painting is done by the medium or more accurately by the object which is made of the medium and even if there are images it is the object that matters… paint on a surface, as my teachers used to say over and over and over, back in the 1960s… but then, maybe this is all wrong… i really do not understand art very well at all anymore… i used to think i had it figured out… lol now i do what i love and i love what i do… why not???
okay enough with the art talk… gibberish… we walked around the huge park of the manor, some of which is plantings of huge old trees and untrimmed English style gardens and also looked at the lovely flowers in the formal walled garden… by the time we made it back to the manor house, it was pouring rain and it was cool to be in that vast opulent old house with the rain pounding down outside and the high windows letting in a washed blue light in which the oil paintings just glowed like jewels…
the next day, we took the bus to Cirencester with a stop in the tiny village of Fairford to see the stained glass windows in the old church which dated from the 1400s… the old church glowed with light from the lovely if somewhat faded windows… and a musician was practicing on the keyboard which filled the space with lovely old Bach music… (the vast pipe organ was being refurbished…) the ride to and from Cirencester made me double glad that I did not rent a car as the roads were very narrow even outside of the towns and outside the towns cars went fast on roads that often did not have room for cars to meet but rather a place to pull over until the oncoming car had passed… Cirencester is a much larger city than Lechlade or Fairford and we enjoyed walking around the town, looking at some flower market stalls and watching the people window shop… we looked around the old yellow stone church and had a lovely dinner in one of the pubs… while we were in the pub it started to pour rain and it was kind of a fun ride back to Lechlade in the bus with the rain pouring down… it felt like we were in a submarine roaring through the walls of water down that narrow narrow road with on coming traffic missing us by inches… and green brushy hedges right at the side of the traffic lanes with an occasional glimpse through the leaves to the rolling green hills, fields and woods beyond…
the next day we spent the day down the road from Lechlade at Kelmscott… I will not go into the history of Kelmscott, the role it played in the life of Dante Rossetti and how he painted some of his strangest and most beautiful pictures there… pictures of his good friend’s wife with whom he was having an affair with the consent of the friend in the early 1870s when they spent months living together there… but, I encourage anyone who is interested to read the history, or more importantly look at the art… Kelmscott sits about a quarter mile from the Thames river which is about 30 feet across there and regularly floods the fields (which are called water meadows) and every few years, floods the manor house as well… it is a lovely old stone house, a large farmhouse really more than an actual manor house… and it was great for me to walk those rooms and get a feel for the place and its history… I have read so much about the place… and it was cool to actually be there, thinking about what those Victorian artists felt and did… I found myself contemplating the briefness of both art and life (Longfellow was dead wrong on that score)… amid the flower gardens and the ripe and abundant nature of rural England in summer… we were tired from walking and so spent the last hour before our ride came back sitting in the Gazebo, sketching and reading… with the flowers everywhere, the scent of roses and the beautiful old house sitting there before us in sunlight and shade, comfortable in its old stones… it felt very relaxing and right to be there….
I know that this Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite art is not to everyone’s taste and I am not sure why I dig it so much, but I do… different strokes for different folks, as we used to say…
the next day, the old guy gave us a ride into Swindon… it was Sunday so the bus to Lechlade did not run… we caught a bus back to Victoria Coach Station and from there made a connection to Birmingham… a long way around, but the coach was like $100 cheaper than the more direct train… and the long coach rides were like a tour of rural England… we saw lots of fields and woodlots and lots of sheep… the landscape reminded me somewhat of Central Wisconsin around Baldwin where I lived as a child… I think the landscape looks kind of similar, but the climate is a bit cooler there…
to my surprise I found Birmingham to be an nice clean modern city… we went to the art museum the next day in a light rain and enjoyed looking at a lot more Pre-Raphaelite art… I was absolutely blown away by a very large (like eight by twelve foot) watercolor by (again) Burne-Jones…
well, this is getting way too long but that afternoon, we took the bus back to London Victoria, walked to Hyde Park Corner and caught a Piccadilly Line train Hounslow right near Heathrow were we stayed for one night… had a great Pakistani dinner for two pounds fifty, a free breakfast the next morning and caught the tube for Heathrow… then 8 hours over the North Atlantic to Detroit and two hours back to MSP… where we arrived home Tuesday evening…
