In Serious Humour …

Blog 47 – In Serious Humour – Spot the intentional porkie pie and Ms Paige Turner will send you a serious short story from her soon to be E-Published collection – Serving Bluebird Pie.

I am in serious humour – forgive the oxymoron – but for various undisclosed reasons, I just am this bi-month.
I’m not unhappy; I just need a break from ‘the jest’ and I’d like to pay tribute to some writers for various and disclosed reasons. The first is to an absolute gentleman I had the pleasure of meeting last week. He was a ‘Write Beginner’ at The Gerrard’s Cross Summer School. This was my third visit as a Creative Writing Tutor to the Summer School and I shall never forget this particular writer. He was first to arrive, sprightly enough, up the double set of stairs. At each break time, he was first back and in place at the appointed time. ‘Time’ was, it seemed, of essence for him and ‘punctuality’ also. For those of you who know me a little, you’ll know that time and punctuality means a great deal to me. Time’s the one and best thing you can give people or yourself and it’s not for wasting. I guess this writer felt the same way. I noticed he had purchased some books on the Second World War. He said he liked History. On further probing I discovered he had fought in the New Zealand Army during World War 2 and had no male relatives as his father and uncles died at Gallipoli. I ventured to ask his age. 98.
I was humbled. He won’t read this – he’s not on the internet. He uses a word processor though. He’s in the middle of his novel.
I’m humbled also to be tutoring my youngest writer ever: ten years old. She’s serious, Miss G, very serious about her writing, which you can imagine, has a freshness we would like to emulate. I hope she has many ‘wordy’ years ahead of her. I have a feeling she will be contributing more than a variety of shades in various colours to our reading lives in the future.
I also hope that Miss Z passes her GCSE English Lit well. I spent May days with this fourteen year old simultaneously holding our breaths as Maupassante spun his tale of ‘The Necklace’ binding us both in common suspense until Guy’s twist was revealed.
I’m probably a little serious as Miss Trial and Master Mind got married in Cambridge a couple of weeks ago and riding the gamut of emotions has made me a little dizzy. And it’s a sobering thought (maybe I need more of those these days) that I’m closer in age to 98 than to10.

There are still places on the Wednesday morning – Creative Ink for Writers – autumn term at the Fitzwilliams Centre, Beaconsfield – classes beginning October 17th.
‘Get that Book’ workshops in Beaconsfield on Tuesday 14th and Wednesday 15th August. Book on 0845 045 4040
Missenden Abbey talk – Patricia Sentinella and me reading from Pat’s collection – Dear John, Dear Anyone …on Thursday 16th August at 8.15pm.
Last month’s fib was ‘snot en trane’ so Mr Double Cream from Uxbridge won it.