by main | Nov 21, 2022 | Writing
I have always loved the sea and the seaside. I grew up in London and, more often than not, when we were young, a day trip to the beach meant going south to Winchelsea, near Rye in Sussex. The last few miles were magical, going down winding roads between fields of...
by main | Nov 21, 2022 | Writing
‘Can I get you a cup of tea?’ ‘Thank you, dear.’ Mrs Anne Fitzgerald, widow, 76, of Norbury, south London, sat upright in her chair in the interview room, facing across the table from staff sergeant PC Duncan Meadows, married, 45, of Sutton. Although she had insisted...
by main | Nov 21, 2022 | Writing
Shortly after daybreak, I notice the eighties clock on the wall. It’s not much to look at – a dirty, cream near-square covered in clear plastic. The way it divides into compartments reminds me of an airline meals tray. The main course is the clock itself; the hands...
by main | Nov 21, 2022 | Writing
Walking home one late afternoon, I was surprised by the incongruous sight of a mackerel on the pavement. I mean, I’ve heard of times when it has rained fish, but in this country? In Yoro, Honduras, it’s an annual event that’s been happening for centuries, due to the...
by main | Nov 21, 2022 | Writing
‘Anyone near Streatham Common? Streatham Common anyone?’‘Courier 89.’‘Courier 89. You want Bill and Doris in the Saloon Bar of The Pied Bull.’‘Courier 89. Roger.’ It’s approaching 10.30 pm on a balmy mid-summer’s night in south London in the late 1980s. I’ve been at...