anecdotes

The story behind the story: The Wildebeest

by Martin Day

Back in the early 70s, there was a trend for collecting weekly magazines that would bind into book volumes by threading strips of metal through the staples. The publisher would give the hardback covers away for free. It was a clever way to sell encyclopaedic volumes, in instalments, that you would never buy outright. They tended to be educational too, which appealed to my parents. My choice was the World of Wildlife series, which built into twelve volumes (with a thirteenth index volume given as a reward for staying the course).

I loved animals and devoured each magazine as it arrived. The first three volumes were about African creatures. I had a poster of a young cheetah on the wall at the foot of my bed. And this was where I first learned about the great migration of the Wildebeests. Vast herds of these animals galloped through my imagination, plunging into the crocodile-infested waters of the Mara River.

The story behind the story: The Cat

by Martin Day

Some people like change, and some like to keep things the way they are. How do you feel when you are faced with a new phone, laptop or computer system you have to work with? Do you dive straight into all the new features and functionality, or do you first just set things up the way you’ve been used to? I know which I think is more common.

When I worked in IT, I was tasked with delivering a document imaging project. It was going to make a big difference to the managers in the company, but for the invoicing department in Glasgow, well, there was no win for them, just one extra thing for them to do. So they dug their heels in.

“All you have to do is peel the sticker off this reel and stick it on the invoice,” I told them.

“How’s the one-armed man going to do that?” they replied. And they were serious; there was indeed a one-armed man.

The story behind the story: The Horse

by Martin Day

The Horse

I grew up as an only child living in a village unromantically called West End. One year, for my birthday, I asked for a map, because I wanted to know everything about where I lived. What I got was a detailed Ordnance Survey map, and on it I found that my road was smack in the middle of an area called Donkey Town. I had never heard anyone in the village use the name, but this instantly seemed a more interesting and mysterious place to be.

My next-door neighbour was the closest thing I had to a sister, and she was mad about horses. We must have been maybe 7 or 8 when we started horse riding lessons. This involved climbing on top of these enormous beasts and being led through the woods at walking pace. Things didn’t move quickly enough for me. They wouldn’t let me gallop and jump over things, so I gave up lessons and left my neighbour to it.

The story behind the story: The Mackerel

by Martin Day

The Mackerel

Elmer is a village on the south coast of England. My family have been fortunate enough to know three families who have either lived, or had holiday homes, there and who have been kind enough to lend us their properties. So we have been able to spend several holidays and retreats by the sea. Beach-wise, it is something of a secret location. On what would otherwise be a monotonous coastline, the council have dumped barrows of rocks in the sea to protect the coast from wave erosion. Where the sea does get through, a series of charming sandy crescent bays has been created.

The story behind the story: The Crab

by Martin Day

Did you know that snakes and lizards are not the only creatures that shed their skins, allowing them to grow bigger? That big, dead spider you found in the corner of your bathroom is, in all probability, just a discarded old exoskeleton. There will be an even bigger spider, still alive, somewhere in your house! I’m sorry to be the one to break it to you.

The story behind the story: The Mynah Bird

by Martin Day

When I was around the age of ten, my parents told me that they had been talking with a curious little man at their church. (He either has a withered arm from polo or a wooden leg. My memory is hazy on the details.) He had a parakeet, and because of his circumstances, he was having to give it up. Would I like it, they asked me? Would I?! For me, having such a pet would be tantamount to being a pirate.

Surprise Talents

by Martin Day

Hidden treasure — We each have a hidden treasure

Have you ever had that experience when you discover that someone you thought you knew pretty well turns out to have an exceptional talent? By that, I mean it is the kind of talent that isn’t obvious in their everyday life. It could be in such areas as impressive artistic ability, an extraordinary dancer, a magical singing voice, or remarkable sporting prowess. It comes as some surprise, doesn’t it?

My first such experience was of making friends with a guy at Sixth Form College. I got to know him over a couple of months. But then, one day, he mentioned that his band was doing a gig at the college the next week.

“You’re in a band?!” I exclaimed. “Why did I not know this about you? It would have been the first thing I would have expected you to tell me.”

First on the Scene

by Martin Day
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“Martin, stop!” says Jill, with an air of urgency. But I have seen the same thing at the same time. I slow the car, scanning the scene ahead, trying to absorb the scene before me. “Right, I just need to …”. I am searching the dashboard for that elusive, rarely used button with the triangle on.

And I’m checking the road behind me in the mirror – I don’t want to become part of the accident too. There. My hazard lights are on now, and there is no one else behind me. It’s only just gone six in the morning. It would have been a different story later in the day with the road full of holiday traffic. I open my door, not what I would usually do in the inside lane of a fast dual carriageway. “Give me your phone,” says Jill. I’ll call the police”. I’m not surprised that Jill takes the admin role. She knows she’s no good with blood.