Minutes of the meeting at La Rosa Hotel on the above date.
Present: Adele, Harry, Jenny, John, Pip, Ian (chair).
Apologies: Gill, Jonathan, Karen, Kaz, Lesley, Michele.
Topic: Members’ work-in-progress.
Matters Arising
Ian reminded the meeting that this was the last-but-one meeting before the August recess. The first meeting of September cannot be held at La Rosa because the venue is booked for a wedding. The meeting felt that WWG should meet anyway, and Ian proposed the Captain Cook Bar of the Royal Hotel. There is a side room next to the bar proper that is hardly ever used.
Members’ Readings
Adele — read a further instalment from her Covid Diary, commencing at 20 January 2022.
The PM has been accused of blackmailing Tory MPs calling for his resignation over illegal parties during covid lockdown, by threatening to starve the MP’s constituency of government funds. “More like a Mafia boss than [a British politician]”. Sue Gray’s report is expected out soon. More illicit gatherings at No.10 have come to light.
In Northern Ireland, covid “passports” will no longer be required in cinemas, but they still would be in bars. The author conjectures that “covid” has been falsely listed as the cause of death by several coroners recently: it was not easy to guess why.
On a personal note, there has been a catch-up with the family after the cancelled party over Xmas. Everyone has agreed to move on.
Jenny — continued reading from her period novel in-progress based on the historical figure of Mary Eleanor Bowes, the heiress of a vast fortune from the Durham coalfields. Irish soldier-of-fortune Andrew Stoney has taken both heiresses, Hannah and Mary, to dinner, one on each arm. The Earl of Strathmore arrives to take Mary home, and to signal his arrival a lackey puts his head round the door and whistles. Mary observes to the company that she is called like a dog these days. But she and Andrew have taken a liking to each other.
Pip — read a further chapter from her memoir in-progress: Caicos Moon, describing her coming-of-age on a Caribbean island. The journey to South Caicos is long and difficult, but some of her relatives manage it. Notably Grandma, who is much taken with Gus the coastguard. Plus cousin Valerie, who is recuperating, and spends much time walking Bella the dog in the hills. Also the author’s brother Peter, a rubber planter with six months’ holiday, who is the proud owner of a ticket for unlimited international travel on scheduled flights.
The author receives a bequest from a deceased family member and plans to buy her own air-rover ticket. But her brother and parents collude to persuade her to spend the money instead on college qualifications to enable her to realise her dream of joining the merchant navy as an officer.
Harry — distributed a printout of a further instalment of his seagoing memoir, which he read aloud.
The Malakand’s radar continues to malfunction, the previous radio officer having been unable to fix it. The author suddenly realises what the cause is. He replaces a faulty resistor and restores the radar to working order, a feat which impresses the captain.
John — continued with his novel in-progress Jack the Painter, jumping ahead to the final chapter. It is dawn on 1 November. Having spent the night trading stories at Porthsmouth docks, the ghost of Jack leaves the suicidal hero, who finds the will to live returning to him. He decides to return to Durham by bus, and gets into conversation with the passenger in the next seat.
The meeting then had a wide-ranging and heartfelt discussion about PTSD and its prevalence among returnees from major wars, plus what amounted to a universal conspiracy to keep silent about their experiences.
Ian — continued reading from The Earthspot: A Spookie & Dyspepsia Story.
Spookie’s explosive experiment in the back yard has had two outcomes: a bill from the neighbours for damaged windows, and a mystery spark that Spookie has captured in a tiny bottle of water. It entertains the two friends by floating up and down constantly. They tap the bottle frequently to prevent the spark touching the glass and getting snuffed out. Spookie lets Dyspepsia takes the bottle to school to keep it tapped all day. But Teacher confiscates it to ensure Dyspepsia’s attention in class.
Inside Teacher’s desk the spark melts its way out of the bottle, burns through the class register, the bottom of the desk, the plastic floor tile beneath the desk, and then vanishes. Back home Spookie opines that it’s the last they will hear of it. It will in time become apparent how wrong she is.
The meeting closed at 12:55 PM.
Whitby Writers Group 