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let's have a laugh

salsal
edited February 2006 in - Writing Tales

Comments

  • We have heard the brains, the brills, the fantastic stories now lets hear the funnies, the comedians. Though keep it nice and friendly, as usual.  For example, I'll kick it off with,
      As a new writer,I once trembled asking a celeb.what kept him going at his profession at such an advanced age. He lifted me onto the nearest high wall and looking into my face he said, 'Breathing, girl.  Breathing!'
  • Hi Sal. I'm not sure if this is what you had in mind but I once had the fantastic experience of having coffee with William Golding along with a small group of my students who were studying Lord of the Flies for GCSE. In the middle of a captivating discussion as to why there were no girls in the story his wife came in, listened for a few moments then declared, "Oh no, not that boring book again!". When she had left Golding lowered his voice and said "It may be boring but she forgets it's paid the rent for years."
  • Great anecdote Howard
  • This is second hand, but echos the rent comment. Simon Brett came to talk to our club last summer and told the story about one of his works made into a film. It starred Michael Caine and he didn't think it too good, but his other half said something like,'remember the conservatory',the money from it had been used for the conservatory. I suppose if it makes money and you have a continual reminder of what it brought you, you can put up with the bad bits.
  • I love all these stories.  It also reminds me of the absolute joy when I bought my first car out of my writing money-a Hillman Imp for £20. It was great for when anyone sniffed down at me for becoming a writer. I just had to point at 'Darcy' and say 'beat that working at tesco's then.'
  • Wow! A car for only twenty quid!!! Reminds me that I bought a puppy with the proceeds from my columns in a newspaper. When my little dog died after 8 years I adopted her name as my writing pseudonym. 
  • I'm tickled by the idea of a car called Darcy, Sal. Do men ever give names to their cars? I never have, but if I did it'd be something like Tess or The French Lieu.. etc.
  • Nop, my car is just 'my car'. I find it hard to get excited about a car that will end up as rust one day. I'm only interested in the car getting me from A to B.
  • Me too, Stan, but if I did have to name my car I would avoid calling it Ophelia because it would be likely to break down or Anais because it might be a bit too racy. (Okay, I can hear the groans from here, so I'll get back to work!)
  • GROAN! GROAN! GROAN!
  • Our first car's registration number was 127EAU so we called it Walter. (It cost us £3.)
  • I don't suppose it matteau's that you called it Walter. (Sorry Dee, I just like to hear Stan groan!)
  • Action replay for Howard: GROAN! GROAN! GROAN!
  • Have to admit to having called various of my cars names but not words that can be repeated. Usually happens when mechanical problems occur.
  • Do you remember Basil Fawlty, Jan? "Start! Start, you vicious bastard! Oh my God! I'm warning you, if you don't start .... I'll count to three: one, two, three - right, that does it! I'm going to have to give you a damn good thrashing!"
  • Remember it Howard?

    It's just possible he witnessed my "consternation" one day and copied the performance for that scene.

    My experiences were, mainly, in the days of only being able to afford cheap second-hand cars. Why did they always fail on important journeys like business meetings and family festivities?
  • Yep!  Darcy was my pride and joy-the prejudice side came from the Crestas and Zephyrs who used to look down their nose at us and snigger. I also had a Mini called Carburetta Jones-but I am more civilised now, and we just say 'the car'
  • Yes Jan
    Know what you mean about the family cars.  Ours was a no-name wonder of the road too. Oh so, my man convinced me. But...has anyone else spent eighteen hours on the old A48 pushing the 'latest model' from Oxford to Swansea?  Answers on a post card please as HE has still to recover from the names I gave HIM
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