RENAMING MY CHILDREN

My daughter called me this morning and told me that No2 son was assaulted last night. He’s alright, just a bit battered and bruised, and not robbed. He lives in high block of flats in Glasgow near the Rangers football ground. She said that he was approaching the block when 2 young men and a girl stopped him and asked for cigarettes, then money, then tried to take his bike from him. He’s 25 and usually pretty hyper-sensitive; I am so glad that he dealt with this the way he did - it could’ve been deadly serious. One of them punched him in the face, there was a scuffle, and the girl smashed a bottle and threatened to stick it in him! My son told them he didn’t want to fight them and somehow got away into the concierge’s reception area. It’s all on cctv. The police were called and they were all arrested, but now he doesn’t want to return to the flat; he hated it there anyway. So, now he’s in my new little flat! Him, and his slovenly ways in my nice fresh bed-linen is not a happy image. I’m sending my daughter with him tomorrow to see the housing association and get him sorted out with somewhere else to live. That’s all I need; him and his music blasting the brains and patience out of my new neighbours, getting me evicted before I’ve even properly lived there!

Though, I think he is a little better in the loud music area than he used to be; he has grown-up, ever so slightly. I won’t be back in Glasgow till the end of July but he could make a real mess in that time. He’s definitely not staying there all that time. I know I sound harsh, but I have reason. I’ll feel better if he goes to live nearer his brother, up at Loch Lomond; he spends a lot of time there anyway. He drives my daughter mad most of the time so she’d prefer it if he was over there.

I suppose I should give my children names; this blog is about my life and I don’t want to publish other people’s activities so all living friends have new names. The dead are real.

I hereby name my daughter AMAZON; No1 son will now be known as TOCTOC; and No2 son can only be the MUSICIAN – he plays keyboards.

EXCITING THINGS COMING UP:

The last few pages of my Wilbur Smith A Sparrow Falls

Time off - out tomorrow! One of the sons will be here so I can spend a couple of hours in Honiton (one of the nearest small towns) spending some of my hard-earned cash – probably on more books, in my favourite charity shop. By the way, I got £21 for my little book of sea shanties on ebay. It’s on its way to San Francisco.