“When I was very young we used to have an outside toilet and I remember being scared that a big spider or rat would come and visit while I was taking care of business yet at no time did I think it odd that the toilet was in the garden. My brother and I used to have our baths in the kitchen sink and again it all seemed perfectly normal. We used to play in the street because there were hardly any cars and when the man who lived a few doors down picked up the local children to let them sit in the back of his open bed truck while he drove down the hill no one shouted “paedophile!” at him. It was a glorious experience sitting in the back of the truck feeling the wind rush throw my horribly styled hair at a maximum speed of ten miles an hour…”
“…I remember snow very vividly and being able to build a Dad sized snowman and then roll his head down the hill just before the global warming melted him- in those days global warming was called the Sun. I have not seen ‘proper’ snow for many years and my children (3 and 6 years old) have never experienced not being able to walk properly because the snow is up to their knees.”
Available for free by emailing shaun (at) mailstm.co.uk.
Feedback
"i have read your book on my laptop ... 2X and i love it and would not
change anything ... you are as is have always suspected ... don
quixote ... reincarnated chasing digital windmills
this should be chapters 1,2,3 of a much longer book... keep writing" Wallace
"I just wanted to send you a short note of appreciation for making your book available for free. I enjoyed it a lot (as evidenced by the odd looks I get from my wife because she seldom sees me laughing while reading).
You very accurately described "our" generation - I was born in 1968, also have 2 kids who we thoroughly spoil with material goodies, and also have begun to long for "the good old days".
And it's not only the stuff and iconic devices that hit home with me, it's also the beliefs, doubts, and debates that you shared in your book that resonated with me. It's uncanny that even though I live half a world away from you (I'm from the Philippines), I can still relate so closely to your writing. (You made me feel guilty about passing and being annoyed by the occassional stalled motorist ...)
Well, my short note is becoming not so short anymore =) I hope that you don't mind the smiley and that I didn't miss any punctuation. (At least I'm sure I didn't say gr8 ...)" Larry