Friday, July 02, 2010

edge, fairy story, shouting



















Posted by PicasaThe edge of the Isle of Wight.

When I return to the table where we are sitting outside the Seaview Hotel, Heidi says: "You have missed two things. First, a duck flew straight down the road between the houses. Next,  came a beautiful lady  on a horse. She was blond and was sitting straight  - upright the way English girls are taught to do". At first, I feel sorry that I have missed the duck and the pretty lady, but then I think to myself, if I had seen them, the event would have been less of a theme round which to weave a fairy story.

On the the last leg of our journey home on the train from Charing Cross, a small child shouts almost continuously. It is not crying, but shouting possibly with joy, but shouting nevertheless, to the full extent of its little lungs. I ask myself, what is the best way to stop children (and grown ups for that matter) needlessly shouting. The solution, I think, and feel better for it, is to speak to them very, very softly about something close to their heart.

3 comments:

Roderick Robinson said...

And isn't that the ghost of Terence Rattigan over there in the corner, taking notes? Or are you the ghost of Terence Rattigan? The Seaview Hotel, forsooth (a word I'm getting to like); the name says it all. I need to ask Heidi a question: do other nationalities crouch?

Mrs BB on The Anthologist: "A remarkable book." With which I concur.

Lucy said...

I love the remedy for shouting. I will try to bear it in mind around any noisy and vexatious persons, large or small, I come across!

(WV - noxemeti, the proximity of noisy or noxious persons?)

Unknown said...

BB Among fellow guests was a QC engaged during the day in defending or prosecuting someone in court. As a Welsh QC he might very well have stood in for Emlyn Williams who I once saw on stage playing a Welsh QC in Rattigan's play the Winslow Boy.

I'm so glad that you and Mrs BB enjoyed The Antholgist. It grew on me as I read it and still does in my memory.

Lucy Noxemiti seems far too widespread. Welcome to the campaign to limit it