Short Stories
Cinderella and Her Sisters
(Screenplay - Scene 1)
- a story about three sisters in modern times
Coffee Shop Blues
- a story of a difficult relationship
The Shop Assistant
- a story of a young woman working in a jewellers
Raging Balls - The Snooker Final
- a story set during a Snooker World Championship
The Hat and the Actress
- a true story of a bookshop encounter
Kathleen Turner - a London crossing
- a true story of a passing encounter
Kylie Minogue on King's Road?
- a true story of a surprising sight in London
Anjelica Huston on the King's Road
- a description of a walk on the King's Road in London
Script extracts:
Cinderella and Her Sisters, Scene 1
- setting the scene and a simple trick
Scene from a Sitcom - Market Traders
- a sitcom about share dealers
Essays:
Rules of Life: No. 1, Time Never Stops
- the problems of time
Hackney Riots, August 2011 - a personal view
- a personal description of the day of rioting
SPOTY - BBC Sports Personality of the Year
- why no women!
Ideas:
List of Movie and Sitcom ideas
Monday, 26 December 2011
Monday, 5 December 2011
SPOTY - BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011
The BBC Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) is an odd award. It used to be an open vote by the public but then it was decided to have a shortlist decided on by experts to avoid campaigns for obscure sportsmen such as an angler one year.
This year's shortlist is all male and there has been some fuss that no women have been included. Of the 10 on the list, 3 are golfers, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke who both won majors and Luke Donald lead the American Tour moneylist and is ranked No. 1 in the world. There are 2 cricketers from the Ashes series, Andrew Strauss the captain amd Alastair Cook the top run scorer, with England ranked the top country in Test matches. World champion athletes Dai Greene and Mo Farah, World Champion boxer Amir Khan and World Champion cyclist Mark Cavendish are included on the list. Andy Murray appears to be the odd one out on the list as he has not won a Grand Slam tournament, but he had a good year winning several tournaments and his best overall performance in the 4 Grand Slame events reaching 4 semifinals and 1 final. With the standard of Men's tennis at the moment that is a great performance and 4th in the World rankings in such a major global sport is equivalent to World Champions in other sports.
Thus the 10 chosen are all great sportsmen. It is noticeable that there are no footballers despite the fact that footbal is considered the biggest professional sport in this country. Similarly there are no rugby players, even though Wales had a good Rugby Union World Cup. There are even no drivers from motor racing, normally providing a leading contender to the award.
As regards the women, there were a few who were unlucky not to be included. Sarah Stevenson won the World Taekwondo Championships at her weight last May. It is not a very prominent sport in this country and some may have forgotten about her win by now. In swimming there was some good performances with Keri-Anne Payne winning the 10K open-water event and Rebecca Adlington again winning a gold at the World Championship. However there did not seem to be an overall outstanding performance by a sportswoman so although some women received votes none of them made the shortlist. Adlington came nearest but she had done better in previous years and like others she is preparing for the Olympics next year, so may not have been at her best this year.
Also women's sport is not as prominently covered as men's, For instance in football and cricket the women's teams had a good year with little coverage in the media. The greater interest in the male sporting arenas is reflected in awards such as this.
Overall it is a strong shortlist with more World Champions then in previous years and reflects a very good year for British golfers and cricketers. No doubt it will be a very different list next year after the Olympics with sports such as yachting and rowing being more prominent. No doubt there will be at least one female representative on the list as the London games will provide a chance for women to do well in a prominent arena. There may even be disabled athletes from the Paralympics. Perhaps even a footballer after the Euro 2012 finals.
It has though been a strong year for Britsih sport and perhaps extending the shortlist to 12 would have made the list more representative. Personally my choice to win the award this year would be Mark Cavendish who has had such a great year and has established himself as one of the top sprinters in road racing of all time.
More info:
BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011
Votes cast for SPOTY
Update 22 December: The cyclist Mark Cavendish won the vote on the night with 169,152 votes, 49.47% of the total votes cast for the 10 candidates. The next highest was Darren Clarke with 42,188 votes (12.34%).
This year's shortlist is all male and there has been some fuss that no women have been included. Of the 10 on the list, 3 are golfers, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke who both won majors and Luke Donald lead the American Tour moneylist and is ranked No. 1 in the world. There are 2 cricketers from the Ashes series, Andrew Strauss the captain amd Alastair Cook the top run scorer, with England ranked the top country in Test matches. World champion athletes Dai Greene and Mo Farah, World Champion boxer Amir Khan and World Champion cyclist Mark Cavendish are included on the list. Andy Murray appears to be the odd one out on the list as he has not won a Grand Slam tournament, but he had a good year winning several tournaments and his best overall performance in the 4 Grand Slame events reaching 4 semifinals and 1 final. With the standard of Men's tennis at the moment that is a great performance and 4th in the World rankings in such a major global sport is equivalent to World Champions in other sports.
Thus the 10 chosen are all great sportsmen. It is noticeable that there are no footballers despite the fact that footbal is considered the biggest professional sport in this country. Similarly there are no rugby players, even though Wales had a good Rugby Union World Cup. There are even no drivers from motor racing, normally providing a leading contender to the award.
As regards the women, there were a few who were unlucky not to be included. Sarah Stevenson won the World Taekwondo Championships at her weight last May. It is not a very prominent sport in this country and some may have forgotten about her win by now. In swimming there was some good performances with Keri-Anne Payne winning the 10K open-water event and Rebecca Adlington again winning a gold at the World Championship. However there did not seem to be an overall outstanding performance by a sportswoman so although some women received votes none of them made the shortlist. Adlington came nearest but she had done better in previous years and like others she is preparing for the Olympics next year, so may not have been at her best this year.
Also women's sport is not as prominently covered as men's, For instance in football and cricket the women's teams had a good year with little coverage in the media. The greater interest in the male sporting arenas is reflected in awards such as this.
Overall it is a strong shortlist with more World Champions then in previous years and reflects a very good year for British golfers and cricketers. No doubt it will be a very different list next year after the Olympics with sports such as yachting and rowing being more prominent. No doubt there will be at least one female representative on the list as the London games will provide a chance for women to do well in a prominent arena. There may even be disabled athletes from the Paralympics. Perhaps even a footballer after the Euro 2012 finals.
It has though been a strong year for Britsih sport and perhaps extending the shortlist to 12 would have made the list more representative. Personally my choice to win the award this year would be Mark Cavendish who has had such a great year and has established himself as one of the top sprinters in road racing of all time.
More info:
BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011
Votes cast for SPOTY
Update 22 December: The cyclist Mark Cavendish won the vote on the night with 169,152 votes, 49.47% of the total votes cast for the 10 candidates. The next highest was Darren Clarke with 42,188 votes (12.34%).
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Hackney Riots, August 2011 - a personal view
The first indication of trouble to me was that the announcement that the library would close at 4.30. There had been the trouble in Tottenham on Saturday and reports of incidents in Wood Green and other places on Sunday. Now on the Monday it was spreading to Hackney. As I left the library there seemed to be a certain tension. I walked down towards the railway line it was noticeable that shops had closed early and put their shutters down. A newsagentts was still open but the owner was at the door assessing the situation. By the railway line there was some activity of youths and the police were taking an interest. Wanting to avoid any trouble I headed away back in the other direction going south down Mare Street. There seemed to be a lot of people going the other way. Many of them seemed just curious as to what was going to happen but they were all a bit excited that they might see some action.
Having got home, I decided to see if there was any news of trouble in Hackney on the TV. YThe first pictures I saw on the BBC News channel where overhead pictures of what turned out to be Mare Street where I had just been. There were close up pictures from a helicopter so it took a moment to work out the location. A few shop windows had been smashed and the police were gradually forcing the crowd back down Mare Street, following the route I had just taken. It was strange to see on TV aerial pictures of streets so familiar to me. Gradually the ploice moved the crowd back as far as the traffic lights at Well Street. Some recycling bins had been used as a source of weapons to throw at the police and a car was set alight in a side street, but in general the police seemed to be containing the situation.
Then the helicopter moved to the north end of Mare Street. In Clarence Road there was a stand off between the police and a small crowd. Some people were throwing objects at the police who occasionally advanced but then retreated. The police were clearly not wanting to go too far up Clarence Road as part of the road was overlooked by a housing estate. A newsagents was broken into and looted. The more the police hesitated the bolder the rioters became. They seemed to enjoy taunting the police. They set alight to a large rubbish bin and seemed to enjoy taunting the police who appeared unable to respond. Then one by one a few cars were set alight.
Then news came of riots in other parts of London such as Clapham Junction and Croydon. The news channels began to show pictures of these other areas rather than Hackney.
The next day it was possible to assess the damage. In the morning many people gathered outside the Town Hall to see if they could help with the clean up but the council had already cleared the burnt out cars and broken glass from the street. Most of the shops were undamaged but a few had been broken into along Mare Street. In the southern part of Mare Street, a convenience store at a petrol station had been badly damaged along with a nearby store which dealt in second hand electrical goods. Both had been outside the police corden so had had no protection from the police. Going north along Mare Street the pattern was repeated with most shops okay but a few badly damaged. Near the library a sandwich shop had its window smashed and an estate agents across the road from the Hackney Empire had been looted. However in general there had been sufficient police presense to control the situation. Other areas of London such as Croydon and Greenwich had suffered more damage because of the lack of police.
Everyone was cautious over the next few days with again shops closing early on Tuesday but there was no further trouble. By Thursday there were sufficient extra police around, including some from Wales with Welsh writing on their vehicles, for shops and offices to open normally. For the shops that were badly damaged and looted it took longer but the work seemed to be quickly done to restore the shop fronts and restock. Soon the extra police went back home and things returned to normal if things can ever be normal in Hackney.
Hackney was spared the worst of the rioting to some extent in that no buildings were set alight, so the repair work was fairly straightforward. There were many arrests of those identified from cctv footage and there was a street party in Clarence Road on the following Monday afternoon to show support for the community as opposed to the rioters. The newsagent in Clarence Road received a lot of support and was able to reopen within a few weeks. Indeed the reaction to the riots was mainly positive in that people came together to repair the damage and support those affected such as Siva the newsagent.
Having got home, I decided to see if there was any news of trouble in Hackney on the TV. YThe first pictures I saw on the BBC News channel where overhead pictures of what turned out to be Mare Street where I had just been. There were close up pictures from a helicopter so it took a moment to work out the location. A few shop windows had been smashed and the police were gradually forcing the crowd back down Mare Street, following the route I had just taken. It was strange to see on TV aerial pictures of streets so familiar to me. Gradually the ploice moved the crowd back as far as the traffic lights at Well Street. Some recycling bins had been used as a source of weapons to throw at the police and a car was set alight in a side street, but in general the police seemed to be containing the situation.
Then the helicopter moved to the north end of Mare Street. In Clarence Road there was a stand off between the police and a small crowd. Some people were throwing objects at the police who occasionally advanced but then retreated. The police were clearly not wanting to go too far up Clarence Road as part of the road was overlooked by a housing estate. A newsagents was broken into and looted. The more the police hesitated the bolder the rioters became. They seemed to enjoy taunting the police. They set alight to a large rubbish bin and seemed to enjoy taunting the police who appeared unable to respond. Then one by one a few cars were set alight.
Then news came of riots in other parts of London such as Clapham Junction and Croydon. The news channels began to show pictures of these other areas rather than Hackney.
The next day it was possible to assess the damage. In the morning many people gathered outside the Town Hall to see if they could help with the clean up but the council had already cleared the burnt out cars and broken glass from the street. Most of the shops were undamaged but a few had been broken into along Mare Street. In the southern part of Mare Street, a convenience store at a petrol station had been badly damaged along with a nearby store which dealt in second hand electrical goods. Both had been outside the police corden so had had no protection from the police. Going north along Mare Street the pattern was repeated with most shops okay but a few badly damaged. Near the library a sandwich shop had its window smashed and an estate agents across the road from the Hackney Empire had been looted. However in general there had been sufficient police presense to control the situation. Other areas of London such as Croydon and Greenwich had suffered more damage because of the lack of police.
Everyone was cautious over the next few days with again shops closing early on Tuesday but there was no further trouble. By Thursday there were sufficient extra police around, including some from Wales with Welsh writing on their vehicles, for shops and offices to open normally. For the shops that were badly damaged and looted it took longer but the work seemed to be quickly done to restore the shop fronts and restock. Soon the extra police went back home and things returned to normal if things can ever be normal in Hackney.
Hackney was spared the worst of the rioting to some extent in that no buildings were set alight, so the repair work was fairly straightforward. There were many arrests of those identified from cctv footage and there was a street party in Clarence Road on the following Monday afternoon to show support for the community as opposed to the rioters. The newsagent in Clarence Road received a lot of support and was able to reopen within a few weeks. Indeed the reaction to the riots was mainly positive in that people came together to repair the damage and support those affected such as Siva the newsagent.
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Anjelica Huston on the King's Road
One afternoon I was wandering down the King's Road in Chelsea and thinking that I had not seen any celebrities. I do not often go to Chelsea but when I do I often see a famous person on the King's Road. As I was walking along I heard a vaguely familiar American accent behind me. There were two American women having a converation as they walked behind me. Then one of them said "I was John Huston's daughter and could not get a break."
The only John Huston I knew of was the American film director and he had a daughter Anjelica Huston. The other woman replied "That was why I got married". As they both laughed I glanced round and it was indeed Anjelica Huston, Morticia Addams in The Addams Family. So that was why the voice sounded so familiar.
I did wonder if the other woman had got married in order to get a break or because she could not get a break. I later found out that Anjelica was in London for the filming of "The Golden Bowl". At least it goes to show that there is always a celebrity somewhere on the King's Road and it is really helpful if they identify themselves so clearly so that you can recognise them.
©Conor Cotter
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The only John Huston I knew of was the American film director and he had a daughter Anjelica Huston. The other woman replied "That was why I got married". As they both laughed I glanced round and it was indeed Anjelica Huston, Morticia Addams in The Addams Family. So that was why the voice sounded so familiar.
I did wonder if the other woman had got married in order to get a break or because she could not get a break. I later found out that Anjelica was in London for the filming of "The Golden Bowl". At least it goes to show that there is always a celebrity somewhere on the King's Road and it is really helpful if they identify themselves so clearly so that you can recognise them.
©Conor Cotter
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Monday, 7 November 2011
Kylie Minogue on King's Road?
One afternoon I was walking along the King's Road in Chelsea, London. As I crossed the road I noticed a young man and a young woman walking past. They were both wearing dark glasses. As I neared the pavement I had a side view of the woman who was wearing a black sleeveless top and I thought that her bare arms were very thin. It then occured to me that she looked like Kylie Minogue from the Australian soap Neighbours. By the time I reached the pavement they had gone passed. I paused and watched them for a moment. As I turned to go in the other direction I heard a female voice say "Well he thinks it is Kylie !" and two female teenagers walked past. Clearly there were following the couple to see if it really was Kylie. To be honest I was not sure at the time if it was her, so I did not follow them. I did wonder however how obvious it had been that I thought it was Kylie. I did not expect to be watched so closely.
I later found out that at the time Kylie's boyfriend was Billy Zane who resembled the young man and Kylie lived in Chelsea, so it probably was Kylie. A few years she said in an interview that she had been learning karate for the Jean-Claude Van Damme film Streetfighter and it had made her arms bigger, so her arms were no longer as thin as before.
©Conor Cotter
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I later found out that at the time Kylie's boyfriend was Billy Zane who resembled the young man and Kylie lived in Chelsea, so it probably was Kylie. A few years she said in an interview that she had been learning karate for the Jean-Claude Van Damme film Streetfighter and it had made her arms bigger, so her arms were no longer as thin as before.
©Conor Cotter
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Sunday, 6 November 2011
Kathleen Turner - a London crossing
When you see a celebrity you do not expect them to be staring back at you. So when I looked across the road while I was waiting at a zebra crossing I was surprised to have Kathleen Turner staring back at me. Yes, that Kathleen Turner, the one that was in Prizzi's Honour with Jack Nicholson, in Romancing the Stone with Mchael Douglas and Danny Devito, in Body Heat with not much on and whose voice made a female rabbit sexy in Who Framed Roger Rabbit,
The crossing was outside BBC Radio in Upper Regent Street in London but still it was surprising to see a Hollywood star in London. I was sure she did not have a film coming out at that time, so I wondered why she was there.
There was not much time to think as the traffic stopped and we started to cross. Personally I am just happy to make it to the other side without being hit by anything. However to a Hollywood star this is a runway with an live audience. You could not help watching as she strutted across the black and white lines as though on a stage in front of cameras. Except that you hear of cases of celebrities causing accidents as motorists are too busy looking at the star to look where they are going, so being on a pedestrian crossing did not seem a very safe place to be. Hence I scuttled across as she strutted pass me. At least I made it safely to the other side.
It was some weeks later that Kathleen Turner appeared on the front cover of the Radio Times. She was in a radio production of V.I. Warshawski which she had recorded in the summer at the BBC. It must have been strange for her acting to a microphone in a radio studio. So she must have enjoyed showing off as she crossed from her hotel, the recently reopened Langham Hotel, on one side of the road to the BBC studio on the other. It is just not what you expect to see when you are an accountant merely going to collect some mundane information from a client.
I think she was just assessing her audience but it was still a surprise to look up and see her looking back. And if you have seen Who framed Roger Rabbit, you will know how she walked across that crossing.
©Conor Cotter
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The crossing was outside BBC Radio in Upper Regent Street in London but still it was surprising to see a Hollywood star in London. I was sure she did not have a film coming out at that time, so I wondered why she was there.
There was not much time to think as the traffic stopped and we started to cross. Personally I am just happy to make it to the other side without being hit by anything. However to a Hollywood star this is a runway with an live audience. You could not help watching as she strutted across the black and white lines as though on a stage in front of cameras. Except that you hear of cases of celebrities causing accidents as motorists are too busy looking at the star to look where they are going, so being on a pedestrian crossing did not seem a very safe place to be. Hence I scuttled across as she strutted pass me. At least I made it safely to the other side.
It was some weeks later that Kathleen Turner appeared on the front cover of the Radio Times. She was in a radio production of V.I. Warshawski which she had recorded in the summer at the BBC. It must have been strange for her acting to a microphone in a radio studio. So she must have enjoyed showing off as she crossed from her hotel, the recently reopened Langham Hotel, on one side of the road to the BBC studio on the other. It is just not what you expect to see when you are an accountant merely going to collect some mundane information from a client.
I think she was just assessing her audience but it was still a surprise to look up and see her looking back. And if you have seen Who framed Roger Rabbit, you will know how she walked across that crossing.
©Conor Cotter
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Friday, 4 November 2011
The Hat and the Actress
I had been Christmas shopping. At least I had been trying to do some Christmas shopping. I had not been very successful. In fact I had not been at all successful. Nothing seemed to be suitable. Giving up, I decided to go into a bookshop on Piccadilly before heading home. I knew that in the basement they had some bargain books so I went down the stairs and through the door.
As I entered the basement, there seemed to be a strange atmosphere. Something was not quite right. Then I noticed the hat moving around. From the way it was moving there must be a person under the hat, but the hat was so broad that it was difficult to see. It was as broad as a sombrero but flatter. It was completely flat apart from a small dome towards the middle of the hat. It seemed to be a very large hat but a very small head. It was dark red, perhaps crimson. Who would wear such a hat in a bookshop ?
As I moved towards the bargain books, the hat moved towards the assistant behind his large desk. The hat leaned forward to talk to the assistant. It was only then from my view from the bargain books that I had a glimpse of the person under the hat. It was only a brief glimpse but I could make out that the person was female and she looked like a young actress who was in a play in nearby Shaftesbury Avenue. There had been a story about how she had been attacked on the way to the theatre a few days before. Despite the incident she had “bravely” performed in the play that evening.
If it was her, it would explain the hat. She would have not wanted to be recognised and she would have worn the hat for protection. Clearly she was not used to wearing hats apart from special occasions such as weddings, so had ended up with an absurdly large hat. In trying to hide herself, she had unwittingly draw attention to herself as nobody could fail to spot such a wide-brimmed hat. It must have been awkward to wear, as while it stopped other people seeing your face it also hindered you seeing where you were going. She did have a female companion with her, presumably as a guide.
I just needed another look to confirm that it really was the actress. It so happened that the bargain books were the perfect position. In order to leave she would have to walk around the assistant’s desk and turn left just before the bargain books to the door to go upstairs. I just had to wait for her to leave.
She took a while talking to the assistant but then her companion walked towards the door. Her companion had short blonde hair and looked quite cute in jeans. She had that peculiar smile on her face while looking at the floor as she left. The hat paused before leaving. It was working out beautifully. The companion left through the door as the hat gathered up her shopping bags and started walking towards me. She even lifted up her head so I should get a good look before she turned to go out the door.
But then 2 things went wrong, 2 things that I had not anticipated. The first was that because of the broad rim of the hat her face was completely in shadow. I could not see her face at all. The second thing was that she was looking straight at me. I was not wearing a hat, so, although I could not see her face, she could see mine. Indeed there was a moment when our eyes seemed to meet. Assuming her eyes were in the right positions I must have been looking right into them but I could see nothing.
The moment soon passed and she turned towards the door. She seemed not to react, but then after she had gone out the door she suddenly said very loudly “How embarrassing !” She was clearly saying it to her companion who must have been waiting on the stairs. However what the actress was probably not aware was that the door had not fully shut behind her and her remark was clearly audible in the room she had just left. Nobody seemed to react in the room. The door then shut behind her so the rest of the conversation could not be heard.
So what was so embarrassing ? Had I missed something ? Was it really the actress or was it somebody completely different ? I tried to think things through. I think she was embarrassed because she was not aware that I could not see her face when our eyes met. Even then it should be me who was embarrassed, not her. Perhaps her companion had deliberately gone out ahead and that the actress had for some reason wanted to get a look at me, only to find me looking at her. But why would she want a look at me ?
Possibly she was just embarrassed about the awkwardness of the hat or she had had some problems with the assistant. Perhaps it was something that happened before I entered the scene. Perhaps it was not the actress. Sometimes it is better not to know and allow yourself to come to your own theory, but the moral of the story seems to be to always make sure the door is shut behind you before you say anything, unless you want to be overheard.
©Conor Cotter
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(The actress was Tara Fitzgerald. For her biography, see this web page )
Sunday, 30 October 2011
The Shop Assistant
I went out with Paul again last night. We have been going out regularly for a few years now. He is fairly reliable. He is happy to spend money on me. He is very protective and considerate. He says that he will do anything for me. But I think he only likes me because I have large breasts.
You can see it on his face. That familiar grin that gives his thoughts away. I guess I am use to it by now. Men so rarely look me in the face, even when I am talking to them. I often have to repeat what I am saying, as they are thinking about other things. It is obvious where there interest lies.
It is so predictable and so annoying. Some men try not to be too obvious about it, but they give themselves away with the unnatural expressions on their faces. Others blatantly stare and are not ashamed of it. Some men are too intimidated to say much. Others say too much and make outrageous suggestions.
Few men seem interested in me as a person, but they all want a good look. Women become jealous of the attention I get. They try to ignore me, but then give me nervous glances. Even my friends are affected by it. Everyone waits to see how I react.
You have no control over it and you feel so exposed. You find yourself struggling to overcome the awkwardness of the situation. It is both a compliment and a threat. Any response you make may be misinterpreted. The men, lost in their own thoughts tend to overreact by reading too much into casual remarks and become irrational in their expectations.
Paul is not much different from the rest, but he happened to be around when I needed someone. We were at school together and seemed to drift together. There was little effort on my part. He always seemed to be around. Without me knowing it, he suddenly became my boyfriend. He may not have been the prettiest, but he knew how to say the right things and to take control of the situation without overstepping the mark.
There have been others passing through, but somehow he has persisted. He has been good to me. He takes care of me and tries to keep me happy. He pretends to be so big and strong, but really he is so sweet and gentle. I can relax with him and it is nice to have someone to look after you.
He has the same desires as the others, but he knows to wait for the right opportunity and not to be too forceful. He knows how to behave in public and can be a proper gentleman when he wants. However, when we are alone, it is difficult to say no all the time. Trying to stop him can be like trying to stop a steamroller, as he is not easily distracted. He knows I can give him what he wants..
He can be too protective and we have our arguments. He is proud of me and shows me off to his friends, but he does not like me going out without him. However I manage the occasional night out with girl friends to catch up with the gossip.
Even then, I seem to attract attention so quickly that it is difficult to relax and enjoy myself. I wish I was not so conspicuous. It is obvious what the men are thinking.
Some men are so ruthless when it comes to women and will say anything to try to please you. They lie so easily. They make extravagant claims about themselves and expect you to be so impressed by them. They treat women as mere bedroom fodder. They do not like being turned down and try to blame you for leading them on, as if it is your fault for having large breasts.
I have to be careful what I wear. I avoid tight clothes, as they are too uncomfortable, particularly in a crowd. It gets worse during the summer, when it is too hot to have much clothing on. The less clothing you are wearing, the more you are looked at.
I look forward to winter when I can cover up more. Even then, it is difficult to disguise my figure without looking too bloated. Naturally I prefer dark clothes as they are less revealing, but it would be nice to be able to wear some bright colours for a change.
By contrast, my friend Donna is virtually flat-chested and can wear what she likes without being pestered by men. She can flirt with men and treat it as a joke. She can be outrageous and get away with it. She is far more adventurous than me. She does not worry about what others might think. She just likes having a good time and is not afraid to take the lead with men.
She can make things happen and liven up a place. She does not have a long-term boyfriend, but she does not lack male friends. She is a good mover and knows how to get noticed. We have fun together. Paul thinks she is funny, but ignores her most of the time.
You are only young once so you might as well try to enjoy it. However everything seems to favour men. Life is easier for them. They are use to taking control and making the big decisions, so they are more confident and get the bigger jobs.. They do not have to cope with periods and pregnancies. They even age better than us.
As a woman, most of the time you are merely reacting to events over which you have no control. Women are given little chance of independence. It is tempting to get pregnant in order to give yourself something of your own to control., even though it further limits your actions. Perhaps women give in too easily.
At times Paul treats me like a lucky mascots, taking me everywhere with him. When we are alone, he is just like the rest and he wants me all to himself. At least I can make him happy and bring a smile to his face.
He has his faults, but he makes up for it with his warmth and energy. He is very physical. He prefers actions to words. He means well, even though he sometimes gets things wrong. He does his best to please me, but he does not have much patience. He is continually breaking off buttons on my tops.
He likes an easy life and is easily pleased. He is happy to spend all evening on the sofa, watching television or listening to music. He can be lazy and has to be reminded about things that he should be doing.
Life is difficult on your own, especially for a woman. It is useful to have a man around, even if it is only to stop other men from pestering you. Paul is good to me and it is hard to disappoint him. He has all the right equipment and does not need batteries, as he puts it.
Sometimes it is nice to be the centre of attention and to know that everyone is watching you. It gives you a feeling of power, but this power has its limits. Men can be so boring, especially when they only have one thing on their mind. They leave women to deal with the practical side of things.
My relationship with Paul is reaching the stage where something is going to happen soon. He has his own flat and he has suggested that I move in with him. He wants me to give it a try and says that I can move out any time if things do not work out.
He has left home but he still wants to have someone to look after him. I already do some cooking and cleaning when I go there. He would be happy for me to stay and do al the housework. He can be very old-fashioned when it suits him. He will want to keep his independence, but I will lose mine.
Paul has a good steady job as a car mechanic. He loves messing around with cars, even when he is not being paid for it. He hopes one day to have his own business. He wants to be rich but he has not got very far. He is young and hopeful. He enjoys life, too much at times. He frequently drinks too much and then expects me to take care of him.
My parents have been very good to me. They have let me do what I want, even when they think I am doing the wrong thing. Sometimes I think they are too easy on me, but I have to live my own life and learn from my mistakes. There is the pressure to conform and the desire to rebel.
It is difficult to explain things to them. They try to understand but things have changed since their day. I will probably look at things differently when I am their age. They are settled in their lives and it would be difficult for them now to change.
It is difficult for a single woman. You are considered a concern, either as a liability or as an opportunity. You are thought to be both fragile and tempting. There is pressure to pair up. Everyone feels more comfortable with couples.
On my own, I feel vulnerable. Men seem so aggressive and so threatening. It is frightening the stories you hear. You feel it could easily happen to you. On my own, I am careful what I do. When I am with Paul, I feel safer and am more open. I can look at men and know that nothing will come of it, since Paul is there. It is easier for men, there is less for them to worry about.
I am not ambitious. I just want to enjoy life. Paul is very independent. He likes to do his own thing and hates being told what to do. It is difficult to reason with him. He always knows best.. It can be very annoying, especially when he is right.
Men exploit any weakness and women should do the same if they are to make any progress. It can be fun to flirt and tease. You can exploit the situation and use things to your advantage. They can be so busy looking at you that they do not notice you looking at them. If women behaved as badly as them, they would soon start complaining. It is still a male-dominated society and we women have to use all our assets to get anywhere in life.
It is so annoying when you get pestered by men. It is so predictable with all the usual comments. Most of it is harmless but you have to be careful. Men have limited interests when it comes to women. Do not be afraid to embarrass them if necessary. Underneath they are very insecure.
It is often easiest to go along with things and not create a scene. It can be used to your advantage later. Requests to men for help are rarely refused. It is not difficult to get their attention. The hardest part is getting rid of them when you have finished with them.
I like my body. There are improvements that could be made, but it functions well enough. However it takes time to look good and it is easy to let yourself down in your appearance. If everyone is looking at you, you want to look good. I want them to like the whole package, not just the more obvious features.
But there is no point in always covering your biggest assets. There are times when you want to show what you have got. You may not get a second chance to make a good impression. You do not want to miss out on opportunities.
People respond to what they see. A little flirting can make things easier. It gives you a feeling of power over them.
Men can be so easily manipulated. It is just a matter of using the right approach. A little charm goes a long way. It is amazing what you can get away with. It makes you lazy. Things happen too easily.
I would like to think that people like me for what I do, but I have to admit that my appearance does make a difference. I do get noticed in a crowd. The novelty does wear off quickly, but it can still be nice when strangers respond immediately to you.
It is good to feel wanted, even if it is for the wrong reasons. It cheers you up to think that you are worth looking at. You must be doing something right if everyone wants to look at you. It is tempting to play to the crowd, but it can easily get out of hand.
I have a job as a shop assisstant in a jewellery shop. It is fun just looking through the displays. The customers are interesting, acting like kids in a sweet shop. It is easy to tease them with the more expensive items. They are often men buying presents for their wives or girlfriends. They seem to spend more on their girlfriends than their wives.
Some customers can be difficult. You can not trust people. They are too easily tempted by expensive, shiny objects. The manager is very friendly to me and is always willing to help me if I have a problem. He is very understanding if I make a mistake.
Men seem mesmerised by my breasts. To me they are just large and awkward. I have to say that my life would be different if they were smaller. I am not a show-off, but you can not ignore the reaction of others. You are what you are, so you might as well use what you have got. People do not do you favours for nothing. They expect something in return, even if it is just a token gesture.
Paul may have his faults but he has his uses. I would feel bad about deserting him after so long and I would miss him if he was not there. However I do not feel ready to settle down yet. A relationship can be so limiting. It is full of compromises and it is usually the women who makes the most compromises.
I would prefer not to have to rely on Paul, but it is convenient to have him around. I sometimes wonder what life would be like without him. I am not particularly clever. I am never going to be a big success at anything. I want to settle down and have a family at some point, but it seems too soon to be making big decisions.
It is easy to sit back and let Paul make all the decisions. It is what he wants. He would willingly provide for me. I would just need to go along with his ideas and keep him entertained when necessary.
He expects to make the decisions when we are together. He does not like me taking the lead. He does listen to me, but he always does as he pleases. He does not like long discussions and he thinks he knows best.
Paul makes moving in with him sound like a small step, but I know that it will be significant. It is leaving home. Although there will be the chance to move back, it will be difficult to admit to having made a mistake. If only life could be simple. I would not like to live on my own but I do not want to lose my independence.
Until now it has been a very easy relationship with no sense of long-term commitment to each other. It may sound odd but we just seemed to have drifted along together. Sometimes I wonder what he really things of me. Perhaps he thinks I am just a soft touch. Perhaps he just wants some body to play with. I wonder if he will still want me when I am old and sagging.
The End
©Conor Cotter
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You can see it on his face. That familiar grin that gives his thoughts away. I guess I am use to it by now. Men so rarely look me in the face, even when I am talking to them. I often have to repeat what I am saying, as they are thinking about other things. It is obvious where there interest lies.
It is so predictable and so annoying. Some men try not to be too obvious about it, but they give themselves away with the unnatural expressions on their faces. Others blatantly stare and are not ashamed of it. Some men are too intimidated to say much. Others say too much and make outrageous suggestions.
Few men seem interested in me as a person, but they all want a good look. Women become jealous of the attention I get. They try to ignore me, but then give me nervous glances. Even my friends are affected by it. Everyone waits to see how I react.
You have no control over it and you feel so exposed. You find yourself struggling to overcome the awkwardness of the situation. It is both a compliment and a threat. Any response you make may be misinterpreted. The men, lost in their own thoughts tend to overreact by reading too much into casual remarks and become irrational in their expectations.
Paul is not much different from the rest, but he happened to be around when I needed someone. We were at school together and seemed to drift together. There was little effort on my part. He always seemed to be around. Without me knowing it, he suddenly became my boyfriend. He may not have been the prettiest, but he knew how to say the right things and to take control of the situation without overstepping the mark.
There have been others passing through, but somehow he has persisted. He has been good to me. He takes care of me and tries to keep me happy. He pretends to be so big and strong, but really he is so sweet and gentle. I can relax with him and it is nice to have someone to look after you.
He has the same desires as the others, but he knows to wait for the right opportunity and not to be too forceful. He knows how to behave in public and can be a proper gentleman when he wants. However, when we are alone, it is difficult to say no all the time. Trying to stop him can be like trying to stop a steamroller, as he is not easily distracted. He knows I can give him what he wants..
He can be too protective and we have our arguments. He is proud of me and shows me off to his friends, but he does not like me going out without him. However I manage the occasional night out with girl friends to catch up with the gossip.
Even then, I seem to attract attention so quickly that it is difficult to relax and enjoy myself. I wish I was not so conspicuous. It is obvious what the men are thinking.
Some men are so ruthless when it comes to women and will say anything to try to please you. They lie so easily. They make extravagant claims about themselves and expect you to be so impressed by them. They treat women as mere bedroom fodder. They do not like being turned down and try to blame you for leading them on, as if it is your fault for having large breasts.
I have to be careful what I wear. I avoid tight clothes, as they are too uncomfortable, particularly in a crowd. It gets worse during the summer, when it is too hot to have much clothing on. The less clothing you are wearing, the more you are looked at.
I look forward to winter when I can cover up more. Even then, it is difficult to disguise my figure without looking too bloated. Naturally I prefer dark clothes as they are less revealing, but it would be nice to be able to wear some bright colours for a change.
By contrast, my friend Donna is virtually flat-chested and can wear what she likes without being pestered by men. She can flirt with men and treat it as a joke. She can be outrageous and get away with it. She is far more adventurous than me. She does not worry about what others might think. She just likes having a good time and is not afraid to take the lead with men.
She can make things happen and liven up a place. She does not have a long-term boyfriend, but she does not lack male friends. She is a good mover and knows how to get noticed. We have fun together. Paul thinks she is funny, but ignores her most of the time.
You are only young once so you might as well try to enjoy it. However everything seems to favour men. Life is easier for them. They are use to taking control and making the big decisions, so they are more confident and get the bigger jobs.. They do not have to cope with periods and pregnancies. They even age better than us.
As a woman, most of the time you are merely reacting to events over which you have no control. Women are given little chance of independence. It is tempting to get pregnant in order to give yourself something of your own to control., even though it further limits your actions. Perhaps women give in too easily.
At times Paul treats me like a lucky mascots, taking me everywhere with him. When we are alone, he is just like the rest and he wants me all to himself. At least I can make him happy and bring a smile to his face.
He has his faults, but he makes up for it with his warmth and energy. He is very physical. He prefers actions to words. He means well, even though he sometimes gets things wrong. He does his best to please me, but he does not have much patience. He is continually breaking off buttons on my tops.
He likes an easy life and is easily pleased. He is happy to spend all evening on the sofa, watching television or listening to music. He can be lazy and has to be reminded about things that he should be doing.
Life is difficult on your own, especially for a woman. It is useful to have a man around, even if it is only to stop other men from pestering you. Paul is good to me and it is hard to disappoint him. He has all the right equipment and does not need batteries, as he puts it.
Sometimes it is nice to be the centre of attention and to know that everyone is watching you. It gives you a feeling of power, but this power has its limits. Men can be so boring, especially when they only have one thing on their mind. They leave women to deal with the practical side of things.
My relationship with Paul is reaching the stage where something is going to happen soon. He has his own flat and he has suggested that I move in with him. He wants me to give it a try and says that I can move out any time if things do not work out.
He has left home but he still wants to have someone to look after him. I already do some cooking and cleaning when I go there. He would be happy for me to stay and do al the housework. He can be very old-fashioned when it suits him. He will want to keep his independence, but I will lose mine.
Paul has a good steady job as a car mechanic. He loves messing around with cars, even when he is not being paid for it. He hopes one day to have his own business. He wants to be rich but he has not got very far. He is young and hopeful. He enjoys life, too much at times. He frequently drinks too much and then expects me to take care of him.
My parents have been very good to me. They have let me do what I want, even when they think I am doing the wrong thing. Sometimes I think they are too easy on me, but I have to live my own life and learn from my mistakes. There is the pressure to conform and the desire to rebel.
It is difficult to explain things to them. They try to understand but things have changed since their day. I will probably look at things differently when I am their age. They are settled in their lives and it would be difficult for them now to change.
It is difficult for a single woman. You are considered a concern, either as a liability or as an opportunity. You are thought to be both fragile and tempting. There is pressure to pair up. Everyone feels more comfortable with couples.
On my own, I feel vulnerable. Men seem so aggressive and so threatening. It is frightening the stories you hear. You feel it could easily happen to you. On my own, I am careful what I do. When I am with Paul, I feel safer and am more open. I can look at men and know that nothing will come of it, since Paul is there. It is easier for men, there is less for them to worry about.
I am not ambitious. I just want to enjoy life. Paul is very independent. He likes to do his own thing and hates being told what to do. It is difficult to reason with him. He always knows best.. It can be very annoying, especially when he is right.
Men exploit any weakness and women should do the same if they are to make any progress. It can be fun to flirt and tease. You can exploit the situation and use things to your advantage. They can be so busy looking at you that they do not notice you looking at them. If women behaved as badly as them, they would soon start complaining. It is still a male-dominated society and we women have to use all our assets to get anywhere in life.
It is so annoying when you get pestered by men. It is so predictable with all the usual comments. Most of it is harmless but you have to be careful. Men have limited interests when it comes to women. Do not be afraid to embarrass them if necessary. Underneath they are very insecure.
It is often easiest to go along with things and not create a scene. It can be used to your advantage later. Requests to men for help are rarely refused. It is not difficult to get their attention. The hardest part is getting rid of them when you have finished with them.
I like my body. There are improvements that could be made, but it functions well enough. However it takes time to look good and it is easy to let yourself down in your appearance. If everyone is looking at you, you want to look good. I want them to like the whole package, not just the more obvious features.
But there is no point in always covering your biggest assets. There are times when you want to show what you have got. You may not get a second chance to make a good impression. You do not want to miss out on opportunities.
People respond to what they see. A little flirting can make things easier. It gives you a feeling of power over them.
Men can be so easily manipulated. It is just a matter of using the right approach. A little charm goes a long way. It is amazing what you can get away with. It makes you lazy. Things happen too easily.
I would like to think that people like me for what I do, but I have to admit that my appearance does make a difference. I do get noticed in a crowd. The novelty does wear off quickly, but it can still be nice when strangers respond immediately to you.
It is good to feel wanted, even if it is for the wrong reasons. It cheers you up to think that you are worth looking at. You must be doing something right if everyone wants to look at you. It is tempting to play to the crowd, but it can easily get out of hand.
I have a job as a shop assisstant in a jewellery shop. It is fun just looking through the displays. The customers are interesting, acting like kids in a sweet shop. It is easy to tease them with the more expensive items. They are often men buying presents for their wives or girlfriends. They seem to spend more on their girlfriends than their wives.
Some customers can be difficult. You can not trust people. They are too easily tempted by expensive, shiny objects. The manager is very friendly to me and is always willing to help me if I have a problem. He is very understanding if I make a mistake.
Men seem mesmerised by my breasts. To me they are just large and awkward. I have to say that my life would be different if they were smaller. I am not a show-off, but you can not ignore the reaction of others. You are what you are, so you might as well use what you have got. People do not do you favours for nothing. They expect something in return, even if it is just a token gesture.
Paul may have his faults but he has his uses. I would feel bad about deserting him after so long and I would miss him if he was not there. However I do not feel ready to settle down yet. A relationship can be so limiting. It is full of compromises and it is usually the women who makes the most compromises.
I would prefer not to have to rely on Paul, but it is convenient to have him around. I sometimes wonder what life would be like without him. I am not particularly clever. I am never going to be a big success at anything. I want to settle down and have a family at some point, but it seems too soon to be making big decisions.
It is easy to sit back and let Paul make all the decisions. It is what he wants. He would willingly provide for me. I would just need to go along with his ideas and keep him entertained when necessary.
He expects to make the decisions when we are together. He does not like me taking the lead. He does listen to me, but he always does as he pleases. He does not like long discussions and he thinks he knows best.
Paul makes moving in with him sound like a small step, but I know that it will be significant. It is leaving home. Although there will be the chance to move back, it will be difficult to admit to having made a mistake. If only life could be simple. I would not like to live on my own but I do not want to lose my independence.
Until now it has been a very easy relationship with no sense of long-term commitment to each other. It may sound odd but we just seemed to have drifted along together. Sometimes I wonder what he really things of me. Perhaps he thinks I am just a soft touch. Perhaps he just wants some body to play with. I wonder if he will still want me when I am old and sagging.
The End
©Conor Cotter
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Friday, 28 October 2011
Movie and Sitcom Ideas
Movie Ideas
1. Cinderella and Her Sisters
A modern variation of the folk tale where it is Cinderella who is lazy and her sisters who work hard. The three sisters share a house but lead very different lives. They each find love on their own terms.
Outline story.
2. Raging Balls
A player competing in the snooker world championship and trying to resurrect both his career and his marriage.
Outline story.
3. Coffee Shop Blues
A relationship is more complicated than just 2 people. A man has to choose between his oldest friend and his girlfriend. Despite an intense relationship with his girlfriend, he values his friendship more highly.
Outline story.
Sitcom Ideas
1. For Her Magazine
Female journalists working for a magazine which is the female equivalent of FHM and other lads mags. The women are the female equivalent of Top Gear presenters.
2. The Traders
Stock market traders coping with work and life. They compete with the market and each other.
Sample scene.
3. The Jewellery Shop
Life working in a jewellers for a young female assistant with a boyfriend who is mad about cars. Sometimes you can attract too much attention.
Outline story.
©Conor Cotter
Tweet
1. Cinderella and Her Sisters
A modern variation of the folk tale where it is Cinderella who is lazy and her sisters who work hard. The three sisters share a house but lead very different lives. They each find love on their own terms.
Outline story.
2. Raging Balls
A player competing in the snooker world championship and trying to resurrect both his career and his marriage.
Outline story.
3. Coffee Shop Blues
A relationship is more complicated than just 2 people. A man has to choose between his oldest friend and his girlfriend. Despite an intense relationship with his girlfriend, he values his friendship more highly.
Outline story.
Sitcom Ideas
1. For Her Magazine
Female journalists working for a magazine which is the female equivalent of FHM and other lads mags. The women are the female equivalent of Top Gear presenters.
2. The Traders
Stock market traders coping with work and life. They compete with the market and each other.
Sample scene.
3. The Jewellery Shop
Life working in a jewellers for a young female assistant with a boyfriend who is mad about cars. Sometimes you can attract too much attention.
Outline story.
©Conor Cotter
Tweet
Thursday, 20 October 2011
Raging Balls - The Snooker Final
So here he is in the usual mess. It had going to be have been different this year. He had prepared so welll for the tournament. He had even been regularly to the gym. But it was no good, he had messed up again.
He had had a tricky opening match against the first female player to reach the final stages of the Snooker World Championship. He had not wanted to be the first top-16 player to lose to a woman. It had been bad enough for the players who had lost to her in qualifying. If he lost, he knew he would be endlessly reminded of it. On the other hand he had to show her respect as she had done so well to reach this stage. In the end he had won but there had been a few tricky opening frames and it had not been easy.
The next few rounds had gone okay. He was playing well and he had fairly comfortable wins.
The semi-finals were a clash of the nations. Strangely he was the last European left and faced a tricky Australian. The match went into the fourth session with a lead of 4 frames. The Aussie came back to nearly level the match but he had managed to hold on and win by winning 3 frames in a row.
In the other match the Chinese player was expected to easily beat his American opponent. It was the American Baxter's first year on the professional circuit and he had some good wins but his opponent Chen was bound to be too strong for him. Chen had had a great year and was number one in the current rankings . However Baxter had a run of high breaks and got into the lead. Somehow Baxter managed to maintain his long potting and he was the surprise winner.
In the final Baxter was again the underdog. The first American to play to this standard and in his first year. He couldn't possibly win could he? Here he was playing the great Nick 'Nasher' Harris, former world champion and favourite of the fans. The final would be a long match over four sessions. It was best of 35 frames over so it was first to 18 to win.
Baxter won the first two frames and then the next two. After the mid-session break Baxter won the next one, before Harris at last won a frame. By the end of the session it was 6-2 to the American.
The evening session was 4 frames each so the overnight score was 10-6 to Baxter. There was plenty of time for Harris to come back.
The next afternoon started well for Harris winning two frames but then Baxter won the next six frames. At the end of the afternoon session, Harris went back to his hotel room 16-8 down with Baxter only needing 2 frames to win the match and the Championship.
At the hotel, Harris's wife Barbara was waiting for him. Although they had been living separately, Barbara had been around for the Championship as a last attempt at reconciliation. However now she was leaving. He was bound to lose and there was no point hanging around. She would not be moving back in with him. Their relationship was over. He had hoped for a reconciliation if he won the tournament but there was not much chance of that. Nobody liked a loser he thought as she left.
Next his brother Phil came to see him. He was taking their mother home as the match was as good as over. Harris was disappointed as there was still a chance of a comeback but he could see that his brother had made his mind up.
Then his manager Steve came in. Harris was hoping for a bit of encouragement but Steve just told him to try to win a few frames to make the score more respectable and there was always next year.
So here he was about to lose the final, with his wife leaving him and even his own family giving up on him. He certainly had messed things up.
He feels stangely relaxed returning to the arena for the evening session. It wpuld not take long. He is glad to win the opening frame but then Baxter takes a good lead in the next frame. He needs one more red to seal the frame. Somehow the red catches the sides of the pockets and does not drop. Harris manages to clear the table and wins the frame by one point. He is still 6 frames down. 16-10
Baxter is going well in the next frame but is unlucky to have the white ball go into a pocket when he had achieved a difficult pot. Harris is fortunate to win the frame. The next frame Harris wins with a big break. Now he is only 4 frames behind. 16-12
By now Harris's brother has got their mother to her home. He switches on the TV and is surprised to see the match still going on. They both settle down to watch the final stages on TV.
Harris starts well in the next frame but then disaster strikes. He manages to snooker himself from the reds. Baxter takes advantage to win the frame. Now Baxter only needs to win one more frame to be champion. 17-12.
It seems all over for Harris so his mother switches off the TV and decides to go to bed. His brother Phil heads home to his wife and kids.
Baxter has a good chance to win the next frame with the balls nicely spread but he misses a pot to the middle and Harris wins the frame with another clearance break. 17-13.
In the next frame Harris starts well but misses a simple shot on the black. Baxter takes the lead with a big break but is unlucky and misses a difficult red pot, which could have won him the frame and the match. A relieved Harris manages to win the frame and he goes on to win the next frame with a big break. 17-15.
Harris has a large break on the next frame but Baxter has a chance of a clearance to win the frame. He gets as far a the final black but he misses and Harris pots the black to win the frame. 17-16.
When his brother Phil gets home he is surprised to find his son still up. He is watching the snooker and wants the American to win. Even Phil had to agree that the American had played well and deserved to win.
The next frame is very tight. Both players have small breaks and it is close with just the colours to go. Baxter edges ahead but misses the blue which was against a side cushion. Harris pots the blue and pink but misses the black. After a few attempts by both players Harris pots the black . 17-17.
It is the final frame. Whoever wins the frame is the winner. Baxter has a good break. He misses a difficult pot but he has established an apparently winning lead. Harris however manages to create a couple of snookers and the resulting penalty points against Baxter get Harris back into the frame. Again it comes down to the colours.
Harris pots the yellow and then the green but Baxter gets to pot the brown and then the blue. With only the pink and black to go, Baxter is ahead by 2 points so the pink will be enough for him to win. He settles down for the shot. He has taken the pressure well. Harris prepares himself for the defeat. He had got close but it was not enough.
Baxter hits the white a bit too hard and the pink hits both edges of the pocket and comes out. Harris is surprised and has to compose himself to pot the pink even though it should be an easy pot. However in making sure he pots the pink he ends up with the white badly placed for the black which is against the side cushion. He has to play a safety shot.
A nervous exchange of safety shots follows. Then Baxter decides to go for a long pot. If he makes it he wins. If he misses he is likely to leave Harris an easy shot.
The black heads towards the pocket but the angle is wrong and it misses by some way. Luckily for Baxter it is a bad miss that it leaves a difficult pot for Harris who also misses. Baxter has another go but again misses. Now Harris has a much simpler pot but like Baxter before he misses badly.
Baxter has another go but again the black stays out. The crowd find it difficult to keep still. Then Harris decides to take on the difficult pot. It gently hits the edge of the pocket and goes in. The crowd erupts. Harris has won.
The next morning Harris lies in his hotel bed. He goes over the events of the evening before. Why did he put himself through this? There had to a more sensible way to earn a living. But he had done it. He had shown he could win. He was in the record books as the winner.
Barbara his wife is asleep next to him. She had come back to see the last few frames. Perhaps there is some hope for his marriage. There is always a chance of a comeback.
The End
©Conor Cotter
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He had had a tricky opening match against the first female player to reach the final stages of the Snooker World Championship. He had not wanted to be the first top-16 player to lose to a woman. It had been bad enough for the players who had lost to her in qualifying. If he lost, he knew he would be endlessly reminded of it. On the other hand he had to show her respect as she had done so well to reach this stage. In the end he had won but there had been a few tricky opening frames and it had not been easy.
The next few rounds had gone okay. He was playing well and he had fairly comfortable wins.
The semi-finals were a clash of the nations. Strangely he was the last European left and faced a tricky Australian. The match went into the fourth session with a lead of 4 frames. The Aussie came back to nearly level the match but he had managed to hold on and win by winning 3 frames in a row.
In the other match the Chinese player was expected to easily beat his American opponent. It was the American Baxter's first year on the professional circuit and he had some good wins but his opponent Chen was bound to be too strong for him. Chen had had a great year and was number one in the current rankings . However Baxter had a run of high breaks and got into the lead. Somehow Baxter managed to maintain his long potting and he was the surprise winner.
In the final Baxter was again the underdog. The first American to play to this standard and in his first year. He couldn't possibly win could he? Here he was playing the great Nick 'Nasher' Harris, former world champion and favourite of the fans. The final would be a long match over four sessions. It was best of 35 frames over so it was first to 18 to win.
Baxter won the first two frames and then the next two. After the mid-session break Baxter won the next one, before Harris at last won a frame. By the end of the session it was 6-2 to the American.
The evening session was 4 frames each so the overnight score was 10-6 to Baxter. There was plenty of time for Harris to come back.
The next afternoon started well for Harris winning two frames but then Baxter won the next six frames. At the end of the afternoon session, Harris went back to his hotel room 16-8 down with Baxter only needing 2 frames to win the match and the Championship.
At the hotel, Harris's wife Barbara was waiting for him. Although they had been living separately, Barbara had been around for the Championship as a last attempt at reconciliation. However now she was leaving. He was bound to lose and there was no point hanging around. She would not be moving back in with him. Their relationship was over. He had hoped for a reconciliation if he won the tournament but there was not much chance of that. Nobody liked a loser he thought as she left.
Next his brother Phil came to see him. He was taking their mother home as the match was as good as over. Harris was disappointed as there was still a chance of a comeback but he could see that his brother had made his mind up.
Then his manager Steve came in. Harris was hoping for a bit of encouragement but Steve just told him to try to win a few frames to make the score more respectable and there was always next year.
So here he was about to lose the final, with his wife leaving him and even his own family giving up on him. He certainly had messed things up.
He feels stangely relaxed returning to the arena for the evening session. It wpuld not take long. He is glad to win the opening frame but then Baxter takes a good lead in the next frame. He needs one more red to seal the frame. Somehow the red catches the sides of the pockets and does not drop. Harris manages to clear the table and wins the frame by one point. He is still 6 frames down. 16-10
Baxter is going well in the next frame but is unlucky to have the white ball go into a pocket when he had achieved a difficult pot. Harris is fortunate to win the frame. The next frame Harris wins with a big break. Now he is only 4 frames behind. 16-12
By now Harris's brother has got their mother to her home. He switches on the TV and is surprised to see the match still going on. They both settle down to watch the final stages on TV.
Harris starts well in the next frame but then disaster strikes. He manages to snooker himself from the reds. Baxter takes advantage to win the frame. Now Baxter only needs to win one more frame to be champion. 17-12.
It seems all over for Harris so his mother switches off the TV and decides to go to bed. His brother Phil heads home to his wife and kids.
Baxter has a good chance to win the next frame with the balls nicely spread but he misses a pot to the middle and Harris wins the frame with another clearance break. 17-13.
In the next frame Harris starts well but misses a simple shot on the black. Baxter takes the lead with a big break but is unlucky and misses a difficult red pot, which could have won him the frame and the match. A relieved Harris manages to win the frame and he goes on to win the next frame with a big break. 17-15.
Harris has a large break on the next frame but Baxter has a chance of a clearance to win the frame. He gets as far a the final black but he misses and Harris pots the black to win the frame. 17-16.
When his brother Phil gets home he is surprised to find his son still up. He is watching the snooker and wants the American to win. Even Phil had to agree that the American had played well and deserved to win.
The next frame is very tight. Both players have small breaks and it is close with just the colours to go. Baxter edges ahead but misses the blue which was against a side cushion. Harris pots the blue and pink but misses the black. After a few attempts by both players Harris pots the black . 17-17.
It is the final frame. Whoever wins the frame is the winner. Baxter has a good break. He misses a difficult pot but he has established an apparently winning lead. Harris however manages to create a couple of snookers and the resulting penalty points against Baxter get Harris back into the frame. Again it comes down to the colours.
Harris pots the yellow and then the green but Baxter gets to pot the brown and then the blue. With only the pink and black to go, Baxter is ahead by 2 points so the pink will be enough for him to win. He settles down for the shot. He has taken the pressure well. Harris prepares himself for the defeat. He had got close but it was not enough.
Baxter hits the white a bit too hard and the pink hits both edges of the pocket and comes out. Harris is surprised and has to compose himself to pot the pink even though it should be an easy pot. However in making sure he pots the pink he ends up with the white badly placed for the black which is against the side cushion. He has to play a safety shot.
A nervous exchange of safety shots follows. Then Baxter decides to go for a long pot. If he makes it he wins. If he misses he is likely to leave Harris an easy shot.
The black heads towards the pocket but the angle is wrong and it misses by some way. Luckily for Baxter it is a bad miss that it leaves a difficult pot for Harris who also misses. Baxter has another go but again misses. Now Harris has a much simpler pot but like Baxter before he misses badly.
Baxter has another go but again the black stays out. The crowd find it difficult to keep still. Then Harris decides to take on the difficult pot. It gently hits the edge of the pocket and goes in. The crowd erupts. Harris has won.
The next morning Harris lies in his hotel bed. He goes over the events of the evening before. Why did he put himself through this? There had to a more sensible way to earn a living. But he had done it. He had shown he could win. He was in the record books as the winner.
Barbara his wife is asleep next to him. She had come back to see the last few frames. Perhaps there is some hope for his marriage. There is always a chance of a comeback.
The End
©Conor Cotter
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Thursday, 6 October 2011
Rules of Life: No. 1, Time Never Stops
It would be so nice to be able to stop time and be able to sort out those things we do not get around to because we do not have the time. However time never stops. It just keeps on going and we have to manage as best we can.
Because of Time, we are continually getting older. It would be great to be able to avoid the effects of ageing but Time always wins in the end. We are not the same person we were 10 years ago and we will be different again 10 years in the future. Time-saving devices may be useful in enabling us to achieve more but they will not stop Time moving on.
Time may pass at varying rates and the older we get the faster Time seems to pass. However Time can not be reversed, just as we can not be in two places at the same time. Impressive as Einstein’s theory of relativity is, it still can not reverse Time.
Once a period of time has past, it is gone and we will not be able to get it back. So make good use of Time and do not waste Time.
Because of Time, we are continually getting older. It would be great to be able to avoid the effects of ageing but Time always wins in the end. We are not the same person we were 10 years ago and we will be different again 10 years in the future. Time-saving devices may be useful in enabling us to achieve more but they will not stop Time moving on.
Time may pass at varying rates and the older we get the faster Time seems to pass. However Time can not be reversed, just as we can not be in two places at the same time. Impressive as Einstein’s theory of relativity is, it still can not reverse Time.
Once a period of time has past, it is gone and we will not be able to get it back. So make good use of Time and do not waste Time.
Sunday, 18 September 2011
Coffee Shop Blues - a short story
Jane was on her way to the coffee shop. Too late she noticed her ex-boyfriend coming the other way. They almost bumped into each other as they tried to avoid each other. They exchanged a glance and moved on. Neither was pleased to see the other but nothing was said.
They had first met in the coffee shop. Jane had been fumbling for her purse and Rob had paid for her. They had had a pleasant conversation and Jane had returned the favour by buying him another coffee,
This had led to them going out together. They had got on well and found each other good company. Jane spent more and more time at Rob’s flat.
One evening she was at his flat waiting for Rob but he stayed out all evening and come back drunk. Jane went back to her flat. The next day Rob came round to apologise. He had been out with his friend Dave and they had a few drinks.
Much the same happened a few weeks later. It was just what he did with Dave. When he spent an evening with him they always ended up drunk whether they meant to or not. It was just how it was.
Other evenings Jane and Rob would go out together or perhaps stay in together and have a good time, so the relationship seemed to be progressing well despite Dave.
Then Dave started going out with a German barmaid called Nicole . He had fancied her for a while and finally got round to asking her out. The fact that she was German seemed to make her more exotic but the main appeal to Dave was that she had large breasts. He was a man of simple tastes.
It was decided that one Friday evening that the two couples would go out together. It was the first time that Jane had met Nicole. It was soon apparent that Nicole was very lively and she was very amusing. She found the English people so strange.
It was getting late when to amuse the men Nicole kissed Jane. The longer the kiss went on the more it pleased the men. Jane went along with the kiss so as not to spoil the fun. However after the kiss Nicole suggested that since they had enjoyed watching the women kiss so much the two men should kiss. Rob and Dave made their excuses. They had known each other for so long. They would never kiss each other as it was not that sort of relationship.
Nicole threatened to go unless they stopped being so boring and they should kiss each other. To encourage them she kissed them each in turn, first Dave and then an initially reluctant Rob. However they still would not kiss each other. So Nicole got up to leave. And she invited Jane to leave with her. Jane was not sure how things would work out but she decided to go with Nicole to teach the men a lesson.
Nicole and Jane went to a bar nearby and had a drink together. Nicole said she was bored with Dave and she was going to stop seeing him. Afterwards Jane went back to her own flat alone.
The next day Rob came round to talk things over. Dave was upset over Nicole leaving him. Rob thought that Dave had been badly treated. Jane thought that Dave had got what he deserved. It led to an argument between them. Rob thought Jane should be more sympathetic to Dave. Jane did not think much of Dave. Rob took the criticism of his friend badly and decided to end his relationship with Jane. Jane was glad when Rob left.
Jane went to collect her things from Rob’s flat. It was a difficult end to the relationship. They had had good times. The main problem had been Rob’s friendship with Dave. In the end it became a choice for Rob between his relationship with Dave and his relationship with Jane. As far as Rob was concerned it was an easy choice. He could not be disloyal to Dave, so it was goodbye to Jane. Jane understood this so little needed to be said. They both felt that the other should have been more understanding.
Thus it was that Jane felt awkward bumping into Rob again. She went to the coffee shop and sat down alone with a coffee at a table. As she looked out the window she saw Rob with his new girlfriend. Rob was carrying several shopping bags and looked flustered. It was clear that the girlfriend was in charge of the situation. Somehow this made Jane feel much better.
The End
©Conor Cotter
The End
©Conor Cotter
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Scene from a sitcom about stock market traders
NICK AND ROB ARE AT THEIR DESKS
AND NATALIE IS SITTING OPPOSITE THEM.
Rob
I like the name Clever Investment Action Fund.
Nick
No, it would lose out to the Keen Global Business Fund.
Rob
What about the Noble Integral Creamy Easy Fund?
Nick
Too nice.
Rob
How about the Super High Integrity Tiger Fund ?
Nick
Probably one to avoid like the Cheap Random Arty Prime Fund.
Rob
There is the Trendy Ideal Tidy Success Fund
Nick
Or the Freaky Unique Cool Kinky Fund.
NICK LOOKS OVER TOWARDS NATALIE
Nick
There is also the Cute Urban Neat T…., perhaps we had better not mention that one.
NATALIE LOOKS ACROSS AT THEM
Natalie
You are missing the obvious one. The Greedy Bastards Fund.
Rob
Where is the subtlety in that?
Nick
Good Bargains Fund would be better.
Rob
Or Glorious Business Fund.
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