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 ) 

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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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
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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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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.

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

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.