Turlough

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I have 165 stories published in 7 collections on the site.
My stories have been read 376799 times and 224 of my stories have been cherry picked.
697 of my 2,593 comments have been voted Great Feedback with a total of 730 votes

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Terence Mullan

 

During the hot Balkan afternoons it’s grand to lie on the settee with jugs of glacial tea and a summer soundtrack. Joni Mitchell, Joseph Canteloube, Bob Marley and Mississippi John Hurt on scratchy vinyl all sooth as Pavlovian mosquitos snarl from their sides of insect screens.

Those afternoons will be back soon, I hope. I don't care for this having to wear socks nonsense.

 

My stories

Cherry

Eleven Thousand Silent Playmates

When an old song revives a memory that uncovers an astonishing secret. You might call this a sequel, or even a prequel, to Making Do with Dusty Springfield.
2 likes
Gold cherry

Making Do with Dusty Springfield

Remembering Patricia, a young Middlesbrough girl with great dreams. I hope her best ones came true.
1 likes
Cherry

All the Chai in China

The last half of the last twelfth of 2024, described at a rate of one hundred words per day.
2 likes
Gold cherry
Story of the week

Mad Dogs and Donkeys

The first half of the last twelfth of 2024, described at a rate of one hundred words per day.
3 likes
Cherry

The Day of the Drone - Luton to the Rescue

Christmas Chaos Part Two - The tale of a complicated and frustrating journey across Europe from east to west to enjoy the festive period with my family. Roy Wood and all the members of his band, Wizzard, said it’s a good job it’s not Christmas every day.
2 likes

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697 of my comments have received 730 Great Feedback votes

2 Votes

For years I worked with

Posted on Wed, 27 Oct 2021

For years I worked with elderly people and seeing them caught by dementia used to break my heart. Your words describing your Mum's situation have brought back so many memories of complete strangers who I came to love before slowly but ultimately...

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Posted in Blessings Dear Late Mum And Dad

2 Votes

I love reading diaries.

Posted on Sat, 23 Oct 2021

A long, long time ago I worked on ships. Working and living with people in such close proximity for six to eight months at a time whilst thousands of miles from home made me feel I got a deep understanding of, and closeness to, colleagues that I...

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Posted in That Was Genesis

2 Votes

A nice bit of secrecy.

Posted on Tue, 12 Oct 2021

I really enjoyed your poem Rhiannon. It hadn't crossed my mind that adults speaking in code in front of their kids was a form of keeping things secret. I remember it being a struggle with my kids, and then an even bigger struggle when they...

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Posted in Little ears are listening!

1 Vote

Old Quarry

Posted on Fri, 25 Apr 2025

We never know what characters hide behind those scary faces. Better safe than sorry, every time for children and adults.

When I was nine and living in York, a lorry driver stopped and offered me a lift. I often think back and wonder what...

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Posted in More Than We Bargained For

1 Vote

Scary stuff

Posted on Fri, 25 Apr 2025

Such a shame that a lovely adventure should go so horribly wrong. You did right to run away as it could have gone even more horribly wrong. A story of two extremes, and quite disturbing as we never know what is out there. We live in a scary world...

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Posted in More Than We Bargained For

1 Vote

Petty cash

Posted on Thu, 17 Apr 2025

The money I gave to Kavinda was approximately one tenth of my weekly wage at the time, so not much at all to me but a fortune to him.

I've written part three but it's too big to fit within the parameters of an ABC post so I've split it and...

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Posted in Taking Tea - Kavinda and Me

1 Vote

Ships

Posted on Wed, 16 Apr 2025

Thank you very much Jenny.

I think hardship enriches our lives more than riches do, though probably not for Sri Lankans as so many of them have known only hardship.

I worked for the shipping company just short of three years which...

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Posted in A Black Morris Minor and a Pink Carnation

1 Vote

Wish!

Posted on Mon, 14 Apr 2025

I wish I knew what happens next.

It's nice to see you starting a new story and to be in on it from the beginning. Good luck with it.

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Posted in "Where to Diner"

1 Vote

Even older than me

Posted on Sat, 12 Apr 2025

It absolutely amazes me how a living organism can survive so long. Imagine the things it has lived through. I wouldn't want to be an oak tree myself though. 

Lovely poem Jenny.

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Posted in Mighty Ancient Oak

1 Vote

Yeats and Villa

Posted on Wed, 09 Apr 2025

Thanks for that Paul. I pick up the Yeats book from time to time but I'd be fibbing if I said I'd read it from cover to cover. Days with absolutely nothing at all to do are perfect for such literary adventures.

On a totally different...

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Posted in Nihil Impossibile Erit Vobis

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