Story Starter: Sheep

It happened again: I ran out of Friday. But here it is: your story starter image for this week. Sheep.

Let me tell you about this pic. I live out in the Angus countryside. Lovely spot, and yet only a ten-minute commute back and forth to work in Dundee.

Anyway, after a day in the city I like nothing better than getting out for a walk. Weekends, evenings, I put on my comfy shoes and head out into the fresh air. Sometimes it’s only for ten minutes, sometimes an hour or so. (Depends whose turn it is to cook!) It’s a terrific way to shed the stress, frustrations, tensions and general busyness of the day and clear the head.

I usually head up the road out of habit, but one evening I decided on a change and headed down. I’d noticed some sheep lodging in a field that’s usually vacant and thought I’d go visit.

So I wander down the road, to the field where the sheep are. They’re grazing, but one raises its head, then another, and before I know it they’ve formed a wide v-shaped huddle and are heading straight towards me.

Logic told me they were on the other side of a fence, that they couldn’t get me, that they wouldn’t hurt me…. but all the same, I’m a townie by birth and upbringing, and my wee heart did thump a bit.

But they stopped at a respectful distance and we stared at each other. I chatted for a bit, they paid no attention, and gradually they got bored and wandered back to the lusher side of the field.

But look how brave I was! Even as they advanced, this herd of woolly warriors, I stood my ground and took a picture.

So, that’s your story starter, whether it’s the sheep, or follow my leader, or following the crowd, or standing your ground, or – or – or….

Over to you. The usual deal, 2000 or 3000 words. And in case of any doubt, no 1200 words for now, please.

PS Autumn 2017 workshops booking form is here.