Sometimes you’re just walking along the road grabbing some fresh air over lunchtime, and look! A Story Starter image stops right in front of you!
That’s what happened one day last week. There I was striding out, humming little songs to myself, wishing it was a bit warmer…. And this beautiful vintage bus pulled up in a layby along my usual lunchtime route. I whipped out my phone quick as you like and took a couple of pics. Mind you, I wasn’t quick enough to beat the little green car that pulled up right behind it and photobombed the shot. Really spoiled it, it did. But thanks to some computer wizardry – and our illustrator, Sarah, who’s a whizz with that kind of thing – it’s gone. Now my bus has the spotlight all to itself again.
So, what’s the story?
Could be about the obvious topic of weddings, wedding lists, wedding guests, wedding finery….
Could be about photobombing.
Could be about the driver. Or the bus owner. His dream business, maybe, into which he’s sunk all his savings.
Could be a multi-period story about the bus itself, and its new lease of life.
Could be….
Could be it reminds you of getting the bus when you were a child. Do you remember being entrusted with the money for the fares? And practising what you had to ask for? I think we were six and two threes from our street into the town centre on the No. 37. And the bus conductor with his ticket machine, and the little clip of concession tickets on the top. Standing room only. Crashing gears and steamed up windows. Everyone lurching in unison as the bus swerved round bends and corners, or braked suddenly. Brave men and boys leaping off the platform before it had quite stopped…
I just know this one is going to spark all sorts of stories!
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Shirley Blair Fiction Ed Shirley’s been with the “Friend” since 2007 and calls it her dream job because she gets to read fiction all day every day. Hobbies? Well, that would be reading! She also enjoys writing fiction when she has time, long walks, travel, and watching Scandi thrillers on TV.
