Bye bye bike, hello who knows?

It's the end of an era.  Sad to say my trusty kawasaki has gone of to pastures new.  At the moment he's resting in my local bike dealers showroom waiting to impress the next rider.  It was a good bike and maybe one day I'll get another kwakka. Over the past twelve years I've always had a bike,  it does feel odd at the moment. 

Unlike some people I don't fall in love with my rides, I like them but when it comes down to it my bikes are just machines, mind you they're pretty and fast.  Some of the ones I've owned very fast (hence the penalty points for speeding). I have been saying for the last couple of years that I could not handle another winter on two wheels.

For me it’s another break from the norm.  I think that occasionally you have to change stuff; Sometimes takes a shove (or a broken hand in my case) to prompt a change.  I now have the mental freedom, something about not having to be in control to continue journeying, whether it is to and from work or generally in life.

One question I always hate in job interviews is, 'where do you see yourself in five years?' well, my answer to that is 'who the fuck knows!' what I won't want to be doing is the same thing day in day out for the previous five years. In addition, retired and stinking rich is not the right answer either.

That's just me though, I can understand many people would like that sort of security, but me, I'm just a seat of your pants type of guy. 

Bus Wanker

Travelling on the bus can be a funny thing. During the commute your occupy your couple of square feet of fabric and disappear into your own little world.  As a commuter you see the same people every day, we are totally creatures of habit we always sit in the same seats. There is a real cross section of society, young, old, rich and poor alike.  In addition, characters there certainly are some of those.

One of note on my morning journey in to work gives me a smile every day.  He looks pretty close to retirement, an old chap,  he wears the same wax jacket and deer stalker hat every day, whatever the weather,  and he rushes down the aisle before the bus stops having to be the first off the bus, despite it being the last stop on the run.

You barely acknowledge each other despite seeing your fellow travellers daily maybe the occasional nod or smile. The only time we interact is when something happens. Like when the bus is late, the timetable changes or something of note is happening outside the confines of our hardwearing fabric seats.

Do you know what?  I love it, as an ‘observationist’ I find it the most uplifting part of my day,  I even wrote this on my way home occupying my double seat taking in the atmosphere.

I am a bus wanker and proud of it! 

(Just to be clear that doesn't mean I masturbate on the bus, watch the 'inbetweeners')

My New Book 'Two Dogs & Other Tales'

The trials and tribulations of life are never kind on the writer. There are times when the World at large just seems to get in the way, four fold when you have a family relying on you too.
Despite that I have still managed to pump out a new book.
'Two Dogs & Other Tales' is a compilation of five stories that I have written over the last year. Unlike my first collection the world count comes in at nearly three times more.
The first story 'Two Dogs' is almost a novella on its own. Its about a mans change from rough ex drug addict to successful businessman, under the hope and protection delivered by the bequest of Two pottery dogs. Figurines with a secret.
Drakes Blitz, the second story, follows a draft dodging criminal as he lines his pockets from the misfortune of others by looting bombed out houses in blitz torn London. Sheltering from the determined enemy bombs his life takes a strange twist.
Then we hit the only zombie tale in this book, Affected inside'. Set a short time in the future Chris Styles is charged with going undercover in a modern flagship prison. Reports of prisoners never leaving have the authorities worried about whats going on in the privately run concern. Chris discovers a cover up so serious that  even the outside world becomes at risk from annihilation.
What would you do if friend offered you a hundred pounds to face your fear. In 'The dare' a drunken night in the local pub becomes a ghost encounter for one of the three friends. with deadly consequences.
The final story, called 'The Last Blood Hunter', follows the solitary life of a modern day vampire. David had successfully lived alone for many decades. One night a hunting mission goes wrong, luckily he is whisked away from almost certain incarceration by a mysterious blond woman.

None of the five stories have been published elsewhere and I'm particularly pleased with them.

If you find the above synopses interesting please do pick up a copy and let you know what you think.
Thanks for reading
Paul