I arrived home in time for lunch on the day I was told I had failed my probationary period as a trainee reporter. Yet I was not feeling downcast because Bill O’Brien, the chief reporter at the Holywell office where I had been a probationer, had told me there was someone interested in my desireContinue reading “Out of work for a weekend”
Author Archives: Robin
The Little Match Girl
by KNIGHT OF THE WHITE ELEPHANT OF BURMAH WILLIAM MCGONAGALL It was biting cold, and the falling snow, Which filled a poor little match girl’s heart with woe, Who was bareheaded and barefooted, as she went along the street, Crying: “Who’ll buy my matches? for I want pennies to buy some meat!” When she leftContinue reading “The Little Match Girl”
End of the road, or a new start?
When I returned to work after my week off I was quite surprised that Bill asked me to write a feature piece about the German visitors to North Wales. I should not really have been THAT surprised as the paper did not have a town identity, such as Holywell or Mold, but was technically aContinue reading “End of the road, or a new start?”
Behind the Scenes
by Banjo Paterson The actor struts his little hour, Between the limelight and the band; The public feel the actor’s power, Yet nothing do they understand. Of all the touches here and there That make or mar the actor’s part, They never see, beneath the glare, The artist striving after art. To them it seemsContinue reading “Behind the Scenes”
Fifteen six and one for his nob*
During my time with the Herald I was never called on to do weekend work. Delwyn enjoyed covering football matches on Saturday afternoons and took Friday afternoons off in lieu. As I normally had weekends off I am sticking to the routine here for now. I have always enjoyed playing cards, whether a two-handed gameContinue reading “Fifteen six and one for his nob*”
The Vixen
by John Clare Among the taller woods with ivy hung, The old fox plays and dances round her young. She snuffs and barks if any passes by And swings her tail and turns prepared to fly. The horseman hurries by, she bolts to see, And turns agen, from danger never free. If any stands sheContinue reading “The Vixen”
I’ll be back soon
Bit of a busy day today but I’ll be back tomorrow to tell you about a special game of cards.
Lady Midnight
by Leonard Cohen I came by myself to a very crowded place. I was looking for someone who had lines in her face. I found her there, but she was past all concern. I asked her to hold me; I said: Lady, unfold me, but she scorned me and told me I was dead andContinue reading “Lady Midnight”
Enjoying a drop of the holy spirit
Bill kept to his word and the next day I went to talk to the local vicar, the RC priest and three non-Conformist ministers. One was down in Greenfield and the others were at all four points of the compass in Holywell itself. The “stories” were nothing to write home about, really just snippets aboutContinue reading “Enjoying a drop of the holy spirit”
Groundhog Day in Holywell
Each day Delwyn and I turned up at the office and each day Bill set us tasks which were basically typing up copy in a presentable format. Newly-fledged copy typists could have done the job straight out of secretarial college and they would probably have been paid at the same rate. Then one morning, whenContinue reading “Groundhog Day in Holywell”
Robin's Nest 