Our club’s Readaround season moved from Prestwick back to Ayr on Wednesday night. The club’s charabanc chugged onto St. Leonard’s Road, and a new venue suggested by Louise – St. Leonard’s Church. It is a striking building, completed in 1886, with the Church Hall following in 1910. It was to the latter that a dozen members descended for an evening of convivial conversation, and readings from some of the members.
The church hall was an inspired choice. We had an upstairs room to ourselves with no distractions, and for our half-time break we moved downstairs to the well-stocked kitchen area. Louise was the perfect host providing ample refreshments including every possible hot and cold drink, chocolate cake and Jennifer’s scrummy tablet, which she assured us was low calorie. Could anyone refuse a second chunk?
Poems of the evening provoked strong images and emotions. An embodied poem from Carrie took us to Kenmore’s rich landscape of fauna and flora. Club stalwart, Fiona, delighted us with two poems, a family forced to flee their country highlighted the vast unfairness and violence that exists in the world, contrasted with a comedic account of a high school reunion, which had us falling about laughing.
A thoughtful and very personal piece from Bob explained why he writes. We encouraged him to read it out at The Wigtown Book Festival.
The reading continued with a dystopian tale from club president, Fiona. The protagonist tried to maintain a cheery disposition in the face of an automated and suspicious society battling soaring temperatures and an unforgiving sun.
Damaris has been reading chapters from a new psychological thriller all summer and did not disappoint with her latest. Her young protagonist planning an escape from his boarding school.
Tales of a new puppy were met with requests for regular updates and a potential new puppy blog. Lizzie’s puppy, Martha, is evidently a handful. Lizzie gave us a snapshot of how her life has been changed by this addition to the family.
Jennifer has recently had a strange dream and she has decided to turn it into a short story. It left us all wondering about what it all means. I’m not sure if even Jennifer knows yet!
Finally, the complications of love and relationships were described by Chris, through the myriad of one man’s thoughts while he waited for his partner at the station platform.
We departed in good spirits with effusive thanks to Louise. In two weeks, on Wednesday 20th August, Susan McVey hosts the final ReadAround of the summer season.
Jennifer Lerpiniere & Chris Palmer