Quite often on the beach I find interesting sand erosion patterns; or entire dead birds and sea animals; or parts of non-marine animals such as goats and chickens, plus flowers fruits and candles, telling of offerings made from the beach to someone in the spirit world. Some days more than others there is also debris in among the seaweed shells and drift wood, objects like those I collaged here, suggesting things lost and discarded. We could speculate on what lies between each lost or abandoned object – a toy, shoe, drinks cooler, or breast enhancer from inside a bra …..
We would never know if we were somewhere vaguely near the true story of how this object came here, or what the next stage on its journey is. Will someone come along and pick it up before it is washed away again, and use it? It might be interesting to choose one such thing and make up a story about it. Or perhaps write a series of short stories on each of the objects here … hmmmm and maybe I have spent a bit much time this morning reading reviews of books and stories other people have written to help build up the list of books to be ordered for the book group I belong to. But for every author, there is always something that provides the starting point for their writing, something someone says or does, or something that appears or is found. This morning I read a reviewer’s words along the lines that in places the reader has the impression of overhearing a long phone conversation/chat between two friends including all the inconsequential little bits. I sometimes notice and am often amused by the amazing things people say in public toilets – I mean people who are clearly friends and while each is occupied in their loo cubicle they just continue their conversation for anyone to hear over the tinkling, farts and flushing !
