A birthday present for my mothers formidable piano teacher.

The raid was carried out on a cold and very wet night early in September.  The plan worked to perfection, with the night watchman being only too willing to co-operate when confronted with Bill Daniels sawn-off shotgun.  As arranged the successful team melted away into the night having loaded hundreds of sacks of used notes into Leslie Morgan's hired van.  Andy then dropped the others at separate locations to suit carefully concocted alibis before disappearing himself as prearranged.

Strict ‘streaming’ was in force at this time with children in each year placed according to perceived ability in either the ‘A’, ‘B’ or ‘C’ classes.  The brightest kids were placed in the ‘A’ and the least able in the ‘C’ stream.  ‘B’ seemed to contain all those they couldn't quite pigeonhole.  This is where I was placed.  You would think that even over 50 years ago it would have been common knowledge that children thrive on encouragement. To be selected for a B grade at eight was not a helpful start!

As I look back on my early school life, I realised that teachers in the early 1950s had a relatively cushy existence.  Well-behaved children from largely middle-class backgrounds were used to a discipline within their own home environment that today would be considered very repressive and cruel.  Physical punishment was commonplace and this authoritarian approach was reflected in the classroom.  One rarely stepped out of line unless one could be sure to remain undetected.

I sat in the window-less cell at Belgravia Police Station and pondered the depressing events that had led to my arrest and detainment. Even the one private phone call grudgingly allowed me had been a disaster. It was clear from her tone that my wife had found my explanation very unconvincing.

The life changing role that the Titanic tragedy had for one particular wealthy passenger!

Giuseppe had become hardened to sitting on the cold doorstep. He always chose the same one. Insulating himself from the chilly surface with yesterdays Gazzetta Dello Sport, his favourite paper, he was content to watch people and greet his few friends as they crossed the piazza in his hometown Avella as it came to life.

A tale of a youthful obsession to climb and conquer the large Elm tree at the bottom of my parents garden.

My Mother recalls the story of what happened when she accepted an invitation from her Aunt Florence to accompany her to visit her in-laws at Llangrannog.

A short story of a solitary diner's infatuation with a beautiful woman seated at the table opposite, who is celebrating Valentine's evening with her boyfriend.