Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;silverthwait, post: 18062, member: 103&quot;]Oh, Af!&nbsp; That you have seen an actual lamplighter!</p><p><br /></p><p>When I was very small, my mother read all the English children&#039;s stories and poems.&nbsp; &quot;I Have a Little Shadow&quot; was the first thing I ever memorised.&nbsp; I loved the one about the counterpane, as I had a similar one.&nbsp; But &quot;Leary the Lamplighter,&quot; much as I loved it too, always made me feel quite melancholy.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>A number of years ago, I spent a couple of days in Edinburgh.&nbsp; I took the bus tour of the city, getting off and on, according to whatever I wanted to see more of.&nbsp; The guides doing the informative patter were all kinds of different!&nbsp; The last one I listened to was (very obviously) an actor.&nbsp; (Resting, as they say)&nbsp; He had a good voice, and intelligent commentary, so I was listening carefully.</p><p><br /></p><p>He knew me for a sucker instantly.&nbsp; As we approached Stevenson&#039;s house, he recited some of the Lamplighter...and I burst into tears.&nbsp; I had been going in to see it...but I couldn&#039;t.&nbsp; I cried til I was absolutely drowned -- and felt a right fool!</p><p><br /></p><p>My mother&#039;s antidote had always been to follow Stevenson with Milne&#039;s Changing of the Guard, or James, James, Morrison, Morrison, which always bucked me up considerably.&nbsp; But no one in Scotland seemed to know about this.</p><p><br /></p><p>Never did go in.&nbsp; Tried the next day.&nbsp; Different bus commentator..&nbsp; Still couldn&#039;t.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>The only good thing about this experience was that I knew I had Absolutely made that actor&#039;s day!![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in