Village Tales from the Honkeymoon Cafe Fictional stories written and read Barkley Johnson

A subsequent meeting with Michael Corrigan makes the story teller determined to see if he can see the 'Little People'. His resolve falters but circumstances take over ensuring that something happens. It seems so real at the time, but can he be sure he saw anything? And if he did, what proof is there?

Commissioned by a local radio station as a Christmas Special, this is a 'dramatised' short story. Renovating a neglected cottage myself, I am aware that there may be 'echoes' from the past, perhaps like many properties that have some age and where things have happened that are not so easily forgotten by something or someone. In this case it may have been fool hardy to change too much of the property, particularly when there appears to be no obvious reason. If the reason becomes obvious, it could be too late!

( The Milkman Pt 2 ) When ‘Connie’ the village milkman died in London all that was found on him was a postcard, a photo of our village, but all that was written on it was, ‘From your son.’ There doesn’t seem to be a connection to anyone in the village, not even those where Connie ‘lingered’, but Rachael comes up with a theory.

Local knowledge consists of rumour and invention, but at its centre may be a nugget of truth. If a quizmaster is going to ask questions, they have to be verifiable and unambiguous, so the truth has to be found. In the search for truth, there may be other discoveries along the way.

What is it about Pub quizzes that makes normally placid people so competitive? If the questions have debatable answers all hell can let loose, and it will be the quiz master that gets the blame. So called ‘Professionals’ stalk the nights and one way to confound them is to have a round of ‘Local Knowledge’, but who do you believe when there are so many versions?

Dotty was an eccentric every village would be proud to have. Her theatrical fantasies, her imagining she appeared in silent films and on the stage, and her relationships with the stars she claimed were friends were fanciful beyond belief. What did it matter if none of it was true. Except . . .