Thank you very much, Nym, PapaG and LW, for your entries, which I enjoyed immensely. Well done!
Nym: Magical thinking
An excellent take on the fairytale, Cinderella, which flows nicely and is an absorbing read (you are good at dialogue, Nym; tricky stuff, in my opinion). I expected a happy ending (almost obligatory in such a tale), but still found the final paragraph surprising and delightful.
PapaG: Worlds Apart
This is a difficult and painful subject, but a good choice for the theme. It is usual to attempt to include the required words seamlessly, but I liked the way ‘orange peel’ is used as a conspicuous introduction to the story; very effective. A poignant, affectionate and sensitive portrayal of Auntie, PapaG, with sprinkles of humour.
LW: A Very Short Story for Bilby
I had my doubts from the beginning about the wisdom of this inter-species union. It is an odd match, even bizarre, one may say, which makes for a wildly imaginative and entertaining piece, well suited to the theme. I think you could go for a trilogy, LW; this story has legs!
As usual, this was a difficult choice. Unfortunately, there can be only one winner …
and the winner is …
PapaG! Congratulations! 🙂
The CW Competition is on hold until September (I believe), so you have plenty of time to think about a theme, PapaG!
Boadicea's Chariot 
Good call to extend the deadline, Bilby.
I enjoyed reading all the stories, and many congratulations to PapaG. 🙂
Loverly 🙂
Wow – I’m gobsmacked. And there was I happy to come 3rd – it was my first bash in this competition! Thankyou Bilby for such kind remarks and I am encouraged to have further goes later in the year. I found the exercise very useful – thought I would try for 200 words but found myself rolling on a wave.
I will have a think in readiness for the next CW competition, on hold until September, but I would now like to thank LW and Pseu for their very readable and entertaining entries. I am so flattered to be rubbing shoulders with them knowing the high standards achieved in the history of this competition.
You are very welcome, PapaG. I look forward to the September Competition. 🙂
Congrats and well done PPG a well deserved win. I saw my story as soon as Bilby announced the theme and the words but getting it to paper was a real challenge.
PG, good evening and congratulations.
I was online last night and saw your youtube of Auntie before you went private again. Like Ara, I felt sad but privileged to have seen it. It was very moving, particularly when viewed in the context of your winning entry.
I took the chance to watch Kojo the crockery jazz drummer at work as well. Great to see such enthusiasm. Enjoy the journey with him over the coming years.
John, many thanks for that, it means a lot to me. I’m glad you caught Kojo using coloured pencils as drum sticks. There is 60 years between us and people often suppose I am his grandfather – well that’s almost a compliment to me! I guess the relationship is very much like that between grandad and grandson: very kindly, loads of patience, lots of story telling! We are very much like best buddies.
Just over a week ago I took Kojo to my local Pakistani restaurant. I think it was Kojo’s third visit. He likes to mix up the condiments on a side plate (chilli tomato, cucumber yoghurt and mango chutney) and he adds that to a portion of chicken biryani. The staff are quite impressed as he sits there in his black leather jacket like he is Lord of the Manor. The restaurant manager is very taken with him. (He doesn’t really believe I am his dad and thinks I am pulling his plonker.) But last week he invited Kojo for a tour of the kitchen where he was shown various ovens and huge saucepans of rice as well as meeting the Head Chef.
In all my years I have never once been inside a restaurant kitchen let alone an ‘Indian.’ Needless to say, Kojo survived the experience! Have a good day sir.
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