Father to son

James Spence

My father was just the greatest storyteller. I never was, couldn't even tell a joke; didn't like repeating myself for one thing. I liked the words in front of me on a bit of paper, so I wouldn't muck it up. I was more a poet, with a couple of books to my name.

Well, there came a time when my Dad was getting quite forgetful. So I thought I'd better write down his stories, which I did, or they'd be forgotten. Now round about that time I was due to do a poetry reading with friends, John Murray and Tom Kane, at the Netherbow Theatre in Edinburgh. I'd decided that I was going to read some of my Dad's stories in the second half, but was kicking myself because I'd spent so much time coming up with new poems that I hadn't given myself time to practise reading the stories. ... (continues)