Charles Heath's writing blog

A picture paints ... well, as many words as you like.  For instance:       And, then, the words:   ... Everyone always wants to change their circumstances, particularly if you are among those who are not so well off. My father always said, whenever we complained about not having enough money to go on holiday or buy something we needed, that there was always someone worse off than we were. As a child, I could hardly believe that was true when it looked like everyone else had everything they wanted. As an adult, I promised myself that I would never be in those circumstances and that I would always have enough money. And, of course, what you want, what you would like, and what really happens are very different outcomes, and no matter how much planning, and how many contingency plans you have in place, a single event can wreck everything.   When you open the front door and see policemen, two thoughts cross your mind.  The first, they're at the...

Here’s the thing...   Every time I close my eyes, I see something different.   I’d like to think the cinema of my dreams is playing a double feature but it’s a bit like a comedy cartoon night on Fox.   But these dreams are nothing to laugh about.   Once again there's a new instalment of an old feature, and we’re back on the treasure hunt.   ... I had expected to find the rocks we were slowly and carefully chambering over to be smooth, worn down by the constant washing over by the waves. They were, to a certain extent, but there were places where the jagged edges were as sharp as a knife, and I had more than one cut on my hand. Even with the stiff breeze coming in off the water, it was still hot, laborious work and it took over an hour to reach the first part of Sandy Beach, a thin strip below the rock line, and soaring behind it, a rocky cliff face that would require rock climb training to scale, and then notwithstanding a lot of safety gear. It didn't surprise ...

I'm back home and this story has been sitting on a back burner for a few months, waiting for some more to be written. The trouble is, there are also other stories to write, and I'm not very good at prioritizing.   But, here we are, a few minutes opened up and it didn't take long to get back into the groove.   Chasing leads, maybe     We took the elevator down to one of the basement levels, and then along a long poorly lit passageway which in my estimation had taken us to another building. It would not have surprised me if it had been part of a large underground complex used in the second world war, safe from the overhead bombing raids.  Certainly, a lot of the fittings and paintwork looked very, very old, and I could imagine armed soldiers stationed along the length of the corridor each in his own little cutaway. At the end, the building was a lot more modern, and bright. There was a large open space, and we headed towards one of the corners where the wall...

Here’s the thing...   Every time I close my eyes, I see something different.   I’d like to think the cinema of my dreams is playing a double feature but it’s a bit like a comedy cartoon night on Fox.   But these dreams are nothing to laugh about.   Once again there's a new instalment of an old feature, and we’re back on the treasure hunt.   ... With Nadia seeking gold at the beach at The Grove ... I was waiting to be picked up at the bus depot by Nadia, trying to keep out of the public eye, knowing very few people I knew would be there at that hour. It was early for me, not long after getting home from the night shift, with just enough time to change and get something to eat at the diner a block from the depot. Nadia didn't understand my obsession with anonymity, but being seen with her was just going to raise questions, and, if either my mother or Boggs found out, that would be two very interesting conversations. I just didn't need the aggravation. I was not su...

I'm back home and this story has been sitting on a back burner for a few months, waiting for some more to be written. The trouble is, there are also other stories to write, and I'm not very good at prioritizing.   But, here we are, a few minutes opened up and it didn't take long to get back into the groove.   Chasing leads, maybe  .... Once out of the elevator, I could see another security desk halfway up the corridor.  There were no doors before the desk, only after, so my destination was past the desk. I pulled out my card in readiness, and as I approached, a woman came out of a door behind the desk and joined the security guard. She spoke to the guard, then looked at me.  “My name is Joanne, I have been assigned to help you, and in accordance with security measures in place on this floor, I will be accompanying you.  One of the conditions of access is to not be anywhere on your own.” “Except in the restroom, I hope.” A momentary frown, “Common se...

  Here’s the thing...   Every time I close my eyes, I see something different.   I’d like to think the cinema of my dreams is playing a double feature but it’s a bit like a comedy cartoon night on Fox.   But these dreams are nothing to laugh about.   Once again there's a new instalment of an old feature, and we’re back on the treasure hunt.   ... Back at the newspaper archives ... Boggs didn't come home. His mother and I waited until way after dark, and when I raised the possibility that something might have happened to him, she didn't agree, nor did she look all that concerned. The fact he had experience in cave exploration and used to camping out with his father and later Uncle Rico and had told me he might not be back for a few days was not cause for concern. It didn't register that he might get into trouble considering the instability of some of the caves, nor the fact they have warning signs and or been boarded up to stop explorers. It bothered me. He ...