Five years before the Mast
By Viv Robins
It was a dark and stormy night back in the autumn of 2001. After a violent knocking at the door, in burst two sinister-looking figures whom I now know to be ‘Mad’ Mike Senior and his deceptively mild-mannered henchman, Andy ‘Pandy’ Burnett. Dumping their violin cases in the hall – with dark hints that they might need to reclaim them later – they marched through to the living room where they subjected me to relentless questioning. Was it true that I had been Merseyside and North Wales Regional Journalist of the Year in 1974? Was it also true that I was now unemployed and living a life that was devoid of meaning and purpose? In short, didn’t I need to take on the editorship of a brand new publication they were planning called The Lee Newsletter?
The sweat stood out on my brow as I turned over my reply. I knew they were watching me narrowly, even as Mike made some elaborate feints with the fireside poker while Andy drew his thumb experimentally along the edge of a letter knife on the nearby writing desk. Remorselessly the seconds ticked by and suddenly my nerve gave way. I knew I could delay a decision no longer. Yes…… it was time for my father’s favourite, Flog It, on the box and he kicked us out of the sitting room sharp-ish.
Sheepishly the three of us shook hands on the deal in the hall. “Don’t worry”, hissed Mike, “all you’ll have to do is write 12 pages of copy every month under various pseudonyms”.
Which all goes to show what a difference five years make! The number of pages has now doubled to 24, with almost all written by its readers for its readers. Somehow The Newsletter has managed to winkle its way into the very heart of village life.
Happy quinquagesimaprimal edition!