Cricket

My best man came to visit us this weekend. He was coming up this way to set up a Christian campsite and took the scenic route. We had lots of fun. Our friendship works well as it is based on a number of elements – we both grew up in the same part of the world, same church, same school (for a year). This means that much of our conversation can be taken up with reminiscences of the past, I often thought I had a better memory, but I think it is more the fact that we both remember different strands of childhood. We are also both musical and have a similar sense of humour. We both graduated this year and both have an interest in Christian work. Another reason the friendship works is that we are very different. He is logical, outdoorzee and attentive. I am impulsive, lazy and a bit thick.

The past four days have been enjoyable. Since the floods in Aberystwyth the beach is covered with driftwood. We have gone down together for the past three nights and had a bonfire. Our friends wonder if this is what Aberystwyth is like every night, we tell them yes.

We also went to Devil’s Bridge (Pontarfynach) yesterday. We took the extortionately priced steam train and sat with a boy whose parents suffered from having to listen to his incessant pleading. “Can we play cricket today?” “Today, can we go down to the beach… and play cricket?” “You know when we went to that hotel? Can we go there again and play cricket?” etc. It made me think of my writing and something that I have learned this year about action. In a good play a character has to really want something, nothing will stop them. But the stakes have to be high. It’s much more difficult to write something which isn’t life or death…

The serpent that did sting thy father’s life
Now wears his crown.
But I think you’d rather play cricket.