Introduction
This collection is a collection of seventy stories, each 280 words. They were inspired by the first picture seen on my Twitter feed on a given day.
32 27 April 2019 Our Betty
There she is. Smart old-fashioned hair, set and naturally white. Her glasses make her look intelligent. My friend's mum always said that specs had that effect. You wouldn't mess with her, would you? 1992 she took on that role. I was just starting to be middle-aged then and to take politics seriously.
Of course she'd been our MP since 1973. And she was an MEP for a couple of years. Well, there's one good thing about West Bromwich; everywhere you go afterwards is an improvement. Even Salford? Yeah. Even Salford. At least it's got a cathedral and the Ship Canal. What's West Bromwich got? Well, at least it had our Betty for a while.
Did you know she's against Brexit? She doesn't look like a Remainer, but there you go. "Nobody voted for this mess," she says. "I blame the charlatans who peddled the falsehoods that [Brexit] would be easy. I wouldn't trust them to run my bath, let alone the country." Hear hear! Woman after my own heart. Go, Betty.
She's had some praise form high places. Tony Blair, the Prime Minister when she resigned paid tribute to her as "something of a national institution". Blair's predecessor, John Major, described her as an "outstanding Speaker".
That cry of "Order! Order!" I've not heard anyone do it better. You need someone strong to keep that lot in check.I wish she'd come back and sort them all out. They're a right shambles now. Piss-ups and brewery fails come to mind.
Do you know she used to be a Tiller girl? Yes, for eight years she was a dancer.Her name makes her sound like a cartoon character doesn't it?
About the author
Gill James is published by The Red Telephone, Butterfly and Chapeltown.
She edits CafeLit and writes for the online community news magazine: Talking About My Generation.
She teaches Creative Writing and has an MA in Writing for Children and PhD in Creative and Critical Writing.
http://www.gilljameswriter.com
https://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B001KMQRKE
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