I’m facing fear with a song in my heart
‘TALKS too much . . . distracts other children . . . doesn’t concentrate ’ read my school reports. Many times my teachers put a finger to their lips to encourage me to stop talking. I was always talkative at school and loved singing. My chatty disposition and zest for life took me to a great place. Retail was made for me, thanks to my love of people. My job as a department store floor manager was a dream. I loved every aspect of it and knew I was doing the boss proud. If it ever looked as if I might be heading for the naughty step, my big grin got me out of trouble. closures are forcing customers to travel miles. Increases in the base rate have not been passed on to savers.
The unacceptable face of capitalism must be subject to tougher regulation by the Bank of England and the Treasury or we’ll find ourselves in another credit crisis.
DAVID MORGAN, Shrewsbury, Shropshire.
Surf and turf
Surfing is to become an Olympic sport. As the Games are on a UK basis, Scots surfers will be represented under a UK banner. We can foretell the SNP response to this – Scotland is ‘being ignored’ and ‘done down’. In all probability, this issue will be used to bolster the Nationalists’ sense of victimisation. WILLIAM BALLANTINE,
Bo’ness, West Lothian.
Holyrood hit list
THE number of Scots councils should be slashed from 32 to 17 to save money and boost However, late last year, some strange things started to happen. I would always do a team briefing, but found that my enthusiasm was fading. My passion was merchandising — creating shop displays to attract a customer’s attention — but I would pick up a handbag and then put it down, thinking: ‘That’s heavy, and I can’t be bothered.’ I knew something was wrong. After many hospital appointments, I was diagnosed with motor neurone disease with complications that affect my spine and speech. I know there is a efficiency, according to a study by the University of Sheffield. I couldn’t agree more.
While we’re at it, how about slashing the size of Holyrood? What are all those list MSPs up to anyway?
KATH LITTLE, via email.
Calamity childhood
THE story of how Paddington Bear came to be (Mail) brought back memories of my accident-prone childhood.
I thought I was the only person who had to run downstairs before the toilet finished flushing or horrible things would happen.
Aged four, I wandered out of the house to a building site. I went up the stairs of a halfbuilt house, fell through a gap in the planks and ended up on the ground, bruised, battered, but with no broken bones.
I lost my eyebrows when I lit the family gas oven and it went bang. I was fascinated when my auntie made toast on the grill of her new-fangled electric cooker. When she was in the sitting room, I thought I’d give it a go. I stuck my hand under the element to tough road ahead. I already suffer from extreme exhaustion, have had a nasty fall and my voice is disappearing. How can I prepare my family? At the age of 59, I have had to leave the job I love, move back in with my mum and rely on my brother to help out with my feeding tube. It’s not fun, but I focus on fundraising and raising awareness of this awful disease. I have a voice left, albeit faint, and still love to sing, however, when I hum along to a favourite tune, I’m miles behind! I am still breathing, so I mustn’t complain.
DEBBIE BURRELLS, Bedford. check it was heating up. I got an electric shock from the bare wires and went flying across the room.
THOMAS TURNBULL, Askington, Northumberland.
It’s BBC, not ABC
I HEAR the BBC increasingly using ‘two-time’. To two-time someone is to be unfaithful. Could the BBC – that first B is for British, after all – please abandon such dreadful Americanisms and say ‘double’ when that’s what it means?
IRENE KNOX, Glasgow.