41 Places - 41 Stories: True Tales from Brighton41 Places:41 Stories is a book of found narratives, true stories picked up on street corners, taxi ranks, pubs, car parks - even in public toilets. Each tale inhabits its own geography: a specific place in the centre of a British seaside town. If the essence of narrative is change, William Shaw distils it here in these tales of love, loss and self-discovery. Brighton is, after all, a place where people have always come to transform themselves. |
Contents
02 You just know the moment you walk through the front door | 4 |
03 Anything can happen at this time of night | 6 |
04 They talked about how rocky things had been | 8 |
05 They reach out and kiss | 10 |
06 Are we the wonderland she is thinking about? | 12 |
07 Hes quite proud to be able to provide forhis son this way | 14 |
08 Gemmas housemates were suspicious of the new boyfriend | 16 |
09 but his brain still fizzes and sparks unable to settle | 18 |
24 Thats so rude | 48 |
25 the bird flutters a little way off and stands looking at them stupidly | 50 |
26 Youre like the crocodile in Peter Pan | 52 |
27 All the way to Vienna he carries the blooms carefully on his lap | 54 |
28 Were going to do it Were going to do it | 56 |
29 That was the first time he ever slept rough | 58 |
30 Some days he goes baconandegging | 60 |
31 Where did the thing that made you cry come from? | 62 |
10 all she wanted to do was sit down on the cold pavement and cry | 20 |
11 I could have sworn I brought my bag in | 22 |
12 no one talked to you and the money just dissolved in your pocket | 24 |
13 right here on the pavement | 26 |
14 how tough it is to be single when all your friends are in relationships | 28 |
15 Do I amuse you? Do you find me amusing? Do I make you laugh? | 30 |
16 He remembers the first time he saw this recording studio three years ago | 32 |
17 Can we go in one thats a bit more gay? | 34 |
18 The first time she saw him she though Oh I should stay away from him | 36 |
19 Were not a couple | 38 |
20 Tom feels instantly lightheaded dazed by the horror of the moment | 40 |
21 she still craves the taste | 42 |
22 His parents dont have a clue | 44 |
23 the sheer nothingyness of her dad | 46 |
32 The other day he found a 1966 American silver dollar on the beach Makes you think | 64 |
33 How much have you had to drink sir? | 66 |
34 What happened? You won the lottery? | 68 |
35 Even her parents didnt know what to do with Swenas hair | 70 |
36 Good Lord | 72 |
37 We destroy the myth that all accountants are boring | 74 |
38 laughter follows them | 76 |
39 They all knew it would be their last night together | 78 |
40 Rejoining real life was bewildering | 80 |
41 Act casual | 82 |
The Tortoise in the Pocket | 85 |
Acknowledgements | 87 |
Back cover | 88 |
Common terms and phrases
41 Places Ann Summers asked beach blue bought boyfriend Brighton Festival Brighton Station Bruce busking café Chris Churchill Square Civil Partnership club cold pavement couple crocodile in Peter Dave drinking dropped feels find me amusing Francesca friends gay bar Gemma's getting girl Gloucester gone Hamid happen Hove Jack Joshua Judy Karina Kath kebab Kemptown King's Road Kristina Lanes last night laughing liquorice living looking loves Marieke Martina Mass Observation mates Maya money just dissolved morning mother never North Laine North Street parents parkour pasty pavement and cry Peter Pan pick pier pigeon pocket puts realise remembers rocky things Rounder Records Royal Pavilion says Scuff seafront smile stands started Stella student Sydney Street takes talking taxi There's tonight tortoise traceurs trying turn walks watching weekend weeks West Pier West Street What's woke Yeah