southseasoup

Memory Plays Tricks

I’m always complaining about my terrible memory, but this morning I’ve been remembering lots of things, so I thought I’d share them.

First I remembered that I hadn’t had any breakfast, so I got the yogurt out of the fridge to have on my muesli.

Then I remembered that there wasn’t much yogurt left and I need to make some more. So I got out the yogurt maker and plugged it in, and got the milk and yogurt.

Then I remembered that I needed a tablespoon to measure the yogurt for the ‘starter’ of the next lot of yogurt. So I looked in the drawer where the tablespoons normally live, but there wasn’t one there.

Then I remembered that the dishwasher needed emptying, and the tablespoons were probably in there, so I went over to the dishwasher.

Then I remembered that the washing machine was also full, so I took the washing out of the machine and sorted it out.

Then I remembered that I still hadn’t had my breakfast.

Then I remembered that I’d switched on the yogurt machine and it had been standing there for about ten minutes with nothing in it.

Linda

On This Day – 1st September

Do you know who was born on this day in 1795? You don’t? Seriously? Gordon Bennett!!!

The elder, that is, not the younger – yes, that’s right, not only was Gordon Bennett a real person, there were two of them, father and son. (Although strictly speaking they were both James Gordon Bennett.)

Gordon Bennett Snr was born in Scotland, and emigrated first to Canada in 1819, and later to the USA, where he worked in various jobs as a schoolteacher, proof-reader, bookseller, freelance writer, journalist and ultimately in 1835 founded a newspaper, The New York Herald, (which is where the literary connection comes in, and hence the excuse for this post).

But according to Wikipedia, ‘The phrase “Gordon Bennett” which denotes exasperation or shock’ derives from James Gordon Bennett Jnr, who was not born on 1^st September, but did take over the running of the New York Herald from his father, and lived in Paris for a time, where he started the Paris Herald (which went on to become the well-known International Herald Tribune) and had an Avenue named after his father.

From the descriptions of him online, Gordon Bennett Jnr sounds like a bit of a character, scandalising society and spending his wealth on funding sporting events (numerous Gordon Bennett cups in various accomplishments), sailing, hot air ballooning and exploration (including H Morton Stanley’s quest to find Dr David Livingstone) and marrying for the first time at the age of 73 – having wrecked a previous chance at matrimony by getting outrageously drunk at the engagement party and urinating in the fireplace (or possibly a grand piano) in the home of his prospective in-laws.

Wikipedia goes on to suggest that ‘Bennett’s controversial reputation is thought to have inspired, in Britain, the phrase “Gordon Bennett” as an expression of incredulity.’ Wordsmith.org, describes it as ‘an interjection: Expressing surprise, puzzlement, incredulity, annoyance, etc’ and suggests that it: ‘alludes to his wild ways, and perhaps originated as a euphemism for gorblimey‘.

As someone who uses this expression quite frequently, I’d say it’s not so much a euphemism as a blasphemy disguised by distorted (allegedly Cockney) pronunciation, in the same category as ‘oh my gawd’, and its variants ‘oh my gaudy (or giddy) aunt’. But hey, what do I know?

Who We Are

Southsea Storytellers is a writers’ collective based in Southsea, Hampshire, on the south coast of England. We get together regularly to drink coffee, share ideas, egg each other on, write and publish.

To date, we have published two collections of our work: ‘Southsea Soup’ (2018) and ‘Life and Love’ (2019). The third collection, ‘Flights and Fancies’ is currently in production.

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