Chicken Lababdar — Brian Johnson

The author of the humorous Captain Shoelace trilogy has written a collection of nine contemporary short stories. The reader is presented with a mixture of gentle and dark humour, plus other tales that are of a mysterious and sometimes sombre nature. Chicken Lababdar: Justin Blackthorn meets Jo Phillips and embarks on a whirlwind romance. However, Jo's favourite Indian meal brings the question of his commitment to her into doubt as Justin reaches the crossroads in his life. I am not lonely: The sad story in which an old lady makes it abundantly clear to the reader just why she is not lonely; or maybe not. The experiment: John narrates the story of how his life changed after his odd encounter with a stranger calling himself ‘Richard'. John detests his life up to that point, but dare he participate in ‘The experiment' that Richard proposes. One black sock: Something inexplicable has happened in the Strang household. Rough justice: A fifty year old sense of injustice comes to light. How can the punishment fit the crime if no crime has been committed? George and Evelyn: Evelyn and her husband Tom were getting along just fine, then George came to live with them. I wish I could see: An old man remembers things that he'd much rather forget in this dark tale. As the saying goes; be careful what you wish for. And the winners are?: Three men swear an oath that they will go on a fishing trip. Their respective partners may not see things quite the same way. Someone has to gain the upper hand as each person manoeuvres for position. The Professor: The self-titled character gives up his Lepidopterist hobby after Charles Montgomery Hackett pedals his pushbike into the rear end of a bus. The professor instantly decides to become an anthropologist instead. He is going to study Charlie. However, the professor is not a well man, psychiatrically speaking.