Sunday, September 9, 2018

Nevil's beach

As I was going through my 'archive' for yesterday's entry, I found a few lyrics I had completely forgotten. Wordfs based on Nevil Shute's novel 'On the beach'. I cannot find the book itself anymore, but I do remember how I got my copy of this novel.
Curious about the lyrics? Click here!
[Daily Abstraction 218090901. Painting available].








I received my (paperback) copy of this book from a lady I met in Manchester. I'm not sure about her age, but she must have been in, or almost in, her sixties. She (as I did) was promoting a conference of her organisation at the 'Microbe 1986' congress in Manchester, UK. After the congress she had planned a few days off to enjoy the landscape in a rental car. I asked her if she was used to driving at the left side. 
"No," she said. "I'm not even used to this gear-stick-thing, and I could not find any automatic car to rent. So..."
"Yeah, quit exciting," I said. "Write me a postcard to let me know if you survived..." Oh boy; what a sick joke. But, admitted, most of our conversations were rather nice. Mostly about her boss, a younger man in his forties who was very, very busy dating an even younger blond woman at the show. Did you know conferences are often said to be a legal way to cheat on your spouse? Well, let's forget about mister playboy. The lady did see the UK; she did return alive and even send me a copy of Nevil Shute's  'On the Beach'. For some odd reason I felt my holiday in sunny Spain a few months later was the best time to read this depressive book. Great, but depressive. Once I had finished reading, I wrote these lyrics. Merely a summary of the story.

I know two or even more films have been made, based on this novel. But I never could persuade myself to watch them. Why would I? It´s written  in the book...