It was a dark and stormy night

It was a dark and stormy night. I had finished attending a storytelling workshop, held in St John’s Town of Dalry, 17 miles North of Castle Douglas. Several weeks of heavy rain and Loch Ken had burst its banks. The road home was closed.

Forced to detour many miles down back lanes I was aware the petrol warning light had been on for quite some time and the gauge was pointing at Empty.

The roads were strewn with broken twigs and fallen branches. Through the lashing rain, the glare of the headlights combined with the constant throbbing of the windscreen wipers was producing a headache of tectonic proportions.

I tried to call home but there was no signal on my mobile phone.

Several miles had passed since I last saw a house showing the slightest sign of occupation.

The scene was set for a terrible tale of calamity, misfortune and possibly death…



But as it happens every thing turned out fine. I arrived home safe and sound just in time for Maggie to dish up a warm and welcoming dinner.