Denis Kilcommons
  • Home
  • Books
  • More Books
  • Blog
  • Bits of a Life
  • Send a message
  • Links
  • Untitled
  • Untitled
  • Untitled

Falling in love with Cori Samuel

10/11/2013

1 Comment

 
Picture
AS part of my fitness regime, I bought myself a Sony Walkman and fell in love. The intention was to listen to audio books or records through earphones to help me on my way. The Happy Wanderer is not on my play list. Love happened by accident.
The Walkman came with instructions in 22 languages. Everything from Slovakian to Greek but they didn't help. Probably because I'm not the sort of person to read instructions. I just get stuck in.
Not surprisingly, I couldn't get it to record anything.
“Why don't you ask Ian,” my wife Maria said. “He's a scientist so he's bound to know.”
“Yes, but he's a Leeds United supporter. I'll end up with the Elland Road song book on the thing – We Are Leeds and the Ballad of Billy Bremner.” I'd rather let my arteries fur up.
I'm taking getting fit seriously. Not like my chum Ian.
“I sent for a rowing machine once but it arrived without oars. I sat and drifted for an hour every morning. I joined a fitness club and lost 43 pounds the first day. That was the joining fee. Then I tried the whisky diet: I lost three weeks. Finally I decided a simple fitness regime was best: up two three, down two three. Then the other eyelid.”
And yes, he's a Tommy Cooper fan.
He added a note of encouragement.
“My grandfather started walking five miles a day when he was 60. He's 93 now and we haven't clue where he is.”
I finally worked out how to work the Walkman and downloaded a talking book from Librivox. This is a website where all the books are free because they are ancient and out of copyright. And that's when I fell in love - with the voice of the reader of a very boring Victorian melodrama.
Many of the volunteer readers lack something. After all, they are not professionals. I almost gave up of finding a voice compatible to the subject matter after listening, on one site, to the opening lines of a classic set in Roman Britain read by a New York cab driver.
And then I discovered Cori Samuel. I know nothing about the lady but her voice is wonderful, her intonation perfect and her interpretation flawless.
So if anyone encounters me out walking and thinks I am a tad engrossed, it is because I am communing with Cori.
For goodness sake, don't tell the wife.






1 Comment
Richard Dpnkin link
10/11/2013 07:18:20 pm

Some great old jokes there. Nice one.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    About writing

    A blog about writing. And maybe other things that take my fancy.

    Links:
    Donkin Life

    View my profile on LinkedIn

    Archives

    April 2019
    March 2019
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011

    Categories

    All
    Agents
    Death
    Donkin
    Donkinlife
    God
    Harold Robbins
    Kindle
    Newspapers
    New Technology
    Openwriting
    Peter Hinchliffe
    Publishing
    Reaper
    Sunday Sport
    Typewriters
    Writing

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.