I was lucky enough to be in attendance at a book launch in Dumfries’s Coach and Horses to celebrate the publication of Pete Fortune’s two books of short stories, Waving at Strangers in Passing Cars and A Pauper from Irishgait Tannery an ither stories in Scots. Readings from both of these works featured in the event and I was particularly pleased to be introduced to the surreal though “…Incomplete Guide to Robert Rutherford” the tale of a wrong number as the opening of a door to infinite possibility.
In a catalogue of performances from local and not so local poets this willingness to engage with unlikely twists and turns was strongly featured. Hugh McMillan, who hosted the event, at one point offered the seemingly improbable proposition that “poets don’t drive” and then added, in his address to this room full of poets, “And if you do drive, stop! You’ll be a better poet!”
By way of justifying this unlikely assertion, he then read us a poem which had arisen from a “three day” (possible hyperbole?) odyssey on public transport from his home in Penpont to the Wigtown Book Festival in 2022. The poem centred on an encounter in a pub in Newton Stewart with a man who had just bought a crossbow at a car boot sale. Why, other than for obvious reasons of conviviality, was MacMillan in that particular pub? Because, through the window he could see the arrival of the bus which would take him on to Wigtown.
Being a poet, McMillan would never be likely to reflect on the explicit environmental and situational advantages of eschewing the private car as a means of transport. Having never been accused of being a poet I feel more freedom to digress on the matter. The electric car is seen by many as a solution to at least one aspect of the gathering climate crisis. It is a seductive notion, but pause for a moment to consider what has just happened: the elevation of Elon Musk, a man with a vision of a world so overstuffed with electric cars that he is planning an escape route to Mars for himself and a few others.
I am not a poet, and so will continue for the time being to rely on the five wheeled incubus that sits outside my house. Maybe I’ll even upgrade to an electric version. But Hugh McMillan’s got a point. Philip Larkin couldn’t drive and favoured a bicycle for his visits to country churches. One of his finest poems was written following a train journey to London. And for the record: it was a surprisingly mild November night. Some might say, too mild. I decided to travel to Pete’s book launch by bike.
Endnotes
List of those scheduled to read at the event.
[Corrections and updates to match the actual roster of those who appeared would be welcome at stephen.shellard@carruchan.blog ]
Pete’s work available on Amazon . To purchase copies of Waving at Strangers in Passing Cars and A Pauper from Irishgait Tannery an ither stories in Scots, message Pete on Facebook or contact him on golferfortune@hotmail.com Pete, by the way, claims never to have swung a golf club.
The Audience … who was present?
In coming years this photo may help, when people who weren’t present at this soon to be legendary event, claim to have been there.
I am a retired College lecturer, having worked originally in supported programmes but latterly having taught social science subjects, Psychology and Politics, though my degree was in Sociology. I am from Newry in Northern Ireland, but now live in Dumfries in South West Scotland. https://carruchan.wordpress.com/about/
Carruchan
This is Robert Rutherford Speaking. What can I do for you?
I was lucky enough to be in attendance at a book launch in Dumfries’s Coach and Horses to celebrate the publication of Pete Fortune’s two books of short stories, Waving at Strangers in Passing Cars and A Pauper from Irishgait Tannery an ither stories in Scots. Readings from both of these works featured in the event and I was particularly pleased to be introduced to the surreal though “…Incomplete Guide to Robert Rutherford” the tale of a wrong number as the opening of a door to infinite possibility.
In a catalogue of performances from local and not so local poets this willingness to engage with unlikely twists and turns was strongly featured. Hugh McMillan, who hosted the event, at one point offered the seemingly improbable proposition that “poets don’t drive” and then added, in his address to this room full of poets, “And if you do drive, stop! You’ll be a better poet!”
By way of justifying this unlikely assertion, he then read us a poem which had arisen from a “three day” (possible hyperbole?) odyssey on public transport from his home in Penpont to the Wigtown Book Festival in 2022. The poem centred on an encounter in a pub in Newton Stewart with a man who had just bought a crossbow at a car boot sale. Why, other than for obvious reasons of conviviality, was MacMillan in that particular pub? Because, through the window he could see the arrival of the bus which would take him on to Wigtown.
Being a poet, McMillan would never be likely to reflect on the explicit environmental and situational advantages of eschewing the private car as a means of transport. Having never been accused of being a poet I feel more freedom to digress on the matter. The electric car is seen by many as a solution to at least one aspect of the gathering climate crisis. It is a seductive notion, but pause for a moment to consider what has just happened: the elevation of Elon Musk, a man with a vision of a world so overstuffed with electric cars that he is planning an escape route to Mars for himself and a few others.
I am not a poet, and so will continue for the time being to rely on the five wheeled incubus that sits outside my house. Maybe I’ll even upgrade to an electric version. But Hugh McMillan’s got a point. Philip Larkin couldn’t drive and favoured a bicycle for his visits to country churches. One of his finest poems was written following a train journey to London. And for the record: it was a surprisingly mild November night. Some might say, too mild. I decided to travel to Pete’s book launch by bike.
Endnotes
List of those scheduled to read at the event.
[Corrections and updates to match the actual roster of those who appeared would be welcome at stephen.shellard@carruchan.blog ]
Part One
Douglas Lipton
Tom Murray
Andy Murray
Stuart Paterson
Derek Ross
Mark Thomas
Pete Fortune
Part Two
Morag Fortune
Martin Goldie
Charlie Gracie
Angus MacMillan
Hugh McMillan
Julie McNeill
Pete Fortune
Liz Niven
Clare Phillips
Drunk Muse Press
https://www.drunkmusepress.com/about Where the work of a good many of those reading can be purchased.
Pete Fortune
Pete’s work available on Amazon . To purchase copies of Waving at Strangers in Passing Cars and A Pauper from Irishgait Tannery an ither stories in Scots, message Pete on Facebook or contact him on golferfortune@hotmail.com Pete, by the way, claims never to have swung a golf club.
The Audience … who was present?
In coming years this photo may help, when people who weren’t present at this soon to be legendary event, claim to have been there.
Picture from Pete Fortune’s Facebook page.
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About Stephen Shellard
I am a retired College lecturer, having worked originally in supported programmes but latterly having taught social science subjects, Psychology and Politics, though my degree was in Sociology. I am from Newry in Northern Ireland, but now live in Dumfries in South West Scotland. https://carruchan.wordpress.com/about/