Hello Hello to all Hivians, Silver Bloggers and anyone else reading this.
This week's The Silverbloggers Chronicles - Prompt 14 is ....
The Unforgettable Character.
Who is a character from your life you'll never forget? It could be a person you knew, a fictional character from a book or film, or even a local legend from your home town.
This particular prompt was my one. One of the perks of being a moderator in our wonderful group of old fogies is being able to dream up prompts.
My prompts are generally based around something that I would like to read and write.
I am going to leave the prompt image here as it is a taster of what I am about to explain and write about in my chronicle 14!
I went to The Edinburgh Academy in Edinburgh (no shocks there) and one of the founders was Sir Walter Scott the novelist poet and historian. One of our famous pupils is Robert Louis Stevenson, so you can say I have had writing beaten into me! I am sure you have heard of Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Kidnapped amongst others.
Where the madness all began ...
Edinburgh has so many dark secrets and I am sure there will be more to be found. The atmospheric closes and historical buildings have provided a rich backdrop for many crime stories.
The most famous detective based in Edinburgh is probably Detective Inspector John Rebus who was created by author Ian Rankin. Rebus is a hard-drinking, music-loving, and cynical detective who solves crimes across the city.
It is the home of Arthur Conan Doyle the creator of Sherlock Holmes so yes that is why I choose that picture for the prompt. It is a statue at the Top of Leith Walk.
There is a nearby pub named after him, where I sank many a pint in my school and student days.
A lesser known fact is that Edinburgh was home to a Real-Life Detective named James McLevy.
McLevy was a real-life police officer who worked in the city during the mid-19th century and is often referred to as "Edinburgh's first detective"
He was renowned for his astute deductive skills and for solving over 2,200 cases during his career.
2,200 cases I mean fluff me, he could teach todays so called police a thing or two, as they seem far too busy arresting people over tweets than actually solving crimes let alone solving 2,200 of them!
He even published a series of popular true crime books that are said to have influenced Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
When I think about a truly unforgettable character, my mind doesn't go to a person from my past, a historical figure or even a fictional character.
If you know me then you know I love faction, my blends of fact and fiction... hence faction.
So my mind then. settles on a character that's a blend of my own passions ... namely: a detective from the streets of Edinburgh, a lover of its old closes and hidden wynds, and an avid nature lover especially the birds.
Some of you may know about Archie Cameron who is another of my characters, for those people then, it will come as no surprise that I am talking about a fictional creation I’ve come up with myself.
His name at the moment is ... yes you guessed it ... Fluff McFeather.
Both Mrs T and I love murder mysteries and detective stories, you know the thing looking for clues and trying to piece together a puzzle.
And being from Edinburgh, the city's labyrinthine streets in the Old Town and some of the wynds in the New Tow and the sense of history that goes with it provide the perfect backdrop for a mystery.
Fluff McFeather's quirks
Fluff McFeather is a detective who solves crimes not just by interviewing suspects or analysing forensics, oh fluff no... but also by observing the very nature around him.
His greatest informant is the avian population of Edinburgh. He knows the difference between a panicked squawk from a blackbird and the territorial cry of a magpie. He can tell if a scene has been disturbed by the way the sparrows scatter, or if a person has passed by a certain spot by the absence of pigeons where they would normally gather.
He always carries a bag of bird seed in his pocket, not just to feed his feathered friends in the parks, but as a way of getting them to talk to him. His colleagues at the police station think he's a bit fluffing mad, but they can't deny his results. He has solved a number of cold cases just by spending time in the location and seeing the things others miss. His approach is slow, patient, and methodical, much like a bird building its nest, or a detective patiently piecing together a case.
He is unforgettable because he represents a part of me ... the love for my home city, my passion for detective stories, and my appreciation for the simple, beautiful creatures that bring life to our parks and gardens. He reminds me that sometimes the most important clues are not found under a microscope, but right in front of us, if only we take the time to look and listen.
I have written three cases for Fluff McFeather but I have not decided yet if they will form the basis of a book or short stories or where I will publish them.
So yeah Fluff McFeather is my fictional character and my Unforgettable Character!
Let me know in the comments! And why not join in with the fun and start your Chronicle!?
My previous Chronicles ... are :-
1 Colour ~ my 1
2 Joy ~ my 2
3 Hometown ~ my 3
4 Wheels ~ my 4
6 Memory recipe ~ my 6
7 summer holidays ~ my 7
8 Moves ~ my 8
9 back in time ~ my 9
10 Life of an Object ~ my 10
11 Childhood friend ~ my 11
12 Childhood toys ~ my this one ...
13 Autumn Solstice ~ [my 13]@tengolotodo/sad-reigns-supreme-in-sbc13)
14 Unforgettable Character ~ my this one ...
All images and ramblings are from me, the mad Scotsman TengoLoTodo unless otherwise stated..
