First Plane Back

by Patrick Hogan

Sydney Blockett, the unremarkable bachelor and store man for a Bradford engineering company who inherited a fortune from a distant aunt and got the first plane out on an abortive world tour is back. He contrives to lose his riches but fortified by his beloved wife Felicity starts up a small business and plans to return to Corfu to expand it. His last night out and chance meeting with old globetrotting friend Philip gives rise to another wheeze to hoodwink long suffering newly promoted head store man Little Denis. He is assisted on Corfu by his mate Alan Best who has also returned there after his dream to make his living as an artist in London has died. Not everything is plain sailing for Sydney though as a character from his past returns to involve himself in the venture, despite being uninvited. Through the ups and downs of trying to establish his business Sydney suffers mishaps with orders; difficulties at home – he’s forced into playing an abortive golf match to please his father-in-law, attempts at madcap promotional ideas – like a sponsored cricket match – that all seem to doom him to failure. Striving to keep himself afloat he gets the first plane back to try and save the Bradford arm of his little empire. It doesn’t help that in the meantime his wife has bought a house in Somerset and moved herself and baby daughter there. Sydney is torn between three places. Rescue arrives from an unlikely source and Sydney is able to soldier on to endure more escapades. We are taken through Sydney’s business and family troubles; his ridiculous off the cuff ideas, Alan’s frustrations with him, and life moving on inexorably and extraordinarily. Maybe some people are just not meant to live a normal life. Sydney doesn’t any which means those around him can’t either.

235 pages, Paperback

Published December 14, 2017