Pigeon

by Malcolm Filby, Molly Saunders (Illustrator)

Pigeon's kindred spirits believe it is time for him to mature. While he sleeps and dreams normally they introduce him to a secondary dream sequence - dreams within dreams. Designed to oblige Pigeon to face his shortcomings, the dream experience tragically corrupts him. It develops into a cycle which locks him in. Escape is imperative if he is to avoid becoming comatose.Pigeon is the first in a series of short stories which introduce seven creatures. They are all destined to ultimately become patients at a psychiatric clinic run by a gnome in the home of an Epsom solicitor. They parody the human experience and describe the journey each took which led to therapy. Tribute is paid to Nature for the way it nourishes and nurtures life in the animal kingdom by maintaining an existential balance without trace of a carbon footprint or unnecessary slaughter.Pigeon is designed to illustrate the way that the advance of computerised technology is plunging the English language into bastardisation and decline. It employs vocabulary which is, at times, unfamiliar, rare and occasionally obsolete, with a view to emphasize the incredible depth, diversity and culture of the greatest language in the world. If these books are read, the ambition is that they will encourage references, to say, the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary which houses almost every word used. Malcolm Filby is a retired solicitor who ran a Fleet Street practise in the eighties. The author derived inspiration from the experiences of his family and professional life. The impetus to write was fuelled by his relationship with a friend's child as he witnessed her progress from infancy to adolescence. He is separated, with three children and four grandchildren (to date). If you enjoy Pigeon, please review.

119 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 22, 2012