Scotland, Bombs and Potatoes: Writing from multiple points-of-view

As a kid, my mother regaled us with tales of her youth in wartime Scotland. My favourite in her repertoire was of being whisked away with her younger sister to the country manor of a retired naval captain to avoid the nightly bombing of Glasgow. My grandmother had purchased new outfits for the girls (unheard of!) and my mother credited their being chosen from amongst other classmates to their matching blue suits and smart tams.

At the manor, my mother and aunt had free range to play and explore. One of her favourite stories was about pilfering potatoes and taking them to the coal-fire furnace to bake. The way she described those charred spuds made my mouth water.

In my mother’s telling, the story was simple, sweet and endearing. The same scenario offered from the naval captain’s point-of-view would no doubt be different. What were his motives for harbouring the girls? Was he a selfless humanitarian or an elderly bachelor with a penchant for pre-pubescent children?

And what of the housekeeper entrusted with the girls’ welfare? Why were they allowed to run rampant without supervision? Was the woman busy with chores, or after a long night of drinking was she dozing by the kitchen stove? Whatever the case, I’m certain she had an alternate version of the wild wee lassies from Glasgow.

Having a story is one thing. Telling it is quite another. My mother’s account of her time in the country has the makings of a delightful picture book. If the captain and/or the housekeeper’s version of events were added, however, the narrative becomes richer, more complex and the possibility of a dark novel emerges.

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