I’m laying down on a grassy knoll that is perched on the top of a sea cliff just out of Pendine in Wales. I’ve taken the path along the coast for a quick stroll and saw this nice little spot just a few yards away. There are gulls flying over above, the occasional chaff chaffing away. I’m now facing the sky and listening to the waves thundering against the cliffs and sending spray up in the air, it is high tide and a storm has just passed, their barrage against the cliffs is relentless. I have a deep sense of contentment that glows inside against the cold wind and light rain. I am beginning to doze off into a gentle welcomed sleep, I am totally still now, arms splayed out and the waves singing to me, the birds beginning to take flight in my dreams, their song in the local dialect, they are speaking as if with real words. And then their tone begins to change, it starts to become a little harsher, there is a commotion, a sudden distress.
“Oh, my god!” squawks the bird in a thick Welsh accent. “Look over there!” There is a shrill scream. I am becoming very confused, beginning to wake and not sure why the birds are talking and screaming “It’s a body!” The birds have turned into children, Suddenly I begin to realise I have fallen asleep, I begin to wake, but I was more asleep than I had realised and it takes some time. “He’s dead!” says a Child’s young voice still very young, but old enough to go and explore by themselves. My brain is now almost fully awake but my body is way behind. I manage to move my head. Another scream at the added shock of the corpse coming to life. “I’m not dead!” “Oh my God!” “I’m not dead, it’s OK, I’m not dead, just having a sleep”
“He’s not dead, he’s saying he’s not dead.” There is then a pause of contemplation followed by a sudden tone of reprimand. “Well, you could at least have answered when I shouted at you!”
“Sorry, I’m fine. Sorry, I’m not dead.”
And then with a parting shot “I thought I was going to have to resuscitate you!” And then on they went, their voices fading away into the distance. It is good to know that the children of Wales are all abled to perform resuscitation when required. I don’t think I disturbed them too much, I’m sure they see English corpses scattered all over the place.
But I welcomed this short sleep on the sea cliff. As I said, I had a deep sense of contentment inside and its warmth had made me drowsy and seduced me into a sleep. We had just done something rather marvellous on the beach just in the bay there. It was once again an example of being in a special place whilst making something quite spectacular with some simply amazing people, especially those that had volunteered and were embracing the weather sheltering in only their tents. We had together with those from Aardman and Ed and Will from Sumo Science began to make the largest……
I don’t think I should say yet. 😉
The Gulp Set
