Time to take my leave again, Dear Friends...

[Peter McNiff]

Middle of the night, I hear these voices in my head or are they, because when I throw on my pants and follow the sound I find it located somewhere else in the house, so on I pad down to this room, and there is this growing cast of characters all sitting and standing around looking, well, ill and agitated and one of them says, ‘Oh, so you decided to wake up,’ and Charlie steps out of the shadows, ‘—we were beginning to think you had given us up.’

‘If this is a union meeting,’ I demand, ‘we’re not through here yet and nobody is going home until we’re done.’

‘Are we glad to hear that,’ Alice says, ‘we thought you were losing the plot and all of us – including Cobra, Esmeralda, and Merit – want to finish this thing.’

Of course, I know what is going on here - another case of déjà vu - characters rebelling because I am not giving them my complete attention and you know, they are right and deserve better so, I say, ‘Charlie, what do you want me to do?’

‘Just get back in your chair,’ he says, pointing, ‘and we’ll do the rest – there’s a lot of stuff coming down – like, my half-brother sent an email saying not to neglect Ma and Pa; also I am about to have a difference of opinion with Alice; and Merit is on his way to the phone to call you to say he has just heard a rumour that one or two heads are about to roll at the studios; and in case you have forgotten you are having lunch today with the Director of Programmes about your future – and Paris, don’t forget Paris - you are flying out tomorrow for a fashion shoot….’

The other things my characters are urging me is to thank you, Dear Friends at 6s, because for now this is farewell ‘until we meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when…’ and I do thank you, for being my motivation to write….

[Peter McNiff]

@Cita, I can't get into your mail - though I tried to take a peek - but power to your elbows, anyway.

[Cita]

Have you been reading my mail???? I know of what you speak.

[Peter McNiff]

@Theresa,

@Bill Lapham,

@Bill Floyd,

All good wishes - and thanks a million.

[Teresa]

We'll miss you and this marvelous cast of characters.  I look forward to reading their story in longer form one day.

[Bill Floyd]

The demands of longer form writing have kept me away from here recently, too.  Pay attention to those characters, and they'll repay you tenfold.  Come back when you're ready, we're around.   

[Peter McNiff]

@Toby Tucker Hecht

@Mike Handley

@Paul de Denis - Thank you for being so kind.

[Toby Tucker Hecht]

All the best.  Write on.

[Mike Handley]

Hurry back, McNiff. It's been nice to have you around these last few weeks.

[Paul de Denus]

Good luck to you Peter-hat's off to those who take on the 'bigger challenge'- I know you have the chops

[Peter McNiff]

@Gita, I don't believe you and I thank you, and you are right, I will be back with my sixes since I live in hope. And when I do, I shall expect to get in again as you say, by paying again at the gate.