Wish You Were Here

Another great issue. I love this magazine and become more attached to it the more I read it. This issue contains a piece from Simon Gray mourning his dead friend Alan Bates. I was not a big fan of Alan, just didn't see him in many movies, but the musings of the life and death of his friend touched me deeply. I loved the story White Sands - about picking up a hitchiker in a prison zone in New Mexico quite amusing. I've been in that area and know how desolate it is and read the signs not to pick up hitchhikers in that area. It does give you the creeps and what if you had already picked someone up, how would you react? The essays on global warming or worse, surviving the Tsunami are very interesting. The Sri Lankan Tsunami sounded terrifying indeed. People eating lunch in a tourist restaurant by the beach are suddenly swept up and out by a wave that won't back down. No one understands until some people get to safety and call relatives in their home countries. Amazing!