The world according to Kirkey
Have you ever met someone by chance, looked across a crowded room, or passed somebody in the street, unexpectedly experiencing an excited tingle? I know I have and on occasions this colloquial collision of contact has led to convivial conversations, friendships, and on rarer occasions, sex. I was keen to map this latter route to … Read more
The internet is awash with parenting quotes ─ some glib, countless gushing, and many ─ honestly ─ graphic. As a dad myself, I prefer the latter references; Tom Hanks provides my favourite summation: “It’s like being caffeine-deprived for eighteen years.” Whatever the slant, if you are a parent there is one overriding objective: to keep … Read more
I was pretty much late to the party losing my virginity ─ at the relatively ripe age of nineteen in an Austrian chalet with my Julie. From what I can recall of this cumming of age, it was behind closed doors, in a bed, with the lights out. I guess, in my defence, it was … Read more
Once upon a time in a place not too far away there were brown and white faces of varying tones, straight and gay guys and girls all together, either revering a raft of religious beliefs, or not believing at all. They worked, played, fell in love, and formed friendships that would be forever celebrated. They … Read more
Defining a hero, role model, or legend is ─ of course ─ highly subjective. Yet they do exist, and the ones that have shaped my life for the better carry an enigmatic power; when I think of them, I experience a pang of emotion that both uplifts and humbles me. My late dad will always … Read more
I’m old enough to be unable to remember what it felt like to be me as a child. Sure I can recall events, but my perception of the world as a kid has ebbed away over the passage of time. My ability to experience utter wonderment, pure emotion, naivety, and steely selfishness have been tempered … Read more
After the shale had finally settled on the hosting of the 2023 FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain, what was the word on the street? Pre and post event social media was alive with gregarious gossip engaging with all aspects of the premier domestic event, from attendance, suitability of the venue, the track, potential … Read more
Lucy Letby is a callous monster ─ the most despicable specimen of humanity; however, can I really frame her existence within the context of what I believe it is to be a human being? Surely, she defies every conceivable convention of compassion: the cornerstone of our creation. She is the embodiment of pure evil; and … Read more
2023 Sports Insure British Final: Monday 14th August 2023. Have I finally lost the plot ─ connecting the famous 70s Carpenters ballad to the Land of my Fathers? Having negotiated a 5-hour trip north from my base in the south-east to the National Speedway Stadium in Manchester through persistent pockets of rain, which became more … Read more
I confess that the inspiration to write comes naturally. I find rich reserves of motivation within subjects that puzzle, surprise, and overwhelm me; however, on this occasion I wasn’t hankering for an angle when I wrote to a Conservative MP ─ but as the ensuing conversation developed my confusion cranked to the typing trigger. Their … Read more