Jack McGirr

Jack McGirr grew up in suburbia, it could have been any suburb, of any town. The main things drummed into Jack were to work hard and “don’t tell tales”, ie. tell the truth. At about the age of ten, the boy was asked to write a story by a relief teacher, as a ruse I think to excuse her for not knowing where the class were in the curriculum. The boy struggled with this concept until the relief teacher noticed his lack of progress and suggested quietly to him alone, “it doesn’t matter what you write, just start anywhere and see what comes out”. At first it was tough going, but then imagination took over and in the end there were flying desks and cleaning equipment and he had to be told thrice to stop writing as it was now time for recess. The mark received was good, but the story itself was lost to time or the waste bin. Jacks regular teacher returned the next day, the experience was almost forgotten.

Many years of working hard and telling the truth never got Jack any satisfaction. So, the elder Jack has resorted to ‘telling tales’, or untruths, fabrications - commonly known as ‘fiction’.

I hope you enjoy reading these stories as much as I have enjoyed the writing of them.

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