Words once put to paper have no earthly, or for that matter otherworldly idea what they are doing there. It's a curious truth, but singularly, words are both dumb and blind. And yet, collectively they are capable of speaking the greatest truths and being all-seeing. They are like low-level operatives in a John LeCarre spy novel where no one secret agent is allowed to know the whole plan in order to insure the security of the operation. If you were to ask the words, or even the sentences and paragraphs you are about to read here, whether they're in a novel or novella, short story or note to the green grocer, they wouldn't have the foggiest notion. But I do, and I can tell you that the little word pictures you're about to encounter, should you decide to proceed, all sprang from emails sent to friends by me over the last twenty-odd years. So beware! If you are a word snob with your nose pointed straight upwards, born with a natural aversion to anything even hinting at humble origins, then this word journey may not be one you care to undertake. But for what little it is worth, it's been my experience that many a writer's best works and biggest ideas often pop up when least expected, sometimes even when just throwing things at friends' walls just to see what sticks.