Mutual presents the Mysterious Traveller, written, produced and directed by Bob Arthur and David Colgan. This is the Mysterious Traveller, inviting you to join me on another journey into the realm of the strange and the terrifying. I hope you will enjoy the trip, that it will thrill you a little and chill you a little. So settle back, get a good grip on your nerves and be comfortable, if you can. By the way, did you have a good vacation this summer?  That's good. Then you're in shape to go on another vacation with me tonight. It's the story I call... Vacation from life. The spot I have in mind for your vacation is a tiny harbor along the northern main coast. An isolated beach, reached only by boat from the nearest town two miles away. And so lonely there's only a single cottage, but it's going to be vacant soon. The present owner won't be needing it after tonight. My name is Matthew Clark. I am 40 years old and I teach Greek in New York City. I suppose you could say I'm a typical professor since I wear glasses, stoop a little, I'm absent-minded at times, and as my wife has said so many times in the ten years we've been married, I hardly know a screwdriver from a monkey wrench or how to replace a burned-out electric light bulb. A fumbler. That's her favorite word to describe me. Well, she's going to find out it's not true. She's... But I mustn't get excited. I won't be able to finish this if I don't keep calm. I'm writing this in our cottage on Desolation Beach in Maine. It's almost dark and the waves are pounding on the sand. The wind is rising. There's a real north-easter coming. But four days ago, when I came up here to open the cottage, the sun shone, the water sparkled, and except for the driftwood and seaweed along the beach, there wasn't a hint of the fierce storms that can lash this shore. I made sure that the cottage was in good shape, aired the rooms, and put away the stock of provisions that Thamson had brought from me from the village in his boat. And then while I waited for Seth to call for me, I walked along the beach, poking into the piles of driftwood like a boy searching for treasure. And I found it. I found something that set my heart to pounding and brought a flush of excitement to my face, something that roused my imagination to a feverish pitch. It was a mine. A naval mine torn loose from its mooring someplace in the Atlantic during the war and tossed ashore at last here at my feet. It was hidden under seaweed, a three-foot steel ball with 500 pounds of TNT inside it, waiting for an unconscious touch to set it off. When I saw it, I started back an alarm, and then in a flash, I knew. Knew what a treasure I'd found and what it was going to mean to me. I was gloating over it so that I didn't even hear Seth's boat arrive at my dock until he called to me. Sir, are you about ready to be headed for town? I turned to see Seth stepping down off my dock. I hurried toward him. Yes, Seth, I'm ready. I was just stretching my legs while I waited. Seeing you poking around that driftwood, I figured maybe you'd found something worthwhile. Seth, what I found was a very dead codfish, an extremely odorous one. Well, here's the boat. Professor, for Pete's sake, don't ever step right on the gondola of a boat when it's rocking. You'll either fall into the boat and break a leg or over the side, maybe drown. Yes, of course. You've told me that before, haven't you? Not more than 11 times. Yeah, I'll hop in first.  That's it. Now, jump down here beside me. Professor, look out! Ouch! Oh, Professor, when you lose your balance in the boat, don't ever grab the engine. It's usually hot.  Well, it's not too bad. It was clumsy of me, though, wasn't it? Yeah, it was. The burn ain't bad. Just a little engine grease and fix it up. There. Now you sit down back there. Very well, Seth. Stay set down. Truth is, Professor, I don't trust you around machinery no more than I would a baby. My hand burned painfully, but I was too elated to notice. All the way back to the village, and then by train to New York, thoughts and plans raced through my mind. I formulated and discarded half a dozen schemes until the right one came to me. So simple, it would be impossible to go wrong. And then I fell asleep as peacefully as a child. In New York next morning, I hurried down to 10th Street to a tiny apartment six flights up and eagerly wrapped on the brass knocker. Matthew. Matthew, it's you. Yes, Ruth. I know you didn't expect me so early, but here I am. Oh, I didn't expect you so early, but I am glad to see you. Won't you come in? Thank you. I'll make you some coffee. Sit down and be comfortable. I'll only be a moment. As Ruth bustled around making coffee, I sat down and relaxed. The tiny apartment was soothing. There was an atmosphere of peace and quiet about it that delighted me, and Ruth herself delighted me even more. She was small, charmingly feminine. She was a teacher, too, of ancient history. We'd met during one of my summer lectures at the university and quickly found much in common. One of our favorite pastimes was to discuss the life of the ancient world. Perhaps the Punic War or the history of Greece, she from the standpoint of the historian, I from that of a student of the language and literature. Here, Matthew, drink this. It's hot and strong the way you like it. Thank you. Oh! Oh, look out! You almost dropped it.  What have you done to it? It's just a little burn, nothing to worry about. Matthew, you must take care of yourself. I'm going to fix that burn. Have some lotion right here and bandages. You just sit and drink your coffee while I take care of it. And tell me all about the cottage and the trip and everything. The touch of her fingers was amazingly soothing. And as she bandaged my hand, I told her of my trip, though I said nothing of the mind that I'd found on the beach. She listened to me as a woman should, with interest and depreciation. She made me forget my clumsiness, my awkwardness at conversation, my... I cannot deny it, my insignificance in the world. No wonder I loved her with a devotion that my friends would have thought impossible in poor, dull, dry, Matthew Clark, professor of Greek. It was with reluctance that I said goodbye when I'd finished my coffee. I know you have to go, Matthew, but sweet of you to drop in. You know that I'd come oftener if I could, Ruth. Of course, Matthew. I understand. Will I... Will I see you again before you take your vacation? Of course, my dear. I'll stop in day after tomorrow. And, uh, Ruth... Yes, Matthew? I hope to have some news for you then, some good news. Oh, Matthew, you mean...? Yes, my dear, I hope so. But for now, au revoir. How different it was when I reached my own apartment in Washington Square. Louise, my wife greeted me with a brisk contempt, which has been her attitude toward me almost from the first week that we were married. Is that you, Matthew? Yes. Oh, so you're home. Yes, I'm home. Safe and sound, my dear. Safe, but not completely sound, I see. That bandage on your hand, what did you do to yourself this time? Oh, I, uh, I burned myself slightly on the engine of Seth Thompson's boat.  Who put the bandage on? I see it's fresh. A very nice young lady in the drugstore at the station fixed it. See, I, uh, I stopped by to buy some ointment. Never mind the details. Now, I suppose you want me to drop everything and fix some breakfast for you. Oh, no, my dear, no, I, uh, I had a cup of coffee at the drugstore. Well, thank goodness for that. Well, how's the cottage? I suppose it had been broken into and half all things stolen. Oh, no, it was in fine shape. One of the shutters was blown off, that was all. What about the electricity? I suppose you forgot to have it turned on. My dear, I attended that first thing. The place is ready and waiting for us. Well, I can hardly believe you haven't forgotten something. But I can't stand here talking. I have things to do. I suppose, uh, you'll want to rest. Yes, I would rather like a nap. I didn't sleep so very well on the train. Very well. I'll see you at dinner. There's, uh, something else I want to talk to you about. But it can wait. Something else she wanted to talk about. Well, there was something else that I wanted to talk about, too. I was sure it would do no good, but I had to mention it. I didn't see Louise again until dinner, and then she wasted no time and coming to the point. Matthew, I wanted to speak to you about your insurance. My insurance, darling? I said insurance, didn't I? Wish you wouldn't repeat my words after me like a parrot. Well, I'm sorry, Louise. It's just that I, uh, rather think I'm carrying all the insurance I can afford on a teacher's salary. On a teacher's salary? That's exactly the point. Now, I suppose something happens to you. What's to become of me? We certainly haven't been able to save anything. There is my life insurance. $5,000. A pittance in these times. No, Matthew, you must take out more insurance.  Well, that's a rather callous thing to say, Louise. It's practical, that's all.  You might just as easily have fallen overboard and drowned as fallen against the engine. Louise, I'm not a child, which brings me to something that I want to say. Well, say it then. Louise, for some time I felt that you were dissatisfied with me as a husband. Indeed, and go on, Matthew. You seem to look upon me as a rather feeble, witted creature whom you must constantly admonish. I'm sure it can be no pleasure to you to be tied to such a man as you think me, Louise. What are you driving at, Matthew? Well, you have a very fine intelligence and great energy, and you deserve to be a free woman able to carve a better place for yourself in the world. Yes.  You could easily find a husband more worthy of you. Someone like that insurance agent, Court von Walther, for instance. And just why do you mention Court von Walther? Well, it's just as an example. He's obviously attracted to you, that's all. And so you think I should divorce you? Well, I can't help feeling that you'd be much happier if you did, Louise. Possibly I would be. But I know my duty. For me, Matthew, you would be quite lost.  I'm your wife, Matthew. And your wife, I shall remain until death, as they say, do us part. Until death do us part? Well, I had tried. I'd done my best to save her. Now I had to go ahead with my own plans. All I had to write to some happiness, too. I may be a professor of Greek, but I'm also a man, with a man's ability to love and hate. Yes, to love Ruth and to hate Louise. I hadn't even known how fiercely I hated her until after I met Ruth. And then hatred had welled up in me with the violence that had astonished me. Some men might put up with such a woman for a lifetime, but I'm not one of them. They are the weaklings of the world. Real men take what they want from life, and I was determined to be such a man. The next day I did as Louise insisted. I called upon Court von Walter, the blond, handsome refugee who has become so Americanized that he speaks better English than most Americans, and who sells life insurance to men by flirting with their wives. I don't like him. His easy self-assurance and blatant masculinity revolt me. But my business didn't take long. There you are, Mr. Clark. An accident insurance policy for $20,000. Payable to your so charming wife without a fuss of red tape. Yes, I think it's a waste of money, but Louise wanted it. Who can say what will happen in this uncertain existence, my friend? Up there in Maine, the fierce tides, the slippery rocks, the great storms. At any moment an accident may snatch a man's life from him. I suppose so, but I don't know why Louise looks upon me as such a child. She's just as apt to get hurt as I am. Very true. So why not a policy to ensure her life as well? Court, I'm just an underpaid professor. I can hardly throw money around for insurance as easily as all that. All the more reason you need it. If something happened to the lovely Mrs. Clark, if I say, the expenses would bankrupt you. I guess they would. So let me write a joint policy to cover both of you, but the premium will only be a little more. Well, all right. I suppose it is the practical thing to do when Louise always likes to be practical. Of course. When do you leave? Tomorrow evening from Grand Central Station. I'll give myself the pleasure of seeing you off. I may be able to help with a baggage. And for now I'll hood of war, my friend. So that was that. A fumbler, was I? Incompetent, unable to plan, born to fail in anything. Louise would see her life was ensured in my favor for $20,000 and Court von Walter would have to testify that he talked me into it. $20,000? What freedom that would give Ruth and me? We could travel, see Europe, Greece, visit the very spots where Socrates walked and Plato composed his immortal dialogues. But I can seal my jubilance lest Louise notice it and suspect something. I paid a brief visit to Ruth to say goodbye and to tell her something of the wonderful future ahead for us. Oh, Matthew. Matthew, I can hardly believe it. Greece, Rome, Venice, all the famous spots of the old world. It would be wonderful. Yes, we'll live life for a change, Ruth, instead of just reading about it in books. Then your wife, she has agreed to... Yes, she's going to divorce me. I'm not the man for her and we both know it. I think you're a fine man, Matthew. Thank you, my dear. But Louise looks at things differently. We'll be back soon and attend to everything then. Very soon, I promise you. Yes, very soon. Much sooner than anyone but myself could guess. That night, Louise and I left on the main express. True to his word, Court von Walters smirking and odious was on hand to see us off and Louise made a foolish fuss over him. Oh, you really shouldn't have come to the train with us, Court. It wasn't necessary. But of course not. It was a pleasure, dear lady. And the way you carried all our bags. Poor Matthew could never have carried half of them even if he hadn't burned his hand. On the other hand, I could never have learned Greek. Greek? Oh. Well, I hope you have a fine trip. Thank you. I shall be up there with myself next week. I'll drop in on you. We'll be looking for you, Court.  Eh, what? Oh, never mind. Oh, dear, it's train time. Goodbye, Court. Goodbye, dear lady. Oh, Court, you shouldn't have done that. I'm not used to having my hand kissed. In that case, dear lady.   I couldn't have helped it. In that case, I forgive you. Goodbye. Goodbye. I shall be seeing you soon. Very soon. Yes, Court. Very soon. I pretended not to notice Louise's ridiculous flirting with Court von Walter, and we went to our drawing room. The trip passed quickly and exactly on schedule late in the afternoon of the next day. We were in Seth Thompson's boat approaching our cottage on Desolation Bay. There should be, Miss Clark. Cottage come through the winter at well. Yes, better than I expected, considering that Matthew closed it up last fall. Or the beach is filthy, though. Well, storms last winter piled up plenty of weeds and stuff. Oh, really? I expect you can burn it, though. Or speaking of burning, how's your hand, Professor? It's getting well, Seth. I'm still clumsy with it, but it's healing. Yeah, then burns can be bad business. I know the fellow three years ago burned his hand and died of it. Yes, sir. Locked your... At last. I'll tie her up and help you unload. Then you folks all set for your vacation. Only you're gonna have kind of nasty weather the next three days. Why is a storm coming up? Oh, goodness, the sky has gotten grey since we left the village. And the wind's kicking up. Look at them white caps out there. Yeah, we're in for real no Easter. I hope you folks ain't forgotten nothing, because I won't be able to make it here till the storm goes down. A nor'easter? That's most provoking. There'll be sure laying plenty of firewood. Yes. She'll be cold and damp till it's over. Well, I better be getting this stuff ashore after that storm's blown up faster than I figured. Just listen to that wind. We might at least have had a few nice days to begin our vacation. It is too bad, my dear. Well, you don't seem very concerned about it. If anything, you seem to be quite happy that we're going to have a storm. Oh, but I'm not. Oh. Now, let's see everything's put away. Matthew, why didn't you have the phone installed as I asked? The price of running a wire out this far was prohibitive, Louise. Oh, money, money. I'm so tired of not being able to do what I want, because it costs too much. Oh, well. Matthew, we need firewood. It's getting very cold, and all we have is that big log beside the fireplace. Yes, of course. I'll go pick up some on the beach. I'll be back in 10 minutes. I hurried out of the cottage. The wind howled, and the waves were pounding on the beach, sending white foam flying. I stowed along the hard, packed sand, exultant. Everything was working to help me. The storm, my burned hand. Everything was combining to aid me, as if I planned it so. A hundred feet from the house, I found the mine just as I'd left it, hidden beneath the seaweed. A three-foot globe of concentrated death, nestling among the driftwood of seaweed and dead fish, covered with barnacles, so innocent-looking, so deadly. Carefully, I lifted the seaweed. I'd placed on top of it and exposed the detonating horns, those deadly knobs of metal sticking up from the mine, and spelling death to any ship that touched them. Next, I found several pieces of wood nearby, sized for our fireplace, and pulled from the sand a length of rope, which once had anchored a fisherman's lobster pot, and now came the dangerous pot. I had to fasten several pieces of the firewood to the detonating horns of the mine, using the rope to tie them fast. With the wind blowing steadily stronger and the storm coming closer, I worked as delicately as a surgeon. A fumbler was I, not now. In five minutes, the job was done. The driftwood tied securely to the detonating horns, a soup of booby trap for anyone seeking firewood on that beach, a strong pull on one of the pieces tied to the mine, and afterwards, what evidence would there be? It would be tragic, of course, but really no one thought that Louise stumbled into a mine while walking on the beach. I'd mourn for a while, and then marry dear, sweet, adoring Ruth. I was finished. I put seaweed back to cover the mine, leaving the driftwood on top, where it would be easy to see and pick up. And then I hurried back to the cottage, and my heart was pounding in my chest for the noise like the thunder of the waves as I flung the door open and entered. Well, Matthew, where's the firewood? I'm sorry, Louise, it hurt my burned hand. I couldn't carry anything back. I might have known it. You can't even bring in firewood, you fumbler. I did gather some. I left it on top of a pile of seaweed down the beach, and now I have to go further. Now I suppose I have to go get it. Well, I'll help you, but I can't pick the sticks up alone.  Maybe you can chop some splinters off that log, even if you can use only one hand. Of course. I'll have a fine fire going when you get back. I can handle the axe with one hand. You see? Matthew, you're acting rather oddly.  I wonder if you could be getting a fever. I don't think so. If I were on top of everything else, I'd have to nurse you. I'm perfectly all right, Louise. And I'll have this log chopped by the time you get back. What have you done? The axe slipped. I've cut my leg. Help me to the chair. Can you take my arm? Here. I'll sit down. There. Now let's see. Oh, my Louise, look at all the blood. It's a deep cut, I can tell you. Oh, sit still, Matthew. I can't tell a thing with you squirming so. Oh, it's bleeding so. It'll spurts. Louise, do something. I'm very much afraid, Matthew, that you've cut an artery. An artery? Oh, no. I always knew something like this would happen someday. Louise, just don't just stand there. Do something. Put a tourniquet on my leg. No, Matthew. No? What do you mean?  Louise, I don't understand you. What are you saying? Matthew, listen to me. I said the other day that I should be married to someone like Court Von Walther. You were perfectly right. I love Court and he loves me. He said so. Louise, you're joking. Now do something about my leg. I'm bleeding to death. Yes, Matthew, you are. But I was talking about Court Von Walther. If I were free, he'd marry me. I know he would. But not if I were penniless. He's European and they're practical about such things. For the love of heaven, Louise, put a tourniquet on my leg. I know it's hard for you to grasp, Matthew, but I'm not going to lift a hand to help you. But you've got to. You're my wife. I won't be for long. Soon I'll be your widow and I'll have a dowry of $25,000 to bring to Court. You're mad. You're mad. He's not really interested in you. You don't know what you're doing. I do. I'm being completely practical. When I urged you to take out that insurance, Matthew, I think I was hoping something like this would happen. Maybe I was even planning to make it happen. I'm not sure. But now it has happened with no help from me. I have a right to love and happiness with a real man and I'm taking it. Louise, Louise, please, please, please help me. Matthew, I'm going outside now. I'm going to watch the storm come up. I'll be gone at least half an hour. Then I'll bring back some firewood. If when I come back I find you beyond help, I'll be terribly shocked and distressed. But there won't be a thing I can do about it. Oh no, Louise, wait, wait. I have something to tell you. I'm not interested in anything you have to say now. It's important. You mustn't go out. You mustn't pick up any firewood. Goodbye, Matthew. Louise, come back, come back. That was just a half an hour ago. Louise is out there on the beach now, watching the waves pound on the sand and waiting, waiting, and I'm sitting here getting weaker, weaker. I tried to put a tonic in my leg, but it only slowed the bleeding. It didn't stop it. I never was good at first aid. I never was good at anything. Just a fumbler all my life. It's too late now to help me. In a few moments, Louise will start back. She'll pick up some firewood on the beach, probably the firewood that I left still cunning me placed because it would be convenient. She'll pull hard. The jar will set off the detonating mechanism of the mine. There. I just exposed them and broke the window of the cottage. My scheme worked. So I'm not such my last will in testament. The $25,000 from my insurance policies. I leave to the Handicraft Foundation for boys to be used in teaching boys how to do things with their hands. They'll be used in teaching first aid and the use of tools, especially every boy should know how to use an axe. This is the mysterious server again. So that cottage is empty now. There's really nothing wrong with it. Just a broken window and a few shingles torn loose by the explosion of that drifting mine that washed ashore down the beach. You could fix it easily. If you'd like to know where it is, I could... Oh, you'll have to get off here. I'm sorry. But I'm sure we'll meet again. I take this same train every week at this time. You've just heard The Mysterious Traveller, a series of dramas of the strange and terrifying. All the characters in today's story were entirely fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead was purely coincidental. In the cast today were Maurice Toplund, Eric Dessler, Vicky Vola, Helen Titus, and Stefan Snavel. Original music was played by Paul Taubman. The Mysterious Traveller is written, produced and directed by Bob Arthur and David Cogan. Listen next week to a tale titled The Big Pay Off, another strange and shivery tale of The Mysterious Traveller. The Mysterious Traveller has come to Yupamar New York Studios. This is Carl Caruso speaking. This is the mutual broadcasting system.


Armour formation of deregistered political parties in the state has declared their support for a governorship candidate of the old Progressive Congress, Senator Obasani, speaking at the press conference in the NUJ Secretariat in Kaduna. The secretary of the forum, Ambassador Mato Yacobo, said they decided after a wild consultation with members and a network of stakeholders and opinion leaders. Wholeheartedly endorsed the candidature of Distinguished Senator Obasani of the old Progressive Congress, APC, as the preferred choice for the governor of Kaduna State in the election slated for March 18, 2023. This endorsement comes with our full support to deploy our team to serve as conversers, street captains, gatekeepers, and anti-rigging squads to help ensure that the APC and Dr Obasani emerge victorious in the governorship election because he is the man for the job. The forum maintained that Obasani has done well in the areas of human capital development and infrastructure in some of the rural local government areas of his constituency and proposed a bill that has cured all parliamentary processes to establish some critical educational infrastructure. We have, before arriving at this juncture, consulted widely with our members and network of stakeholders and a high-performing senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. These wide-ranging consultations provided us with the mandate to make the declaration of support stopped by the negative signals coming from some political parties who have decided to create a political gimmick they called the Muslim-Muslim ticket. This phrase is a carnage of the opposition in Kaduna State. The APC only gave voice to our women who have been kept in the backyard for long. Get the notification button so you get notified about fresh news updates.


With your look around the Air Force, I'm Staff Sergeant Khadija Slaughter. The KC-46A Pegasus was just approved for combat and command deployments worldwide. That means the new refueler passed its final capability test, the end of a 15-month process to prove the Pegasus can refuel all aircraft combatant commanders may need. The Pegasus passed the final test during a real-world tasking in a combat zone, refueling two F-15E strike eagles. The flight included the first successful combat use of the Military Data Network, a system that allows the KC-46 to be a secure interface between the on-ground Air Operations Center and Airborne Aircraft, increasing situational awareness in the battle space. Enlisted and civilian women can now apply and compete for an officer training school commission while pregnant. The previous policy required women to be worldwide qualified at the time of application, preventing them from applying during pregnancy and through a 12-month postpartum period. The new recruiting policy allows selectees to attend training between six and 14-and-a-half months after their pregnancy. Undersecretary of the Air Force, Gina Ortiz-Jones, says the service is in a race for talent and policies need to reflect that. The change came about after she directed a gender policy review to identify obstacles women face in the department. The Air Force added a new guide to its collection of foundational documents dedicated to developing Total Force Airmen. The joint team documents, also known as the Purple Book, provides an understanding of the value each service contributes to the joint force and outlines working with other branches to win the high-end fight. The Purple Book educates Airmen on how the Air Force partners with other services to protect American interests across the globe. Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Joanne Bass says, in an era of strategic competition, adversaries want to outpace and overtake the U.S. She says every Airman needs to know what's at stake and understand why it's critical to synchronize capabilities with joint partners. And that's your look around the Air Force.


Welcome to church of the chair when we celebrate all the things we do while seated. I'm your host E And I'm here today with my co-host Chad Lutzky. Sorry. I'm already stumbling on my words We are currently collaborating on a novel tentatively titled planet caravan This is an educational experience or an inspirational experience So if you want to sit down right with us or do your own art or whatever Take a break off work. Whatever you want to do come sit down with us Just relax. We don't have a whole lot of Chad interaction, but Definitely ask questions if you have questions. These have been also been going up on the channel as VODs. So You can watch them there. You can watch them live All right, so I Feel like I'm forgetting something. All right. I don't know probably cuz I got a lot on my mind but uh, all right, so first order of business is Chad wanted to talk about something he has been Let me let me go ahead and share my screen so that you guys can see all the Everything that Chad has done. Let me start all the way up here. It's a lot But uh, I think maybe first order of business I need to read all this new stuff and get that in my mind before we go And the scene that if I'm gonna write today, which I am I'm probably gonna do a scene well into the future Um, just to get something out whether it's something that me and Chad talked about offline um, or whether it be something that sparks In my brain while I'm reading what he has to do you want to talk to me before I read it or after? um We can we can wait till after you read it. Okay. All right. Let me burn through this real quick All that talking we did over uh, world war three and you Yeah That's an important thing for everybody out there. So this section right here right where my cursor is Uh, well actually hang on uh right here used to be a very clichéd line that I probably would have changed later Anyways, the the kid can sleep could sleep through world war three So me and Chad got to talking and he's like well, how do we how do we denote three? Uh Do we have to type out three thre or do we do the roman numerals? You know what and we finally decided to do the roman numerals because you really only do You know really only type out numbers in a in dialogue or if they're under if it's under a thousand in the narrative Um, so that that's it's like industry standard rules. You don't have to do it that way but um, and then Come after all that talking It's like a five minute discussion going back and forth until finally he just rewrote it completely And I think it's a perfect example of not killing your darlings, but realizing You know sometimes you don't even need to fix what's there. You just need something new so Talking about using a nuke to take out a fly that's hilarious Full sleeve nascar tattoo, I know I think we can trust everyone here would talk about hopes and dreams Love that while she taught me a lot. I never learned how to live without her Yeah, I love the way you edited that That's that's great. You really Yeah You really nailed that one.  I heard her grunting Then you got a gap period period. I figured it's just making sure I'm trying to with it with um I'm trying to not have I'm so tempted to throw in like what we were talking about the the other day when we were talking about editors not understanding Um when you're trying to do like uneducated speak like swapping out That for what and uh things like that And uh, I keep wanting to do that with Cassidy, but I want or not with Shane But I do I want him more educated than the rest of them. Well, he's a reader too. So yeah. Yeah. Yeah I agree with you completely so He still has he still has that That that kick drawl and one more. Yeah, that's all he really needs He left the push pull Not a hundred percent sure. Should it be Not quite asleep Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay. I just just make yeah, I didn't even catch that Because I wasn't sure if like a sleep A sleep shouldn't be there at all like I realize they're not quiet And that I couldn't figure out which one you want which one you meant There's a chance I left that word in and just not maybe we should just take they're not quite asleep They're not asleep at all. So we should probably take take quite out Yeah, because they're not even down. Yeah, you do this too, huh put an e in the laps I do that from time to time And then I don't put an e in churches Not that it's not saying you don't know the rules. I'm just saying yeah, yeah, yeah, that's something that I screwed up Oh, I got my whole thing of things I do Oh, yeah Well, what's your word that you're always surprised when you type it out correctly like you spell it right the first time Which one's yours or do you have multiple? Uh, sheriff's probably one of them. It's just a it's a roll of dice, dude. Yeah, I got you Um, mine is separate Um, yeah, I I think both actually are in the dictionary now There's a s p e r and then there's an s p a r Uh, because shell looked it up the other day and she found both of them because I was trying to I was telling my son how to spell it Uh, because I always screwed it up as like s p er And that's the way he was spelling it. I'm like that that's not right It's a and then she'll look it up. It's like it can be both Yeah, can that and calendar is another one for me calendar.  Mm-hmm. And then because I could never remember which one I know there's s and there's a c but which one goes where? Yeah, so I'm like, okay. It's lice And then ends got you morning. Hailey just seeing you. Sorry Hey I've got to say this again every single time I like a sentence you've left it every single time. I've thought to myself I'm gonna have to go back and change that You've already changed it. It's like it hasn't failed yet. Like you're you're 10 for 10.  I was like, I like that one I hope he doesn't do anything with it and you left On the goods and they're all them turds.  It's not I don't know it sounds musical It's like it feels alliterative or like rhymy, but it's not either one of those. It's just yeah, it's got a nice beat to it Yeah, when I started listening to things the things in the in the bottomless handbag everything started with the tea by by accident like Wow Tissue Tylenol tic-tacs and something else But it flowed well like that.    So It's nice, uh, it's nice to have the other half of my nice to work with the other half of my brain Okay before going any farther I love this But I want to get rid of the entire beginning Okay, um, I want to well before you before you get rid of that beginning. I'll just say what I Yeah, yeah, please do. Yeah. Yeah, I saw your I Don't like any of that. I don't like I don't like the whole story. Okay Um, we can keep it. I just I don't know it feels It feels weird there and it feels almost like I'm shoehorning a lesson or shoehorning a Maybe that's just me. I don't know. I mean it makes sense The story makes sense with the you know with the thing and the this illustration that's it's you know on here, but It also just feels kind of maybe it's because I'm where it's at and how I don't know there's a lot of meaning meaningful stuff before it And then it splits off into this All right, so where do you want to Story that it feels maybe even just too long like Instead of mama mama was said and then this profound sense But it's more like mama was said this giant paragraph and So but that's just me we that doesn't mean it needs you know That that's the you know Okay, well cutting it that's just either way.  But where would where would what do you want to stop here? Like where would you um Maybe and that's when I hear or maybe The column is empty. I'm begging for rationale and for the seed to dry up and die Find in the park It's in the it's in the middle of a Oh, it's in the middle. Okay. I was looking for a beginning paragraph um The last part of that same paragraph is a memory makes itself at home Okay, so essentially the that last From that last sentence in that paragraph I'm down. All right, but again, you know, if you really like this If you're so long, yeah, but we both need to be happy with something if you're not happy with it Like I told you I don't it really true and I'm not just saying that it really doesn't bother me whatsoever Do you because I'm just going to put this over here in a blank document Okay And if you ever want if you ever want to go back like and see like your original version it was a lot wordier if you I Because it's google docs and I don't I don't I don't trust it with my life. I I every day I save What what we've done?  What is it called? Planning seeds might end up like that or might end it on a different kind of a note Or maybe could use yeah, it's probably good. I'm tired. I'm trying to I'm trying to um Kind of stretch out this thought of his where Because we've got a lot to do yet. We've got the fair. We've got this next day The the grave the fair And then the final decision. Yep. This is what I'm to do So I was trying to I was trying to make it that with that last paragraph I'm trying I was trying to make it like I don't know what I was thinking. I'm you know like and then Like, you know, you have these thoughts I get I get them with book ideas all the time Wake up in the middle of the night or it's late at night. I'm like, I've got an amazing book idea I'll write it down next day. I'll say it out loud to my wife when I say it out loud.  I don't trust myself So I will just I'll just go ahead and start it and that's why I am never at not saying you are But never at a want for like story ideas is because the the most ludicrous Asinine thought like that novelette. I just wrote I sharded in a cemetery and woke the dead like that That's a perfect example.  That's I just I'm showcase. I'm talking about that because it showcases how different we are Um and how we're still able to come together in this cohesive manner Um, but yeah, so I do that quite often But with me even when I tell shell and she's like that's really dumb Like there's a one uh called the patch that I had this idea for the sentient pumpkin patch that comes alive every year And I wrote a draft of it ages ago and I let shell read it and she's like, I'm sorry She's just laughing. It's like I'm sorry. I can't get past Any of these like living pumpkin things they just look silly the way I had it because It was like a vine would come that the vines are pretty much the bodies But there is no body.   It was ridiculous.   Oh lord. It was like my tentative thing Yeah, that that completely changes like the tone of Telling the book.  This is how bad things happen Um, and so he just named one of the parts of the book cancer instead called a dreamcatcher He he couldn't live without it either I don't know why I was about to change boot to boat I don't know why man. I'm like that's wrong. No, it's not. Okay. Um for consistency's sake you use cuz earlier You want to use that again here or yeah, uh, that's our um Either one Well, I I was just wondering if we should use because because it's him speaking And he while he does slanging up a little bit. Um, I didn't you know, I don't want him to sound I know um So you want to leave that other instance? Is him like slipping into vernacular because that one was in narrative too. I believe Um, it's not a huge deal man. I don't think it's a huge deal I mean he is only 16 and he has lived the last four years of his life Uh in this yeah, so he's oh, I wasn't saying I had an issue with it I just wanted to make making sure you want to leave that other instance. I know I guess I'm just kind of talking to myself.  I just I just don't I don't I read stuff all the time. It's like When I when I write things like this that are first person I I try to make it sound kind of like Dialogue like someone's truly telling a story here and a lot of the language. I see people use it's it's so very proper It drives me freaking crazy And so I don't usually don't do that but Like because it's you've got the extra syllable and it just seems like You wouldn't say the whole word Yeah, there's uh, well, there's another I mean there's another reason to change it. We got a repetition of the cuz here I mean we could always just get rid of and this is for editing This isn't this isn't shit that and we could literally just delete this because I don't change my clothes period Opening my dresser drawer will rekindle the rage when I see the empty space where mom's jewelry box should be And there's multiple ways that we can change it. I'm just throwing that out there. Um, yeah um, well, we could We could put cuz cuzy for I'm thinking they didn't sleep at all Um I like that I just look at it And then just a slipping back and forth between him being educated and him slipping into their thing.    I thought it was funny.   I wish I could have got more in this weekend But you did a you did a lot I'm trying to see which I'm just waiting to see what you do with uh, read his cornbread If you if we use it or not, or if you end up getting in there and going, no That that needs to go Uh, I'm trying to remember. I don't even remember writing this post posted bills section That's hilarious I must have been in my own head man. It was it's been a I've been having a time of things lately It seems like I don't have I have plenty of time to myself But it feels like I don't and when I do have time to myself all I want to do is sit on the porch and stare into oblivion Um, it's like there's there's two there's so much going on and it's not Don't get me wrong.  I promise never Because some stuff has been cut because some stuff has been Uh, you know, we uh cleaned up. We're at 15,742 words noise Without any of our without any of our notes or outlying stuff, right?  It's been over 48 hours and and when we went live um It was as soon as we ended the live we had got hit And Anyways, it's I don't understand you two. I'm not going to try. Uh, anyways, is there anything else You want to go over? Well, we forgot to we were talking about Having the family praise Cassidy for a job well done. Uh, yeah Um, I can go in and drop drop a couple little things. Do you want to um, okay, so here here's the thing Do we want to do that when they get back? when Because shame goes after Cassidy finds him brings him back Um And he'll have the baking soda on him Do you want to leave the praise section for that because they're happy about the drugs? Whereas before they were still kind of You know, I don't know. It's not like they were waiting on drugs I don't it's not like they were going through withdrawals or anything But uh make it so this kind of seaments cassidy staying home Um, or you know, but I mean even shame can have a thought like uh, well, he's obviously not going to come with me now So because they just got through praising him for uh getting back With the baking soda I I do have Excuse me. I want to have a another conversation with him where After he's decided he's going to leave or he thinks he's going to leave or whatever. Um Kind of a last-ditch effort You know like not saying I'm leaving or maybe he does say I'm leaving but Just essentially feeling about and you know, would you want to If I if I if we could find a way would you want? He's it's very clear that no and so there's nothing that That shame could ever do and outside of kidnapping him. Yeah, right. Um We could do we could call the next uh next chapter no go and start it with him with cast Lee being praised for bringing the baking soda and then um Do we could have that one final conversation?  He doesn't know where he's going It's going to be one of those things after the carnival tonight He's going to be for sure where he's going what he's doing what he's taking that kind of shit So do we want the next chapter to have that praise section? I don't I don't know followed by Shane now Another thing is I don't know if you want to write this section or not um the bit How how he how he leaves how you know that that kind of thing?  Um How do we want to initiate him going?   Yeah, he's nine.   What if there's What if there's shibby's coloring books? That's a good idea Yeah, there's shibby's coloring books and he's like oh shibby's got some just like these and then he starts flipping through He's like oh summer color, but that's not a big deal like Cassidy wouldn't like latch on to that Yeah, but shane sure as hell would so we can have shane's reaction to you know, they didn't stole this kids friends Shit or something or maybe we I mean he wouldn't he wouldn't know Yeah, yeah Yeah, because I don't think Cassidy would would realize that they were shibbies and that could be one other Things like oh, yeah shibby's got these. Thanks so much. Yeah. Yeah. I wanted these because I know whatever whatever the fun Yeah, yeah, I like that and then um, well Originally when you asked what I was getting at was that he's preoccupied So that gives Shane and out So they're all getting high because they had they had their uh, let's just grab a little bit more. Yeah, you know kind of thing The junky maneuver.  He's even gone. Okay. That that's fine. I do have another thing to add to the coloring books Shane trying to get Cassidy's attention like to tell him goodbye Um, like he's or he's about to he's about to go I know he comes back again, but he's trying to he's like Cassidy can I talk to you for a second and Cassidy's just coloring He's like, yeah, man. What's up?   Cassidy still has a happy moment and Shane's gonna let him have that So I don't know something like that. That's what that's what my brain fired on anyways And maybe we should have them move their party Uh, well like they've got a little bonfire in the back. So that way Shane has access to the house to the litter Yeah, that's a great idea. You know, yeah, let's do they could even do like a um Well, I was thinking maybe a barbecue, but they'd have to steal stuff for the barbecue because they haven't made any money off the coke yet Um, yeah, just a bonfire.  Yeah Maybe they could know because we still want the reveal of like bodies being put into the hole, right? I was thinking maybe it could be filled in and they could have put the bonfire over it. Um I'm just my brain is working in plot modes. I'm just trying to make I don't know if I want to show anything I don't know if I want to show the bodies putting out there. I kind of want the size of the grave to speak for itself Yeah, that's pretty much what I always wondering what is in that hole.  Oh, then he's obviously going to think it's the dog but You know, they're they've it's already been whatever's been buried has been buried And then they put a fire right on top of it Um, and then maybe even he can he could think something like well Maybe that's where they hid the drugs and then he ends up finding it somewhere else anyway And I think oh go ahead. He knows the drugs are in the bottom of the litter container, right?   I don't know. Yeah, but there's there's something brewing with a scene like that It's like he's like, how am I going to get it out of the house? Just build up this whole thing. I don't I don't know that might be anticlimactic But build up this whole thing the tension that he's feeling the anxiety. He's like, I gotta get this I gotta get it out of the house.  I like scenes like that, but you might not. Um Let's see here. Yeah, it makes sense to me. I mean I uh them taking the time to put these people are not intelligent. They're high. High is a kite For them to leave it out makes perfect sense. I mean My only thing is I'm torn between Maybe they have some I'm torn between them dipping into the brick and them still having Uh A leftover from the baggie from the night before Because I almost don't want them to know about the missing coke for a little right away. That's that's a good It could be a thing where um, they're like Oh Hang on So everybody's out in the party, right? Everybody's out back Shane comes in for this is how this the scene just rolled out In my head So everybody's out back. Shane gets home The coke is on the coffee table. He's thinking about grabbing it. He's like I Put I gotta go to the he goes to the bathroom Does something goes into his room to pack up a few little belongings.   Um, I can have these I've still got five dollars. I can get three more tomorrow Um, and you know just and that's just alcohol for an alcoholic let alone cocaine I think that uh for them to all of a sudden be like, oh, I had no idea We had a whole night's worth of partying yet left in this baggie, but maybe the the baggie is just uh I honestly don't Don't know how much would be um a night's worth. I mean, I remember being Very disappointed at the how short the effect lasted Because my dad my biological father, uh, who who Gave it to me in the first place was like, you're gonna want more soon I'm like now I'm good and then sure enough within an hour It was it was not like getting stalled or being drunk and stuff It's not like you did a line and then you were done for the night Um, it was like this constant thing. So if somebody's doing that all night I don't know and in somebody who's used to doing it. I don't know how much Could be ingested by these people without them. I would say a line an hour um Would not be or every two hours probably more like an hour a line every hour um but they There would also be you know Issues with them arguing. I don't know. I don't know if we're working too hard on this one scenario or not but uh Well, hang on a second because I did I did give a measurement And what I say a half a cup of sugar Or did it's a cup of sugar a half a cup? I can't remember by by uh by using A measurement that that that Shane would actually know instead of like it looked like to be about a quarter ounce You know, he wouldn't know any of that right So I was a half a cup probably do a search for the word cup A half cup's worth. I mean we could that's That's a lot of coke, but we are talking about four people doing it all night long. Yeah We could say a cup's worth I just I just like the idea of him getting away with it for A few days right And I'm not noticing because if he takes it right off the table, which I like the idea of them leaving it out But if he did do that uh They would know that night before he had even left town right It's something happened. He's not around the coke's not around I'm still going back to this idea of them refilling the bag And I realize but if if they started off Just looking at Junkie energy If they started off with an entire cup That's a lot and as long as someone let's say hunter has been coming back and refilling it just a little bit at a time They would never really question How much they've been using it be more like holy shit. We're not going through it near as fast as we thought we were um One second I'm gonna go ahead and take a break Hello Hey, sorry, that was my oldest son Sorry, I only have it till about noon today. I got a bunch of boxes.  I had to bring the car around so I could Ease on down to the hood and then slide off the hood.   Hang on. I'll check right now. I mean, I think this is our third week July 30th It's part one. Okay. So 16 days. We've been working on this two and a half about two and a half weeks Yeah, I still think we can if we keep at this rate, we could probably be done before uh Oh, it's august before before summer is over See that being a problem Is that hawks or is it like when you're spinning is it is it hawks or is it hawk? Like h w or h a w k it's uh It's h o c k. I believe it might be hawk. I don't know No, it's where wait I guess it says they're both acceptable That's weird. Okay. It I would sense it It seems like the okay here. Here's a here's a dilemma because uh, everyone pointed out in one of my books that, uh It's you have another think coming because the Judas Priest But the origin of it is you have another thing coming uh Not think it's like 1860 or something like that is the first time it's used and it's you have another thing coming Uh, then Judas Priest made it popular with you have another think coming um No thing Judas Priest is another thing coming. Okay. Yeah, I got it backward. All right. Um, anyways, so that but people are saying I got it wrong when I use the original version and not Judas Priest version So here hawk as in, you know, the bird hawk makes more sense because it literally means Like how they feed their they're young, you know vomiting up Regurgitating to feed But hawk Hlck is how I've seen it So, I don't know whatever whatever you want to do or we can rewrite that sentence completely just so um Yeah, it's a was first documented in the 15th century For hawking with a u instead of a w up For hawking up of blood We could just say Travis bits of lugi over the deck railing. That's fine. That's fine. Hey bookable. How you doing? I'm deleting uh All this stuff I have in here for later seen because it's no longer needed It's just a oh hold on. Hold on. I think I thought there was something in there that I wanted to use eventually Okay Wasn't he going to go to get baking soda? Wasn't he going off to get baking soda? Yeah, that's uh, that's the section that I uh wrote called posted bills Is when uh, he's already gone out and Uh, shame goes out after him. See he's got done Uh digging the hole. He's gone and taken a shower. He might have a concussion uh because Trab hits him. Um I thought I thought that that the reason why shame couldn't follow and this time was because Uh, shame was busy digging the hole and then cassidy Was going off that happened at the same time, but then cassidy got uh got caught again And has been hiding out in the field So all this time has passed and shane's like hey where's cassidy like I think rita has the discussion with him Um, and so he goes out looking for him and that's when he finds the flyer Okay, so what about uh, because I liked some of this stuff and I I didn't know so Like quiet, it's a flea and quick is one too when he's talking about you know being Yeah, like he's not gonna get caught. I like I like this whole section. So whatever you can make work make work, but uh Um And that's why I put it down here because I didn't want to completely get rid of it And once again, it was good. It was gonna end up going into my cannibal file so All right. Well, we'll we'll leave I guess we'll just leave this until I get to that point and see if Pull some of this and then if not I'll just get rid of what we don't right How far down is it? Um Where they talk about bruce being dead. I do I haven't had that yet. It was just an illusion with the digging of the hole right Is there's there's only the only thing I've really done is uh Dog turd and him uh, shane See, I don't even remember We're in this section. I'll get it. Okay. I'll get it in here.  Nobody was thinking about the dog at all and then um, maybe um I haven't read down yet. So I don't know but um Shane's out there digging a hole.   Um, and then so Uh, and uh, so when he does say okay, I'm done digging the hole again. I haven't read what you have This is just what's in my head right now. I'm hey.  He's like and then we find out very nonchalantly like uncle trap just doesn't care. It's like Yeah, uh Bruce is dead and maybe even points that a tarp that Shane didn't see before and I I think without giving any kind of clue that would have harder um That this dog is dead, you know, because it just it comes immediately And then uh, he can war with whether or not he's going to tell Shane or let not Shane Cassidy or let I mean, there's all different that kind of things. Yeah, the only um All that works, but there is uh, let's see here Because uh, the seam ends with travis hitting him And I kind of allude to a concussion Having that that like he hit him so hard He's just kind of out of it to the point where he even gets into the shower and forgets to take his clothes off um Wow, it's quite it's quite a concussion. Yeah, um You know trying to say how hard he hit him without actually saying how hard he hit him kind of deal, uh, but uh Um, not married to any of it, but it's quite a bit. So I'm trying to find the Anyways, I'll I'll let you go through and keep what you keep what you want, but that there's a considerable amount of um him kind of stumbling out of the the grave and Okay Trying to find the instigating thing why he hits him. Oh, yeah, he um, he's asking for water While he's digging the hole because he's tired and uh That's when he hits him That I don't realize I've been slap punch lay drop whatever it might be until I'm on My side in the pile of freshly dug earth and someone's blowing a whistle in one of my ears Do you want to growl like a dog? I'm a treat.  Hey, Alec. I don't think I think book will just came in and said hi Happy to be a help Alec. Glad people are getting something out of this Oh, yeah, like do we want Shane to offer Cassidy to come with him to the carnival or just Just him decide to go and leave him there coloring Um Morning jb No, I don't think we should offer maybe something like, uh I'd offer but I They wouldn't let them so they don't maybe Yeah, they'd notice that both of them were gone They probably wouldn't notice if it was just Shane If they even pay attention at all that night anyways Yeah, all the damn references I want to use are from 90 or Or on I don't remember shit from my early childhood obviously Dude, did you see my Did I did I share with you the cover of the Book I got coming out in february. We just did a cover reveal. No, but uh, I saw it on twitter You didn't show it to me, but I did see it very very good Yeah, I like it You've been banned. What are you talking about lazy? It isn't Yeah, it won't it. They usually don't show up on the subscriber page. They uh That's why I post the VODs.  No, it's set to public. I have no idea But other than notifications, it's not going to show up in the in my In my list of videos Because uh, then that like I said, that's why that's why I upload the VODs So that they show up in the list of videos It's just all the others did Huh, all right All I know is people's always are asking me, where's the live at? Where's the live at? So I started doing the VODs All right I gotta get up I gotta move around Sorry, y'all. I know shad's dark, but I gotta go too So Game over that eating No, no, no, no When I get back, we'll probably I don't think I'm gonna write anymore I basically just went through the paces of this scene You know, I'll let you add and subtract and all that stuff and come back. We can talk I don't think I'm gonna do any more writing. But anyways, um, I'll be back in like 10 minutes or so Sorry It's just the staring. I wasn't sure if you could hear me or not.  I'm like Granted that doesn't mean his books are any good any more Hey, Lee. Oh, yeah, he's uh, he's booking right along I got about 13 minutes and I gotta go. Is there anything you want to talk about before? We know I didn't get nearly as much done as I wanted to I got I had a hard time focusing Keep you staying focused today so, all right I got I don't know probably It probably less than a thousand words, but I got Another chapter at least the foundation for it down I don't know what I'm gonna call it. I called it colorful. I called it no go and then I was like, no, we're not going yet. So Changed it to colorful shadows because I did the coloring books and all that stuff You'll see unless the ferrets are running over the keyboard No, he's working. I'm watching him work. I'm trying to keep up with what he's doing to So we're on the same page Literally and figuratively anyways, all right, y'all uh Basically the mcs bestie comes back from a month long trip, but she's different.  She gargles bottle after bottle of milk wash Interesting anyways, uh I'm gonna go ahead and go guys. Uh, thanks for hanging out with us.  My mind isn't all here. Anyways, uh, so Thanks for joining us We'll see you tomorrow 9 a.m. Oh before I go chat What do you think about doing monday through friday and then taking the weekends off? Yeah, that sounds fine. Yeah. I'm pretty recharged after after two days So that'll also give me time to work on Videos on the weekend for the week coming Anywho, uh, so yeah tomorrow morning 9 a.m. Monday through friday from here on out If anything pops up, I'll put stuff on either the community page or the discord But other than that, uh Try to catch y'all tomorrow. All right. Uh, bye king. See y'all later. But until next time I'll hail the chair See you guys


ll agreed? Yes. We are all agreed. The next question is that section 3 be agreed. Are we all agreed? Yes. We are agreed. I would like to now call amendment 5 in the name of Radar Grant, which is grouped with amendment 6. Radar Grant is asked to move amendment 5 and speak to both amendments within that group. Thank you, Radar. Okay. Can I move amendment 5 and speak to 5 and 6? When we took evidence on the issue arose about the wearing of seat belts in a car, it is the driver's responsibility to ensure that seat belts are worn for children in their vehicle, but it is clear that that responsibility could not be borne by a bus driver. It would simply be dangerous. Road traffic legislation is also reserved so that the bill cannot legislate on the wearing of seat belts, hence the bill only covers the supply of seat belts. There are also concerns about the duty of care and where that fell with regard to the wearing of seat belts. The Scottish Government responded saying that it would be for courts to decide where the duty of care fell. Therefore, the bill is not clear as it stands as to who needs to promote the wearing of seat belts. It is simply not right that it would need to be tested in court after an accident. My amendments mean that the Scottish Government must issue guidance on what the expectation is of authorities with regard to the wearing of seat belts. It might be that the Scottish Government recommends monitors to ensure that that happens, but it could ask authorities to engage in an education programme with young people promoting the wearing of seat belts. That was certainly an issue that the youth Parliament felt, because it felt that young people should be involved proactively in wearing seat belts rather than being forced to wear them by a third party. Those amendments mean that the Scottish Government needs to give guidance on how to promote their use and monitor their use. That means that, when the act comes into force, it will be evaluated to see whether it is having the intended impact. If not, we can look at it again and prevail on the UK Government to act on reserved legislation. In her opening remarks, Rhoda Grant talked about local authorities might engage monitors and the phrasing of the two amendments both use to monitor the wearing of seat belts as a particular phrase. I think that there is a bit of ambiguity as to what the distinction is between engaging monitors and monitoring the wearing of seat belts. Is that a statistical monitoring? I think that, as Constructed, it is ambiguous. I think that, in the intent that Rhoda has expressed through her amendments to ensure that we get the best possible practical outcomes and that local authorities are keeping an eye on those outcomes is one that I absolutely can sign up to and I suspect others that it will do so. I am just not entirely certain that the construction of those amendments fully and unambiguously addresses that need or that there may be other ways in which that can be achieved that go in a different direction from simply putting something on the face of the bill. I would be particularly interested to hear what the member in charge has to say and perhaps what the minister has to say on that. I am looking at amendment 6 that Rhoda Grant has inserted in section 2 before issuing such guidance, the Scottish ministers must consult A, each school authority be such other persons as they consider appropriate. I do have a slight concern around that. It is the intention of that, therefore that every school in Scotland must be consulted or is it the local authority that must be consulted before guidance can be issued. This place is a burden on the Government to do that. The second part to be such other persons as they consider appropriate, I find it very vague. It is a little bit unclear as to the intention of section 6 to A and B. No other member has indicated that they want to speak. Minister, would you like to add anything? First of all, thank Rhoda Grant for many of those amendments. Before us today, it is clear that she shares her commitment that safety in relation to school transport is, of course, a top priority and that we all have a combined responsibility to do all that we can to keep our young people safe. The Scottish Government shares the sentiment that the member is trying to seek with those amendments. We have committed to creating non-statutory guidance, education and awareness-raising materials to accompany the commencement of the legal duty. We therefore have no issue with the principle of school authorities looking at guidance that is issued by Scottish ministers. However, we know that school authorities take child safety very seriously and pay great heed to good practice in this area, so it is questionable whether statutory guidance is necessary. Additionally, there are some specific issues that are drafted that may cause difficulty, which have been picked up by both Stuart Stevenson and Jamie Greene in their contributions. I would just like committee members to be aware that amendment 5 and 6 involve the issue of seat belt wearing, a reserved area of law that Rhoda Grant referenced. Therefore, legislative competence restrictions may need to be examined more fully and further legal consideration may be needed before we are comfortable supporting those changes to the bill. On the detail of the amendments, I would agree with Stuart Stevenson's contribution in relation to the term monitor, but to add to that, I would say that amendment 5 and the word monitor has the potential to cause difficulties with interpretation. That is very close to the widely used and accepted term bus monitor, which stakeholders involved in dedicated school transport are familiar with. Therefore, there seems to be a risk of the amendment being interpreted as creating a legal duty for bus monitors on every journey, an issue on which the committee's stage 1 report stated that flexibility should be retained. Additionally, amendment 6 subsection 2a creates a duty on Scottish ministers to consult every school authority in Scotland in the creation of guidance. To add to what Jamie Greene has said, the Scottish Government has had in-depth discussions with local government and grant aided and independent school sector in the creation of those measures. That will continue with guidance and implementation. However, there are around 100 independent schools in Scotland, many of which are not represented by the Scottish Council for Independent Schools. Therefore, it may not prove feasible and indeed workable to compel Scottish ministers to categorically consult with every school authority across the country. As I have said, we will continue a dialogue with those in the sector, but we need to proceed carefully here. What I am prepared to commit to is looking at the issue of statutory guidance again and working with the member on this before stage 3. If we conclude that it is possible to do something in primary legislation about a guidance duty, which is within legislative competence, we will work with the member on an amendment to achieve that and to address some of the detailed wording of the issue. However, we may well conclude that there is too much risk in creating statutory guidance, as opposed to issuing non-statutory guidance. If we conclude that any amendment in this area was difficult for legislative competence reasons, we would, of course, let hold a grant no of our conclusions before stage 3. Therefore, with those reassurances, I invite Ms Grant not to press on amendments at this stage and give her an assurance that we will look to work on those matters with the view to bringing something forward at stage 3, which meets our mutual aspirations. Before I ask Ms Grant to wind up, Gillian Martin, would you like to… Yes, I would like to thank Rhoda Grant for bringing in those amendments before this day. In June, pupils actually wear seatbelts when they are fitted. It has been a crucial concern for the committee and all of us as we are bringing this bill forward. I welcome her useful ideas that she has tabled in relation to future guidance. However, I agree with the minister what he said about specific terms of the amendments that are currently drafted. I reiterate the point about the term monitor in amendment 5. Experience from discussions and stakeholders highlights how the common interpretation of that in relation to school transport is generally a personal act as I supervise on the bus, although I appreciate that that is not exactly what Ms Grant has meant. Any interpretation is at odds with the committee's stage 1 report in relation to flexibility on such issues. We know that school authorities can and do use bus monitors. However, they have the freedom to choose other methods as well. I simply want to repeat the minister's reassurance about our willingness to work with Rhoda Grant ahead of stage 3 in this issue. I would also ask her not to press the amendments for the moment. I would like to ask Rhoda Grant to wind up and to conclude by pressing or withdrawing your amendments. I think that I need to be clear that, where it bus monitors, it would have said so in the amendments. There may be another word to look at monitor, maybe assess the wearing of seat belts or the like, but that is what it has meant. Neither does it say in the amendment that people should not employ bus monitors that would be up to government and indeed the local authorities to decide how best to encourage and engage with the wearing of seat belts. I think that the amendment is clear in that regard. Jamie Greene and the minister talked about the consultation with school authorities, and that would be authorities in charge of education plus the independent schools. I take on board that that is quite a wide consultation, but one assumes that the Scottish Government has a mailing list to which they email any changes to allow them. I do not think that it is overly onerous. I would imagine that information is going out that way. However, I have listened to the concerns, and I wish to have some consensus around that, because I do not believe that we are at odds at all. I will not press the amendments at this stage, but I hope that I will work with the Government and the member-in-charge to try to get those amendments in the form that everybody is happy with and achieves the aim that I am trying to achieve by them. Just to clarify, you wished to withdraw the amendment. Can I ask if any member wishes to object to Rhoda Grant withdrawing the amendment? That is a question that no one has disagreed. The question is that section 4 will be agreed. Are we agreed? I formally have to ask you in relation to amendment 6, in the name of Rhoda Grant, which has already been debated with amendment 5. Do you wish to move it or not to move it? Therefore, we are not moved, but I would like to now move on to section 5, and I would like to call the amendment 7 in the name of Peter Chapman in a group on its own. Peter Chapman, please move your amendment and speak to amendment 7. Thank you, convener. I would like to move the amendment in my name. It is a very simple amendment, in my opinion, and it is fair to say that within this committee we agree that it is right to support the aims of this bill to transport kids to school as safer if seatbelts are fitted and worn. I just felt that it was important that these measures are brought in as soon as possible. Therefore, I move that instead of these measures being brought in over a period in the case of primary school children in 2018 and secondary school children in 2021, it seems a long time to wait until 2021. Therefore, I move that both primary and secondary school children are brought into this bill and it comes forward at the same time, namely before the end of 2018. That would still give some flexibility to the Government to introduce the bill at any point in 2018. The amendment would still allow the minister discretion to commence the provision at different points for primary and secondary education so long as it was brought in before the end of 31 December 2018. I just feel that 2021 is a long time away, and if we agree that it is a good thing that we do this and that we all do it, why not bring it in quicker? Therefore, I move that we bring the date forward until no later than the end of December 2018. Richard Lyle, you've indicated that you wish to speak. I don't accept Peter Chapman's amendment. Basically, as I say, over the years, previously as a councillor and the council I was in, we tried to get them to bring in. I can see where it is coming from, but the Scottish Government has took forward extensive stakeholder engagement during this process. The feedback to the Government has been that the transition relation to secondary school provision will be greater, possibly due to more double-deckers being used, longer timescale aims to stop the need for contracts. I quite remember people who have made contracts and that would break the contract and could actually cost more, so that would mean a significant financial impact in school authorities, particularly councils. I think that the Scottish Government has been consistent with these dates. The member has been consistent with the dates. I think that, with the greatest respect to Mr Chapman, his amendment is not required, so I'll be against it. I have some clarification, and it is probably more a question for the member in charge or, indeed, the minister. We had evidence that a lot of local authorities have already implemented the provisions of the bill, and those who have not are in the process of doing it. Would Peter Chapman's amendment cause any of the unintended consequences that Richard Llyw was talking about, or would you expect that the legislation or the intentions of the legislation would maybe be in place by that date? Are you aware of problems that would cause a problem where local authorities would not be able to comply? I am sure that the member will address that when she speaks. Mike Rumbles, your next question. I support the amendment by Peter Chapman. The evidence that was presented to the committee was quite clear, and I felt that local authorities were pursuing this, regardless of the legislation, quite frankly. There was a question right originally whether we needed the bill because local authorities are moving so quickly to adopt it. Actually, it is a good thing that the bill has been brought forward because it is encouraging local authorities to ensure that that happens. I just think in my bones that if we send a message out that we want to delay this until 2021, that sends the wrong message out. I think that Peter has put a very sensible suggestion. It does, as I understand it—correct me if I am wrong—that is the primary school deadline already in the bill, is it not? Therefore, I think that we should move forward on that basis. I think that it does not give any excuses to local authorities to slack finishing that 100 per cent coverage that we require. The final member has indicated that he wants to speak. He is Jamie Greene. Please, just to support Peter Chapman's amendment in the sense that, again, this was the original deadline for primary school. Anyway, I certainly feel that bringing secondary up to meeting that same deadline does not present any problems and we should be ambitious with that target, so I will be supporting the amendment. Thank you. Minister, would you like to say anything at this stage? Yes, I would, thank you very much. I will let Ms Martin speak regarding the commencement of legislative measures that she has brought before Parliament, but I thought that it might be helpful to outline the approach that the Scottish Government took and has taken in reaching out and bringing stakeholders with us as the devolution process for these powers was undertaken. There is a wide range of stakeholders and agencies involved in school transport from parents, teachers and pupils themselves to local government and indeed the bus industry. Earlier, we took the view that a partnership approach to shaping the bill's proposals would be key. That is why we set up the not so imaginatively titled seatbelts and dedicated school transport working group. However, my predecessor Keith Brown announced the plans for future legislation in 2014. Ministers were clear that the implementation dates of 2018 would take place for primary schools and D-2021 for secondary schools. That is what had been committed to and that is what our partners have been working to. I would take some exception with the phrase that Mike Rumbles used that it would be delayed. It is not delayed, it is the timetable that was agreed at the time. Accelerating those dates could lead, as Richard Lyle and others have suggested, could lead to contracts having to be broken. That could lead to significant practical difficulties for councils and, as Rhoda Grant suggested, perhaps unintended consequences. Will it lead? Do you know of cases where that will cause a problem? Information to hand, but I am more than happy with Ms Martin. One of the officials has that information if we do not, of course, providing it in the future, but I do not have it to hand whether or not there are particular local authorities. Would they have to break their contracts? I am simply suggesting that it could be an issue, but I respect her desire to get a little bit more information certainty around that point. Of course. I understand. I said a four-year delay. I take the point that you have been working towards this date. It is not a delay as such. I agree that this is an important piece of legislation and I congratulate Julian Martin for bringing forward this bill. However, the one thing that I was making the point was, if it is such an important bill, which I think it is, why wait until 2021 to have it implemented? I think that it is an important bill. Julian Martin has a lot of work on this bill and I think that we should make sure, as a Parliament, that we actually advance the date from 2021 to 2018. I accept that it is not a delay. What I am talking about is an advancement for child safety on our buses. I will make mention of that very point just towards the very end of my remarks to try to give some assurance both. Yes, of course. In regard to the point where a council has different contracts, if a contract is coming up for renewal in the next couple of months, that does not stop them from bringing that in quicker. There is intention to set a date of 2021, but am I correct in suggesting that that does not stop councils bringing in quicker as we know that this bill has become law? Yes, that would be my understanding. I have a feeling that there is another intervention coming, so I am happy to accept the intervention. Minister, I would have thought if the suggestion was that this could have contractual implications then you would have had that information at hand. Clearly, the work of a lawmaking establishment on this cannot be shaped around what potential implications it may or may not have. We make decisions in good faith in shape law. Presumably—I am no expert in contract law—contracts will reflect that, so that in itself should not hinder the work of the establishment. I thank the member for the contribution. My point is that the contractual difficulties that could potentially—and we will try to get you some more certainty around that as has been requested—is one potential effect. The other point that I am trying to make is that there has been a lot of work that has been done. This is not a date that was arbitrarily plucked out of the air. This is work that was done by my predecessor, Keith Brown, bringing together a working group of the industry and local authorities to say practically what are the issues that have to be worked through. Again, Ms Martin will touch upon the fact that, of course, in high schools you have more school buses and so that is why one of the reasons why—not the only reason why—there is perhaps a later commencement date. However, to try to give us some sort of reassurances and commitments around that, because there is a shared ambition that we all have, I would say a couple of things. First of all, it is worth remembering that the committee's stage 1 report describes the commencement dates in our quote as reasonable and practicable. That is what I am talking about, what is practical, what is what to be able to do practically. It is important that we do not forget what the stage 1 report said. It is hard for me to understand what has changed between the stage 1 report and perhaps stage 2. However, what I will say is that I completely understand the motivation behind Mr Chapman's proposals. As I said, we all have a shared ambition in this. To that end, I am more than happy to give a commitment that I will engage further with local authorities to ascertain if the practical issues that led to the two-phase approach to commencement dates are still as stark as they were previously. If the local authorities can give me more detail, more certainty around commencement dates, then I am no reason why we cannot work through bringing those dates forward. However, I give a commitment to re-engage with local authorities. With that commitment in mind, I would invite Mr Chapman not to press amendment 7 today, and I will let him know in advance of stage 3 what we get back from local authorities and local government. If he is satisfied, we can move together on this if he is not satisfied. Of course, he would have the opportunity to bring it back to stage 3. Thank you, minister. Before I ask Peter Chapman to wind up and press or withdraw his amendment, Gillian Martin, would you like to say something? Yes, I would. Thank you, convener. As the transport minister just said, the implementation dates were decided on for a number of reasons and to mind for very good and practical reasons. They were also decided in consultation with stakeholders. With any new legislative measures, there will be an element of having to adapt and absorb the changes that have been implemented, and that is to be expected. Preparation for the powers has been devolved. The Scottish Government has done the right thing by listening to the views of those that these measures will affect and come into a general consensus around some of the specifics. In answer to Rhoda Grant's very legitimate point, local government has told us that there are still some councils who have already signed contracts for 2021, based on the 2021 commencement date for secondary school transport. Richard Lyle is absolutely correct that breaking contracts and forcing councils into a situation in which they have to break contracts is something that we do not want to do. I am grateful for your intervention. Is it within your knowledge that contracts would be broken? Local councils have told us that they have made the range contracts up until 2021. The assumption is that some of those contracts might be around bus companies that might not have seat belts fitted, so that would probably be the case. However, in reference to what the transport minister has said, we are willing to go out again and ask councils specifically and re-engage with our stakeholders to see if that has changed. On a matter of law—I am not a lawyer, but on a matter of law, as I have understood the law—contracts cannot be broken if the law has changed. The contracts are not broken. The contracts to be legal must comply with the law. It is as simple as that. To answer that, one of the stakeholders that we have engaged with has been the bus companies. We have to recognise the fact that one of the strong voices in supporting the bill has been around bus contractors as well, who have been working towards the 2021 date. For those businesses that perhaps have plans in place to be able to bid for the contracts of 2021, I certainly think that it would be quite unfair for us to change the goalposts on that. However, if we find out that it is not a problem, I will read it out. I am unclear, but there were two members asking me to intervene. Do you choose who you would like to take first? Well, I think that Stuart Heddy has handed up. Stuart Stevens has handed up first and I will take Christine Grahame, of course. I might regret that decision in the chamber. No, I merely wondered whether the member-in-charge is able to tell us whether contract law is part of the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament, whether there would be a risk to effect in contracts that, in good faith, have been written in a legislative area for which we are not responsible. I think that we have to be very careful that officials cannot speak during this debate. It would be up to the member to answer the intervention, so Gillian, it is for you to answer. The bill in force would supersede contracts. The contract would have to be looked at again, but I refer you to my other comments about the fact that one of our key stakeholders in this has been bus operators as well. We have made these consultations with people around the table in our working group and 2021 has been the day. Gillian, sorry, I do not mean to force you, but Christine Grahame offered an intervention. I do not know whether she wants to withdraw it or whether she wants to take it. I am sympathetic to what Peter Chapman says, but I do not think that I am in a position to take a view on it until I have clarification that this would not be practicable because you have not got information from all the local authorities. My understanding is that the member is giving an undertaking to this committee to come back prior to stage 3 so that Mr Chapman is up to Mr Chapman whether he proceeds with his amendment law with up-to-date information about whether or not this date is practicable in terms of contract and all that stuff for secondary transport. Is that the undertaking by the member? That is why I would press Peter Chapman to withdraw his amendment at the moment, because I personally do not feel that all stakeholders have been working towards the 2021 date if we were to accept this amendment without consultation with them, that would not be a good place to be. Why is there a one-year delay between prime and secondary? It is very unclear. It is not a delay, but there is a staged implementation. 2018 is the implementation for primaries, and 2021 is the implementation date for secondaries. As has been rightly pointed out, a lot of secondary and local authorities have already done it. However, we are talking about a lot more buses and different types of buses. The majority of primary schools use many buses, for example—that is certainly true in my constituency—whereas the types of coaches that are involved in secondary travel may include, as Richard Lyle pointed out, things like double-deckers, which are not genuinely loosed for primary school transport. That is why there is a three-year staged approach on that. We have made an offer to answer Christine Grahame's point that we would not want to make any kind of recommendations on this until we have spoken with stakeholders on whether it is possible and to what degree there might be breaches of contracts having to be broken on this. Am I allowed to proceed any more? I therefore invite Mr Chapman not to press amendment 7. Peter Chapman, would you like to wind up? As you conclude, would you either press or withdraw your amendment, please? Thank you, convener. I listened with great intent to what has been said. During the process of this discussion, we learned that already over 50 per cent of local authorities have put this in place. That is where I start from. The second bit is that I cannot see how it is more difficult for secondary school schools to put their legislation in place than it is for primary schools to put their legislation in place. If it is okay to be in place for primary schools in 2018, I remain to be convinced as to why that is more difficult for secondary schools. I heard what Richard Lyle had to say that we may enforce breaking of contracts and that possibly is the case, but we are speaking of it. It is still 18 months down the road. The end of 2018 is still 18 months away. I would argue that there is time to do this and put it in place. I welcome the support that I got from Jamie Greene and from Mike Rumble. There is obviously a division within this committee. I would argue that we have seen that already, but I am minded to press ahead and I would like to press ahead with my amendment. Thank you, Peter. The question is that amendment 7 be agreed. Are we all agreed? That means we move to a division. I would like to ask all those people who are voting in favour of the amendment to raise their hands please. I would like all those against the amendment to raise their hands. I would like to say that there were six in favour of the amendment, five against the amendment and therefore the amendment is agreed. The question therefore is that section 5 be agreed. Are we all agreed? We are agreed. The question then is that section 6 be agreed. Are we all agreed? We are agreed. I would like to call on amendment 4 in the name of Gillian Martin, which has already been debated with amendment 1. Gillian Martin, can you move or not move that amendment? Move the amendment. The question therefore is that amendment 4 be agreed. Are we all agreed? The question is that the long title be agreed. Are we all agreed? We are agreed. That ends the stage 2 consideration of the bill. I would like to thank members and ask them if they could wait behind briefly, but that concludes our meeting today. Thank you.


Our relationship with the Women's Leadership Committee with Farm Bureau dates back to 25 years and we're so fortunate for that relationship to exist. Last year they contributed a hundred thousand dollars to the house during COVID which was an incredible gift. It cost us a little less than a hundred dollars a night to house families in the house and so you can make the calculation to see how valuable that was to us. And when you look at the history of the relationship with Farm Bureau and the Women's Leadership Committee, what they've done to stock the pantry, the financial gifts that they've made from time to time, including the original $40,000 gift that they made when we built the facility that you're looking at in the background. Really an incredible relationship and we're so fortunate to have it. The partnership with Arkansas Farm Bureau's Leadership Committee is just amazing. Can you imagine 25 years of supporting families here with food and resources? It means so much to the families here and of course to us as an organization. Taking care of families needs. You know when you come in from the hospital at night, you don't want to think about going to the grocery store, going to a restaurant and to know that families have the food, meals. It's just such a gift. You know we've gone through pictures and looked at the years of support from the committee and it's so exciting when we look back at those pictures to see trailer of food come and how the dining room had to be rearranged so that there were enough tables to lay all the food out, stack it up. It was mounds of boxes of the essential things that families need. So you know I was on the board for nine years before becoming the organizational leader five years ago and so I know from both perspectives how much the partnership means and the resources that you all have provided. When I was the chairman for the Women's Committee back in the late 90s we decided that we wanted to do something to partner with Ronald McDonald House in conjunction with National Food Day. We wanted to bring awareness of agriculture while also doing something for the community and so we gathered up a lot of donations.  Now it wasn't this nice facility that we see now, this was at the original one, but we just saw a need and so we jumped in and got the donations together and we came together with Ronald McDonald House and moved forward and to see where it is today. It's amazing. So we appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts. We've been here three and a half months with our three and a half months son and we have spent pretty much every day coming here eating breakfast and lunch and dinner and it's a quiet place with income and also the variety of food the variety of the people that come and serve the food have been incredible. The people that have worked behind the scenes donating the money donating the time to put in that it's we just want to give a huge thanks and also that they're willing to spend their time and their energy to make this happen for us. It has been great bringing our committee here with the last year with COVID we have not been able to so our committee as well as life and are in the foundation have made generous monetary donations but we were just told that that we're going to be able to come back and it just gives you such it's just amazing it's really it's really emotional when you get to meet all those families and cook for them and I mean it's just so simple you're cooking a meal for them it's not it's it's not anything different than what you do at home but it just reaches them on such a deep level and they feel taken care of and special and they don't have to worry that day about fixing themselves something and so it's it's great for the committee it's it's great for the families and it's just I'm just so blessed that we have that opportunity.


I'm Brian Maid. It has been six months since the most destructive wildfire in California history ripped through Northern California, including among the hardest hit here in Coffee Park. Now, six months later, the signs of destruction are being replaced by signs of rebuilding. This is a strong community. We were actually absolutely delivered below. Paul Lowenthal recalls that night six months ago like it was yesterday. As the assistant fire marshal for the Santa Rosa Fire Department, Lowenthal not only remembers the flames, but also knows firsthand the pain of losing his own home, his house, one of the nearly 9,000 structures that burned in the October wildfires. Santa Rosa literally woke up to a nightmare and we had the equivalent of a 30,000-acre wildfire on our back doorsteps that essentially wiped out 5% of our housing population in a matter of a couple hours and forced the evacuation of 100,000-plus people throughout the county. It was just a nightmare experience. Carl Horscher also lost his home in the Tubbs Fire. It was a mass hysteria. People were just freaking out. That fire was like minutes away from all of us. When it came, we heard explosions. We heard just people just panicking. Today, Carl and Paul and thousands of others like them aren't so much looking back, but rather looking forward. To go from thousands and thousands of structures that were involved in fire six months ago to where we're at today is incredible. Six months after the landscape of this community was changed forever, the signs of recovery are now rising everywhere you look. The community's healing. It's not going to happen overnight, but it's definitely moving in the right direction. Of course, before the rebuilding could begin, nearly 1.7 million tons of debris had to be removed from the damaged lots. And as of March 31st, 99% of major debris operations had been completed in Northern California. For all of us at Cal OES, I'm Brian May. Thanks for watching. Visit our online newsroom at OESNews.com to learn more about this program and get the latest news and information from our team. Don't miss our next video on your Facebook timeline. Like our page and you'll get the latest posts as they happen. If you're an Instagram user, you can see the latest snapshots by following our Cal OES Instagram account. And Twitter users can get instant access to our tweets from across the state by following Cal OES.