Gene's blog returns. And Detterling? The news may not be good.

Gene's blog returns. And Detterling? The news may not be good.

Ahoy! there me hearties! Shiver me timbers if it isn't good to be back. Yes Gene's blog is back in business - and what delights are in store.

And Detterling I hear you ask? I have a sinking feeling that the news may not be good. I fear that Detterling may have died. He hasn't been seen or heard of since 13th July. And whether on the TES website, Gene's blog or his own blog such a lengthy disappearance is unprecedented. He had posted last year that he has serious health issues and wasn't expecting to live much longer.

If he has died God rest his soul. Okay, we had our battles, but deep down we had the ultimate respect for each other. I treasure great memories of the barbed exchanges between myself and the old phony. My favourite? Undoubtedly this one from the TES Opinion Forum:

Detterling: I know that you probably despise me Gene

Gene: Well if I ever gave it any thought I probably would.

So we will not now see his memoirs published - not I guess that there was ever any real chance that this would ever happen. But, I guess that the fantasy of their publication was comforting to him

You know I think that Detters was becoming influenced by my writing style and my approach to writing - particularly in respect of the searing honest displayed in such works as the account of my life as a young man: HOW COULD I HAVE BEEN SUCH A PRAT?

But every cloud has a silver lining as they say and Detterling's demise means that the coast is clear and Gene's blog returns. And, as I said, what treats and delights are in store!