At 6pm I walk from The
Riverside Rooms  towards the west end to Foyles Bookshop on Charring Cross Road.   Unfortunately for Foyles    Borders bookshop  (across the road)  is in a liquidation sale.  But Foyles is an independent bookshop on fine
form.  It’s busy.  I get in the lift to the quiet third Floor
gallery were  Caroline Bird  is pacing.   At the side of the room a table's laid with
wine and water.  Another table has
Caroline’s book  Watering Can.   And in
the centre of the gallery the empty seats are lined up facing a podium and
microphone:  Sparkling water for me and a
hug for Caroline.  

It’s dark outside. Winter is coming. But there is so much
light in this room. Slowly and surely audience arrive and the room fills with
conversation like warm air. Sensing the temperature to be correct   “Right shall we get on” Caroline says quietly
clasping her hands together. I walk to the podium,  unfold 
my script  and begin my written
introduction  with this quote by Edgar
Allan Poe taken from his  poem A Common
Spring   From Childhood’s hour
I have not been/As others were:  I  have not seen/ As others saw;

And the introduction ends “It is both an honour and a pleasure to introduce to stage on the
publication of  her third book  Watering Can, Caroline Bird.” Caroline’s
reading is breath taking.    There are gasps as she reads and
applause.  Nobody is left untouched.   Caroline is by far and most
certainly the brightest star of her generation. 
 After the reading I notice Sir Ian McKellen  clutching Watering Can and quietly walking
out.  I get home to ackney fulfilled and with thirty minutes left in the day  -  there's nothing like a reading.