Red and Blue
Writing Challenge 2024
Posted by Chris Sissons on Mar 6, 2024
Writing Challenge ยป Chris Sissons
Oh dear, oh dear. Things got a bit steamy on Day 1, so imagine my horror to discover on Day 2 that lips, the very organs of kissing, are today’s focus! I’m sure my readers can’t cope with too much excitement, so I must seek some other approach. My problem is that there’s not much by the ways of things or stuff for the lips. There’s lipstick of course but I’m sure no one’s interested in that. I’ve never had much to do with it (except for the fancy dress party where I went as half of my sister – the winner went as a fire extinguisher). (Alright, the other half was me – I hope that’s clearer.)
Then there was a story my father told about cherry lips. These excellent comestibles were sold in small paper bags and comprised of bright red cherry-flavoured jelly sweets shaped as lips. I remember them but haven’t seen any for many years – probably not exciting enough for the social media generation. Any road, when he was a lad, my dad ate a whole bag of them. He threw up down the aisle between the desks in his classroom. His sick was bright red! I suppose that’s lip-related stuff but I get it – you’re not that into vomit – of any colour …
Then there was the time in Newcastle upon Tyne when we (I forget who comprised we) visited the Goose Fair (no geese involved) and partook of bright blue candy floss. (No, no one threw up but yes if someone had it probably would have been bright blue.) This time the spun sugar stained our lips and tongues bright blue. I’m sure I had a photo but you’ll be relieved to hear I couldn’t find it.
It’s tough. There they are flapping about on the front of your face every day. How often do they get this attention?
Let’s move on from red and blue to a more satisfying deep dark brown. Yes, it’s good old Henderson’s Relish. This unique condiment is known only in Sheffield and is a substance of great value. There are I think 3 volumes of recipes published and you can add it to just about anything, including desserts! We live the life of Reilly here in Sheffield. And on the topic of red and blue, I’ve just remembered that as well as its traditional livery (see photo), there are two other labels red and white for Blades and blue and white for Owls. Neat eh? (You do know they’re football teams?)
What, I’m sure you’re asking, has Hendos to do with lips? Ah, well I’m glad you asked me that. Apart from lips often being red or blue – the Hendos connection was highlighted a few years ago in this very parish. I composed this Clerihew in Hendo’s honour. And I repeat it here for your delectation:
The virtues of Henderson’s Relish are hard to embellish,
People smack their lips when they put it on their chips!
This is Day 2 of Writing Challenge 2024. People all over the world take part in the WC. We write something every weekday for 4 weeks based on a prompt This year, I'll be sharing 21 articles based loosely on prompts about parts of the body. Do we fully appreciate the role things and stuff play in our lives? Each part of the body has certain things and stuff associated with it. (Probably!) I've no idea where this will go but hope you enjoy the journey. The introductory post was Things and Stuff. The last post was Spectacular Insights and the next is Sticks.
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