Chris, this was absolutely beautiful. Now you know why we're never going to let you get away with not writing. <g>

Nan

I wanted to wait to read your story until you'd posted both parts, Chris, but now i can't find the words to say how much this story moved me - such a strong feeling for place and so wonderful a character in Winnie. Just beautiful.

carol

Sooo wonderful!!

Jose

This was really lovely, Chris. Very atmospheric and well-described. It's just like Clark to make a friend and keep visiting every now and then, and it was sweet to see some of his dilemmas through Winnie's eyes. She's a great character. I love how she took the sight of Clark first floating, then changing into Superman, down on the beach.

Terrific story.

PJ

I knew I was going to need tissues for this one! *sniffle*

There was so much about this story that I loved!! You have such wonderful turns of phrase, like, "Her cheeks were pink where they had been pinched by the cold" -- such a wonderful anthropomorphism.

Watching the progress of Winnie's life, and seeing her attitude toward her family and the life she has and is living, was just beautiful.
/me grabs another tissue

And seeing it come full circle with Jessi and little Winnie was perfect.

Thank you, Rivka, for pointing out that Winifred is Winnie. That one slipped past me.

Such a lyrical turn of phrase you have, Chris! I've never been anywhere near Shetland and the only beaches I've visited have been on the Mediterranean, but this... ~happy sigh~ Lovely, lovely, lovely. Thanks so much for sharing.

Hazel

Hazel already quoted my favourite line from this, but I also loved Winnie's observation of the lovers, both at a distance (from Clark's telling of the tales) and also close up as she watched them on the beach.

And the funeral scene and brief epilogue were just perfect. So... I guess Clark will realise that she'd figured out who he was?

MORE!!!! You better make sure you have several notebooks with you on your Scottish pilgrimage!


Wendy

Chris, that was so beautifully written. Winnie became a full character with deep insight that comes with age. I could feel that biting cold and (from part 1) the sharp wind that blew Clark to that family. I also felt that I could see the harsh landscape.

You are an incredible story teller. It's nice that the Gift from Shetland was both one that went to the Superman Foundation and to us your readers.

Thank you.

gerry

Hi,

Beautiful story.

Well, I had a really nice cry over this one.

I loved seeing Clark Kent through Winnie's kind and wise eye. I liked the idea that Clark took Lois there, maybe just to show her a place that was special to him. And how he changed from boy to man, and how the story came full circle.

Snuffled into my keyboard and loved every beautiful word.

CC

Such a sweet, moving story!

Boy..add this to so many others that make me shake my head in amazement at you wonderful, talented writers.

Beautifully done..

~Liz

This was just beautiful. Everyone else has already pretty much said what I wanted to say, so just add my name to the long list of people who were totally blown away by this wonderful piece of writing.

Very well done!

- Vicki

Chris -

This was so touching. Like I said in my feedback for Part 1, I think it is so much like Clark to develop a friendship with someone so much older than him and adopt her as sort of a surrogate grandmother. I loved how he took care of her through the years.

Yes, it did require the fetching of a tissue, but so worth it. Wonderful story.

Thanks for sharing,
Lynn

Chris,
just caught up with both parts
beautiful story
merry

Just read the two parts, Chris.

I have no words to say. It was beautiful, I really loved it. It... <sigh> well, you get the idea.

Good job Keep writing!
See ya,
AnnaBtG.

I read the two parts together and I found it very moving. Lovely.

I was wondering though. Do you think Clark would have introduced Lois to Winnie? Or was he otherwise engaged at the time? I was just wondering what your thoughts are.....

Rather belatedly, let me thank you all for the wonderful comments! You've quite made my last few days and made me feel very warm inside.

Yes, Wendy, I think it is a fair bet that Clark realised that Winnie had worked out who he was. He's probably going nuts trying to work out what gave him away though!

Skullee: you raise an interesting question, one that a couple of people also asked me on IRC. The best answer I can come up with is that maybe Clark did try to see Winnie, but noticed that she was asleep. He and Lois then decided not to disturb her, and just settled for enjoying the moon.

Other explanations: Winnie knows about Lois (and Lois probably knows about Winnie) but they belong in different worlds. Maybe it didn't really occur to Clark to introduce them. I'm not sure that I like that as an answer, but...

The real answer, of course, is that I, as a writer, decided that I liked the way the story worked more when Lois and Winnie didn't meet. I did think about introducing them, but decided that it would detract from the climax.

Maybe it should have happened differently, but I'm happy with the decision I made. Hopefully, so are Clark, Winnie and Lois

Thank you all again.

Chris

Hi Chris,

I'm sorry to be so behind on this, like the 'coo's tail'.

Don't know if that's a saying in Shetland but it is in Dundee where Jessi went to live.

Chris, this was a lovely atmospheric story, and though I've never visited any of Scotland's islands, I've walked along a few mainland beaches that would fit the description, especially as far as the weather is concerned.

I've even slept in one of those 'cupboard' beds that Winnie used as a child.

Please give us more of your wonderfully creative writing.

Yours Jenni

[sniff]

Very touching and well written.

James

Chris

I've just read both parts of this.
They're beautifully written.

Tricia