The One O'clock Gun: Short Stories

For anyone who has visited Edinburgh, or who lives there, the firing of the one o' clock gun, is a memorable and fleeting aspect of daily life. Featuring in every story, in a different way, characters have been brought to life -showing small snippets of people's lives in situations which are universal - colourfully interweaving past, present, memory, daily reality, humour and pathos. The Split... Lewis, torn between attending the 2024 Euros and his girlfriend Chloe. Tomasz and Agnes... A devoted couple separated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Gerry & the Jocks... A young Londoner on a drug courier job to Edinburgh. Break Over! ... Frances, an ageing Irish immigrant working in Edinburgh, reflecting on her past. Anna's Choice... Anna, in emotional crisis, contemplates a drastic decision in Princes Street Gardens. The Funeral Hopper... Hugh attends strangers' funerals for solace and connection. Not on Sundays  Akhil, an Indian cardiologist visiting Edinburgh, wants to fulfil a boyhood dream Throughout its history of over 160 years, the gun has been fired more than 50,000 times, daily except on Sundays, Good Friday, and Christmas Day during peacetime, making it one of the most widely experienced traditions in Scotland. Millions are estimated to have heard its distinctive boom over the years. Millions of people from far and near, each experiencing Edinburgh and the One O'clock Gun in unique ways Millions with their own life stories, reflecting themes of love, loss, dreams and personal crisis, of which these are just a few ...