An American In Luton

The tall and unannounced Maine man appears
in a seemingly ordinary 1960's English living room.
He is the high chaperone and bringer of a grandmother
who has not seen her stamp-collecting son for decades;
her grandchildren, never.
His reuniting job done, this curious visitor hands the children each a ten-dollar bill
says his goodbyes and is gone - off up the suburban street, into the evening
and perhaps a hotel in the town centre
on his horse.
(A hobby horse, in fact, given him by one of the children)

Festival and radio regular John Hegley returns with a story of family, fantasy, love, loss - and the long unseen son's stamp album. A Caravaggio and a wry dry stone-waller are also thrown into the mixture. The show contains a good deal of yet-to-be-published material alongside some back catalogue favourites.

‘Let me tell you what my Pop said to me, Ma'am,
“Depression?.. Get over it! America had to.”'