Read in 2022 - 8: Jerry's

Jerry's by Terry Ravenscroft was a free ebook I downloaded some time ago at Amazon's kindle shop without really knowing what to expect, not being familiar with the author's name. Had I known that he is an accomplished comedy writer (look at this website to learn more), I would not have been surprised at all when I started reading and found myself bang in the middle of Absurdistan.

And let me say this - as much as it made me laugh, for me this book has serious undertones, because how the story develops says a lot about the human character.

In brief, the book is set in a completey unremarkable Yorkshire village, so unremarkable that no tourists ever stop there unless they have to. Then, the village's very own millionaire dies, and his testament includes having a public convenience facility built on a hill overlooking the village, a replica of the Tadj Mahal, albeit on a smaller scale.

Soon, the new Jerry's becomes a tourist attraction (let me just mention that "celebrity WCs" are a magnet), thus increasing the village's economy to heights never seen before. Nearly everyone greatly profits from it, and the small team of councillors find things going well for the village beyond their wildest dreams.

But... there are two sides to every medal, and the new facility's back side (pun intended) is its commissionaire, part of the millionaire's conditions. That person is crucial not only in the running of Jerry's, as it becomes affectionately known, but also in the events that lead to a downward spiral of the hopes and dreams of the village.

Everything is told in neat chapters, including the (very entertaining) minutes of the council meetings. The entire story is full of comical absurdities - but there are always elements most readers will be able to relate to, knowing just such a person, remembering just such an event and such a way of doing things from their own communities.

Greed, not just for monetary gain but also for positions and influence, plays a prominent role in all that happens. Cultures and personalities clash, plans are hatched and shattered, and it is all spiced with a sense of humour that would not go amiss on a secondary school's playground. The f-word and related terms are used, but never just for the sake of it, always within character of whoever is speaking.

I had one or two favourite characters without really becoming attached to anyone, but that's not really the author's aim anyway, as I understand the book. It is there to make you laugh, but also to recognise the true core of what's happening.

Funny, but probably not everyone's cup of tea.