I got it wrong. I apologise. The SRA, the Societe Regional Archeologie in Rennes, France, cannot Carbon Date the partial skull we have. I spoke to the tall man with tattoos on the phone yesterday, and he said “sorry, no, we cannot do it”. Artificial Intelligence gave a great description on google of how the SRA would go about it. I trusted what it said. I won’t trust it again. Lesson learnt. Don’t rely on computers to get everything right for you.
My disappointment, primarily of course was for Helen, Tommy’s sister. She took it well though, and we both agreed that although doors keep closing on us, we still have the skull, and there must be more doors to open and try.
I was talking to a friend yesterday and he said what about trying Helen’s local MP. I wasn’t convinced at first but then thought, why not. I sent Helen a message, and in her reply, an hour or so later, she said she had called her MP and had left him a message. Watch this space.
On a personal note, I think it’s time to get everything written down. So, I just booked yet another trip to Roscoff. When I get there, I can get a bus, two trains, another bus and then a fifteen minute ferry back to the isle of Brehat. This is the small island off the North coast of Brittany where the people who gave me the skull live, in the summer months. I should be able to catch them before they leave for their winter residence. I can stay in the municipal campsite, which has a great view of the isle of Modez, where the skull was originally found in 1984.
I just need to sit down and write, and what a good place to do it from.
Write up Some Mother’s Son’s story from June 2024 until now. Write up Tommy’s story from October 2025, one version for Helen’s MP, and one version for here, my blog. I’ll aim to get them done for next Saturday’s blogpost. If not completed by then, then it’ll be for Saturday 5th September’s blogpost.
The videos made by Steve from Facebook’s Cyberheritage page, the ones that I gave a link to in last week’s blog, managed 10,000 views over the weekend, so SMS’s story is still circulating. Views keep rising on my Appeal on this site, and SMS’s profile has been visible on Locate International’s Unidentified page for a good 3 months now.
But what is my part in his story now? Hence getting a write up done. Should we make a film? A documentary? Should I write a book? Where is the next step to be taken with, or for, SMS? Ideas welcome.
And for Tommy, the same I feel. Get the facts and dates written down for all to see.
One of the first times I ventured out to write a book was in the early 90’s. I was in Kashmir, Kulgarm to be exact. Looking back on that adventure, I wince at my foolishness, and my irresponsibility. But I was serious in my intentions, but just totally lacking in experience, and strength, mental strength that is.
I bought 7 kgs of porridge oats, a machete, a sleeping bag, some rope, cooking utensils, 5 or 6 biros and a wad of A4 paper. I headed off into the mountains. Again, looking back now, how absurd it all was. My backpack was really heavy, and treking up the mountain I met some middle-aged Indian fellas coming back down. We talked. They mentioned the oncoming winter snows, the avalanches, places getting cut off. I didn’t take much convincing, and my backpack really was incredibly heavy.
I walked back down with them. I was invited back to stay the night with a family. They had two kids, a girl and a boy of about 11 and 12. We ate. After dinner they got out a tape recorder, and a cassette of Michael Jackson. They demanded I showed them how to disco dance. And I had to. I couldn’t chicken out. So I stood in front of Mr and Mrs, and the two kids, and disco danced to Michael Jackson until the track stopped. The kids laughed the whole way through. The parents smiled the whole way through.
I still remember the father's name. I still remember the appalling dancing, the lovely family, and their beautiful kindness. In my dreams and thoughts I would like to go back there and thank them again.
When I get on the ferry this Sunday, I will have a wad of paper with me, funds for the trip, shelter, direction, and the funds and means to get back again.
If I can come back with several pages of very well written words that describe where we are at with both Some Mother's Son and Tommy, then I will be more than satisfied. The book can come later.
I apologise again for getting people’s hopes up on the Carbon Dating. I would like to add though, that I am convinced we will get the correct testing done on the item from the isle of Modez. Tommy, Helen, and her family, deserve to know, one way or the other. They don’t need to be kept wondering for the rest of their lives.