Effete worse than death

There's a full-body gesticulation that you sometimes see when someone is talking about sliding or drifting a car. Take hold of a small imaginary steering wheel. Twist your hips to the right (as though your arse is trying to overtake you on the left), drop your left shoulder and turn the imaginary steering wheel quickly to the left (into the skid).

At the weekend I was asked about my track day at Mallory Park and I involuntarily made this gesture. Unfortunately I'm one of those grotesque individuals with a shy little finger. If I pick up a pint of beer, cup of tea, dart, clarinet (or anything you hold that way round), and I don't think about what I'm doing, then the object will be between my thumb and three fingers and my little finger will be extended away from whatever I'm holding.

The gesticulation in my story about Mallory Park had my little fingers held daintily away from the wheel, so it looked more like I was black-flagged at a tea party at Buckingham Palace. The mickey-taking and laughing-at was so thorough that I don't think I ever finished the story.

Richard "Chinese Pen Grip" B