Thursday 13 April 2017

L is for Lester Livingstone (inventor)


Back in 2015 I wrote . .  The A to Z of Slightly Strange Unknown Victorian Inventors and Explorers it was a lot of work I mean it was not just writing a little tale for each letter but I had to invent something for each day and then draw a suitable picture to go with it. I also interlinked many of the little tales so if you read them all it would make an interesting coherent story. Sadly despite all the work only two people noticed all the links and it left me a broken man swearing I would never do the damn A to Z ever again. Yes Yes Ok I got over that a few hours later I am made of tough stuff and anyway I enjoyed it and at the end of the day surely that is the key point . . . Enjoy your own blog and have a good time creating it, do that and fame and fortune will soon follow. . . AH OK I LIE. . . 

Anyway I dont think I have posted an A to Z post from the 2015 A to Z yet so here is one of the more modest inventors who sadly seemed to meet the same fate as many of the inventors I wrote about back then.


 The A to Z of Slightly Strange Unknown 
Victorian Inventors and Explorers



Lester Livingstone



As a professional poker player Lester Livingstone was always looking for an edge to give him an advantage over his fellow players on the professional circuit.  And after reading the rules in detail realized that there was one rule that had been completely overlooked by the official body in charge of the professional gaming rules for poker. 

It appeared to Lester that there was nothing in the rules to say that a man could only have two arms. In fact the more Lester thought about this, the idea of a man having more than two arms appeared to have many advantages.  So he invented the Livingstone Limbs which doubled the number of arms a man could have to a very useful four.  And as a card player he was able to shuffle cards in ways that no one had ever thought of before, confusing his opponents to such a degree that they lost concentration and would lose.

It also meant Lester could tie his shoes and put his hat on at the same time, drive his horseless carriage and read the newspaper as well as a huge host of other useful activities that were thought to be beyond the skills of the average Victorian Gentleman.

His down fall however was his showing off and while juggling fifteen axes for a bet he had a terrible accident.

His final word as he lay on his death bed a few hours later has gone down in history and is often uttered by many folk even to this day in a similar situation.




AAAAauuuuuuugggHHHHH. . . . .  

12 comments:

  1. OMG, I love this. It's so quirky and fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DAMN that was fast. I thought I was quick off the mark but that must be the speediest comment in history. . . .PHEW.

      Delete
  2. Ha ha. Very nice. More arms isn't always better when you turn into a showoff, aye? Nice work.

    J -- Co-host the #AtoZchallenge, Debut Author Interviewer, Reference and Speculative Fiction Writer
    http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I just found you in the A to Z challenge. Glad I did, so your efforts are not in vain. The illustration is wonderful. I'll be back.
    Lettering Arts

    ReplyDelete
  4. Loved this. Well done. Find me here, LINK

    ReplyDelete
  5. Loved this. Well done. Find me here, LINK

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lester Livingstone... What an interesting person! Intelligent, crafty and a show off... What a blend! Amazed at it! From where did u get this character... I think this could also turn out to be as interesting as his persona!
    ------------------------
    Anagha from Team MocktailMommies
    Collage Of Life

    ReplyDelete
  7. That was so cool! Thank you for sharing, it made me laugh :)

    Andrea
    A Journey To Courageous Living

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If my blog makes folk laugh then I am happy although I sometimes do politics and sort the world out. . . but does the world listen . . .NO

      Delete
  8. You've started my day with a good laugh with your opening statement as well as the story of Lester. Nothing like a tall juggling tale.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yo Mr B how is it all going this Damn A to Z of your will drive me mad in the end I just know it.

      Delete