WILL YOU HOLD MY HAND
Written by Bert Plomp
With “Will You Hold My Hand” Bert Plomp once again demonstrates his ability to elevate everyday life to an existential level, without losing his characteristic simplicity and sincerity.
In both “The Motorcyclist” and “The White Paw”, Plomp reveals himself as a writer who renders the fragility of life tangible through restrained, evocative prose. Both stories unfold against the rugged backdrop of West Ireland, where nature is not merely scenery but an active force that shapes and deepens the events.
In “The Motorcyclist”, Plomp takes the reader to the perilous mountain road of the Conor Pass on the Dingle Peninsula. What begins as a reflection on recklessness and responsibility along a narrow, winding pass develops into a poignant tragedy: a motorcyclist who, in his final moments, voices only one wish: Will you hold my hand? This simple question forms the emotional core of the story. Here, Plomp transcends the individual accident and touches upon a universal human need: not to face death alone. The figure of Michael, who stands by the dying man, becomes a symbol of humanity in its purest form.
In “The White Paw”, the focus shifts from human to animal companionship, yet the theme remains closely related. The death of the border collie Maeve is described with moving directness. Her character: her leadership, her vigilance, and above all the disarming gesture of her white paw is portrayed so vividly that the reader comes to feel they know her personally. That paw grows into a powerful symbol: first as a sign of trust, later as the final physical connection between human and animal on the night of her passing. The scene in which her paw is gently warmed as she gazes reassuringly at her owner echoes the motorcyclist’s outstretched hand: once again, holding on becomes the ultimate gesture of devotion.
What unites both stories is Plomp’s understated style. He avoids sentimentality and opts for factual description, allowing the emotion to resonate all the more deeply. Whether it is an ancient stone wall that suddenly becomes the setting of a deathbed, or a small burial ground in the dunes beneath a hebe shrub where a robin sings as a possible messenger of comfort, Plomp consistently shows how life and death lie in close continuity.
Read together, “The Motorcyclist” and “The White Paw” form a diptych on farewell. One story emphasises human solidarity in a fatal moment; the other, the unconditional loyalty between human and animal. In both, Bert Plomp demonstrates that when speed, strength and health fall away, only one thing truly matters: the presence of another being holding your hand or your paw.
Aukje Idemaema
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