Hospitality (short story)

Hospitality was the thirteenth and final short story in the anthology Iris: Abroad, written by Paul Magrs.

It featured the "lesbian novelist" incarnation of Iris Wildthyme, who is one of Iris Wildthyme's many equally true, first incarnations.

Plot
Raoul is gathering audience members for a TV series he works for, Glamorama, while his partner helps out.

Raoul's partner waits at Cleopatra's Needle, the meeting point for the audience members. A golden double decker bus arrives, and Raoul's partner and the audience climbs aboard.

The bus arrives in an industrial estate in Mile End, and Raoul's partner and the audience members make their was down to the studio. Ellen introduces herself to Raoul's partner, and she has lunch with the Lesbian Avengers.

Filming begins, and concludes temporarily for lunch. The guest star, a lesbian novelist called Iris, arrives, and Eliza strikes up a conversation with her.

Soon, Eliza, Ellen, and Raoul's partner order a taxi to Ellen's home, singing on the way there. At the

Characters

 * Raoul's partner
 * Raoul
 * Raoul's boss
 * "Dumpy lady"
 * Ellen
 * Older man
 * Boy 1
 * Presenter
 * Eliza
 * Iris
 * Boy 2
 * Girl
 * Greek-looking bloke
 * Sabrina
 * Tracey

People

 * Raoul is French.
 * Raoul's partner knows that Raoul has shagged at least twenty audience members.
 * The older man and his boy comment that Paul McGann from the new Doctor Who TV movie is sexy, and they'd want to shag him.
 * A group of gay boys check their tickets to make sure that the have free entry to Poptartz in Regent Street.
 * The presenter looks like a young Roy Castle.
 * Eliza is a member of the Lesbian Avengers. She also has a PhD.
 * Some audience members leave after they discover Bette Midler isn't at the studio.
 * Liza Minnelli was on Glamorama the previous week.

Locations

 * Raoul spends Saturday night in Peterborough, going into gay clubs and pubs, looking for people who would be willing to be part of the audience.
 * Raoul's partner visits Cleopatra's Needle, overlooking the Thames. She knows that This Morning is moving to here, from Albert Dock In Liverpool.
 * Mile End is located in South London.
 * Raoul's partner lives in Kilburn.
 * Ellen lives in Cricklewood.
 * Iris has a home in Camden.
 * Sabrina has recently returned from Ibiza.

Food and drink

 * Raoul's partner bought a mixed salad from a Greek deli on Charing Cross Road.
 * The audience members are served Kestrel lager and quiche.
 * There are also bottles of Stella available to drink, and canapés to eat.
 * Raoul's partner eats chicken tikka in the studio.
 * In Ellen's home, there were spring rolls from Marks & Spencer and slabs of eggy bread in a wok.

Fashion and clothing

 * Iris wears an Army greatcoat.

Continuity

 * This incarnation of Iris Wildthyme was first mentioned in PROSE: The Blue Angel.