The Other Me
An ongoing serial about neurosis, beginning with anxiety that burgeoned through my teenage years, and grew into issues also with depression and OCD, amongst other things.
The Other Me
‘Hello, Panic, My Old Friend’ i. Early in 1995, my friends and I went to the Indoor Cricket Sports Centre for a practice session. It was a hot, muggy day – not that that bothered me. After playing eighteen months, my fitness – even if I was still drinking and smoking – was high. I could play through anything. I bowled several balls and felt puffed. That was normal. You pushed through it. Only I couldn’t catch my breath. My heart raced. I was dizzy. My equilibrium was gone. Every time I bowled, it felt like the whole Centre reared off-kilter. I left the court, grabbed a sports drink, and…
The Other Me
‘Life’s Short Interruption: Part I’ iv. I finished the screenplay for the director, Mike, and pissed him off by ignoring his instructions – not completely, but enough. He wanted a biker flick set to a certain mould. I started with the mould, but somewhere along the way broke it, thinking he’d love whatever I wrote. When he didn’t, I rewrote it free of charge. He’d liked that version better, but had now moved onto other projects. It was my first lesson in writing for other people – give them what they want, not what you think will win them over. Most importantly, don’t ever believe you’re so brilliant that you…