As I sat watching TV I heard familiar voices approaching the room, it was Chad and Morris. I tossed ideas around quickly in my head about how to handle the situation, what approach would have the most impact, I decided I would play it cool. I changed channels as rapidly as I could to find something I might be vaguely interested in, I found it, a documentary on the technology of the second world war. I threw the remote casually across the bed and tried to position myself to make it look like I was not bothered by what had happened. I heard the key being pushed into the lock and the door was gingerly opened, Chad stuck his head around the door and peered into the room. "Your awake then." he said, still not entering the room. I looked up from the bed and placed my finger on my lip "shhhh, this is good" I replied pointing at the TV. Chad opened the door fully and entered the room with Morris wheeling himself in behind, at that point the programme finished and I turned of the TV. I got off the bed and walked up to Chad, he looked nervous and there was an incredible tension in the room, "Please tell me you've got something to eat, I'm starving" I said as though nothing had happened. Chad nodded and shook a carrier bag from a local deli, Morris shut the door and I walked over to the balcony, "So" I said calmly "where are we?" Chad looked up from unpacking the food from the bag, "Scotland" he replied, picking up a sausage roll and walking to join me on the balcony.
As he approached I punched him as hard as I could, square on the chin, Chad fell backwards on to his bottom and the sausage roll flew into the air, I stood over him, keeping calm I pointed at him, "You - Sir" I said firmly "are an arse". Morris started laughing and at that point the tension was broken. I helped Chad to his feet and we all took food onto the balcony to eat, after a few minutes Morris piped up, "you are aware, we had to do something" he said "you hadn't left the flat in weeks" Chad nodded swallowing a mouthful of his now squashed sausage roll, "Mate, your a mess" he added making a beard gesture on his chin. "Maybe" I replied "I was happy wallowing in my own self pity, had either of you thought of that?" Morris wheeled himself back into the room and pulled a kettle out of one of the cupboards, "We gave you time." he replied "but now it's time to pick yourself up" he filled the kettle from the bathroom and put it on to boil. "With all due respect my friend" he continued "you stink, you need a shave and you need to start looking forward." I stood up and walked to the full length mirror on the back of the door, as much as his words stung, he was right.
To paraphrase the author Alex Raffe I had no knowledge that my life had just changed. You seldom sit at a crossroads and know it's a crossroads. But from the realisation of what had occurred my life was not going to be the same....
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