Where are my Shades?

For any of you out there who know me, you will know that I am usually to be found in daylight hours with shades on my head. If there is a merest hint of sun, even in winter, the shades come with me. This is a legacy of my descent into madness 21 years ago that has left me with permanent sensitivity to light.

When I awoke to leaden skies and light rain I made the decision that I didn't need them. That proved to be a big mistake. It proved to be a day of oddities.

Since I returned from Christmas and more latterly my mum's 80th birthday last week my workload has simply been unsustainable. Today's plan was to finally catch up on some notes-I have done none since the holiday-to meet with our campus policeman-even 4 years in I still find that disturbing-then meet up with my new supervisor.

For those who don't work in mental health we all have supervisors in the field. I sometimes wonder who supervises the highest of the high, God perhaps? Up until this year I had a brilliant Polish psychiatrist called Jacek. Sadly owing to other work commitments he has had to bow out and I met a prospective new supervisor just before Christmas. Today was our first official meeting.

I was somewhat alarmed to see the sun blazing strongly as I set off. It proved an eventful journey. My satnav fell off the windscreen twice freezing each time. When I got to my destination not too bothered by the sun I had my first exceedingly minor bump in my otherwise pristine car-never have been very good at reversing. Then the satnav fell apart and I thought I had lost a screw. So it was not a good start.

Our meeting proved to be excellent if slightly alarming. It shows one never knows when one might miss something in my field. Fortunately she was extremely open and helpful and allowed me to get a greater understanding of what is a very risky situation. She also raised alarm about the safety of me and others with a caseload that big. I wonder where I go with that.

Meeting over I then had the most alarming drive back into the setting sun and prayed for my shades. I arrived back home to shop. By chance I went into Debenhams and another abnormal thing happened, a pair of Levi 501s that fitted for £30! Still less disturbing than the rest of my abnormal day.

Now ensconced at home in the warm. Consumed some splendid prawns with chilli and black beans that I cooked and marvelled at how good Norwegian Jarlsburg is with Italian prosciutto. Does that make me a truly multi cultural man?

I Heard a Voice.