A Quarter Century.

Unless like James our administrator at work it is your birthday today you probably have no reason to remember that a quarter century ago a bright warm day greeted Cambridge. Exams were over, the last day of the May Bumps was upon us and "Suicide Sunday" was about to kick off May Week. Yes in Cambridge May Week is in June.

This morning I emerged late from my flat not too far away in Hertfordshire to a bright sunshiny day. I got to work late, met a student, took the afternoon off, had lunch with my friend Kym, laid the outline of a new book project, came home for a glass of Pimm's and watched TV. Nothing life changing happened today.

The same date a quarter century apart. I am not who I was then. Of course I'm not, none of us are. But it is significant in that was the day that my life started to fall apart and my long battle with mental illness began.

Did it really begin then? I think it would have happened anyway. A different place, a different time, a different girl. But the outcome would have been the same.

In years gone by I always relapsed around this day. Today I have not. I will do some time but not today. And that is progress.

Ascot tomorrow, Bucks Fizz at 10 am in The Hedgehog. It could be a long day.

I Heard a Voice.