Perhaps rashly decided I needed a day off before I try and write two scripts from scratch by Monday. But to be honest I was in no fit state to work, feeling tired and hungover (even though I haven't had a drink - maybe that's 43 years of hangovers that have hit me now my body is finally clear of booze). I think this was likely to have been down to all the cycling I did yesterday, which proves that exercise is just as damaging as drinking.
Incidentally today was the first day since I have stopped drinking that I really felt like doing so, wondering if I needed some release from the stress of this week. I resisted, but the idea of drinking all the bottles of beer in my fridge and then sitting around in a pool of my own piss and vomit seemed like a good one for a moment or two.
I popped down to the Westfield with my girlfriend to go to the supermarket at about 5. The road outside Shepherd's Bush Market tube station was completely blocked off by the police (it turned out there had been a shooting at or near the station, though no one had been hurt) and we had to trudge a long way round to get to the shopping centre, which didn't help my tiredness. I had hoped that by the time I came back an hour or so later the cordon would have gone, but it was still there and alone now as my girlfriend had headed off to town, I had to walk around about an extra mile with heavy shopping, which was not going to help my fatigue.
At the Westfield we were walking along happily when a man, holding a small bag stepped towards us and said to me, "Would you like a free sample for you wife?"
It seemed odd that he had asked me, rather than my girlfriend, as if we were back in the late 50s and women weren't allowed to think or speak for themselves, but he had also made quite an assumption about our relationship status. for the moment I was more annoyed and replied (though as a joke for my girlfriend's benefit as we were already passed him), "I'm not even married to her. But thanks for bringing THAT up!" I have got to the age of 43 without being married and I have been with my girlfriend for three years now and I don't need men I don't even know trying to create problems for me. Perhaps he is employed by one of the jewelers in the centre to shame commitmentphobes into buying an engagement ring. Luckily my girlfriend found my comment amusing and didn't say, "Yeah, but come on, when are we going to get married? COME ON. SET A FUCKING DATE!" But she obviously thought it. So thanks mate. You fucking prick. What was in the bag? An open can of worms?
At least he didn't say, "Would you like a free sample for your daughter?"
I was worried that because of all the work I have to do nothing would happen to me this week, but there's another potential AIOTM sketch in the bag. Talking of which I recorded
this little trail for the upcoming episodes. Do come down and see them live if you can. They might be the last ones we ever do and certainly there won't be any more until after the Christ on a Bike tour. I can't necessarily justify continuing AIOTM unless these three sell out (or very well), so do spread the word to idiots like yourself who might be up for it as we have no money to spend on advertising! Gig details are on that podcast link!
