A Heartfelt thank you for listening as we enter out seventh year together!

Choices.

by

Michael M Gilroy-Sinclair

 

 

 

It's nineteen eighty three and I am late.

 

I’m perched on the edge of a sofa, dressed in what I can only describe as a paramilitary uniform. I have a green beret on my head, a golden cap badge and the insignia on my arm says that I am second in command of my sub group. My heart rate is up and I am full of guilt.

 

Except that’s only part of the truth.  I am eleven years old and I am watching Doctor Who, The Doctor is talking to a pirate queen and I am transfixed.

 

Both of these are true, I am dressed to go to the scouts and I am, as I have said quite late.

 

I was never athletic and yet I run. I run in the way you can when you are eleven. The wind holds its breath and lets you past. Traffic slows down to let you cross roads. You can bend space/time when you are eleven.  One day the The Wachowskis have nothing on this.

 

Across the field and down the cinder path, down Exeter road and onwards to the hut containing others of my kind.

 

The green wooden hut belongs in a Just William story and it is home to the 8^th Tynemouth Scout group. I had been a cub and with an arm full of merit badges and a neckerchief which was always was worn with pride.

 

I burst in with an entry worthy of Sodeed, all eyes turn to me. A room full of punctual automatons all lined up for inspection.

 

I took my spot at the end of the line and waited. I knew that I would receive... 'a chat' one of the first 'have a quiet words with' id receive in a lifetime of 'having quiet words with'.

 

I did not have to wait for long.

 

Immediately after inspection I was taken to one side by as huge man, An ambulance driver by day and Scout leader by night. I remember his moustache bristling in a way I'd only heard about in Terrance Dicks novelizations.

 

He looked me square in the face and asked a simple question. He said it as a statement of fact, a management technique used by many.

 

“You have to work out what’s more important. Doctor Who or...” any words after that were lost to me.

 

I stayed the session and let my mind fill with Robots and Terileptils.

 

I never returned.

 

I knew that my heart belonged in the blue box and no amount of church parades and camping could ever change that.

 

 

It is also important to note that drama club was on a night when my Beloved TARDIS was not on television and there were also girls there!