July 14th – Public information moment.
I find it often a little disturbing how what should be the
really important things in your life (or someone else’s for that matter) can slip
by the door of your living that life
mindset without so much as a glimpse of recognition; it’s that paying attention
thing rearing its head…again. Here’s something passing you by that’s waving a
flag and shouting out ‘LOOK AT ME, YOU IDIOT, THIS IS IMPORTANT!’ and what do
we do? We continue to gaze out the
window where we can see the view of our future and the reflection of the person
living it…and that’s all that matters really. Well…
Can remember the briefest of details (see what I mean) but
back in the late 80’s, when I was stage manager at The Arena Theatre in Wolves,
I recall a one-man show coming into the theatre…I feel I need to supply you
with just a very brief bit of background in my defence: I was at this theatre
for around fifteen years and as well as S.M. I also taught technical theatre,
stage management and lighting design to each of the years up to degree level. We
did three seasons of professional productions per year, each one having
something like 30 shows per season (Red
Shift, Snarling Beasties, Volcano Theatre, that calibre of show) so around
90+ gigs each year. On top of that (we were a university theatre) we had three
year groups of around 100 students per group. Split into smaller groups of
anything from 1 to 20 they did three weeks of assessments, three weeks of final
graduation and a dozen one-off shows per year as well as ensemble shows with
professional practitioners…so quite a busy little venue…well that’s my excuse
anyhow.
The show I vaguely recall was about a guy who had testicular
cancer (TC)…THAT’S brought you up sharp, hasn’t it?! Yup, testicular cancer. A
one man show. About it. Can I remember anything else now? Nope, not a goddam
thing, ‘cos, I mean, it’ll not happen to us, will it? Our life will be lived
like the cover of the Radiant Reader
book series or an Enid Blyton storyline where your never-ending future just
stretches on forever into this glorious landscape of achieved dreams and goals,
so…WTF. It’s only as you continue to live this long and happy life (hopefully)
that the possibility it will, probably, come to an end at some time begins to
insinuate itself into the conscious.
Our heroes, too, are indestructible, unless by their own hand
or their own stupidity. These are the stars in our firmament that will die the
dramatic death and create a headline for their longevity; rock ‘n’ rollers
don’t die in their beds from a debilitating disease, they die driving a Harley D
through a plate glass window stretched across a canyon whilst under the
influence of drugs and worship, a smile on their face and a song on their lips…
The guy who did the one-man show? About T.C.? Remember him?
I, foolish child that I am, don’t. Can’t remember the show, its content…nothing,
nada. My guess? He’s probably dead by now, treatment back then not being all it
is now and such…see, I have hidden shallows. Shoulda-coulda-woulda. No, I don’t
have T.C. but knowing that lot of people get killed in car accidents makes me
drive more carefully. Like anything in life, nothing’s a given and it really
can happen to anyone.
Olivia Newton-John; remember her in Grease, in that outfit? On this day in 1992 she came out about her
breast cancer struggle (which she eventually beat). Hopefully, this time, the
ranks of to whom it may concern were
paying attention and, through that, maybe cancers have been caught earlier,
lives saved or prolonged.
So; three things.
1) Balls and Boobs. CHECK REGULARLY.
2) Lumps and Bumps. If you find anything
even REMOTELY suspicious DO NOT IGNORE IT. See a doctor, get it checked. If
fondling yourself bothers you get someone else to do it, but preferably someone
you know…and don’t just stop someone in the street.
3) DO NOT BE EMBARRASSED. TALK, DISCUSS,
AND PAY ATTENTION. If you’re prepared to go out of a week-end and get
shit-faced to the point where you end up face down in the gutter with your
trousers round your ankles or your skirt up around your neck, then a medical
practitioner holding your knackers or your tit for a few short seconds in order
to give you news of no news or news that something can be done ‘BECAUSE WE’VE
CAUGHT IT AT THIS EARLY STAGE’ is nowt. Just ask Charlie Boorman or Olivia…
Have a nice day and a very long and trouble-free life for as
long as you can. X!
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