I was on MSN and this person knew it, he knew, and I was – no surprises there really! He asked what I was up to that evening, it was one of those questions that I really don't know why people bothered asking at the time because my days were as blank as a yet to be opened calendar.
Further into the conversation the guy was asking me about my driving license, did I have it for a year? Could I drive today? It all led up to the fact that he wanted me, a person he barely knew, to help him move and possibly drive a Transit van in the process – a fact that scared the living hungover out of me.
I agreed.
Before I met him I popped into TK Maxx to get a present for an old friend, okay an ex, but I just hate that term. So there I was in the queue, thinking about reversing a Transit and how uneasy it made me feel. I shivered. Only the teddy I bought for my friend was comforting me.
But this was me, this was Michael Dott, a generous person who would go out their way for someone they barely knew, even if it meant driving a Transit van knowing the last time I was behind a wheel was playing Mario Kart on the Wii! If I couldn't help them, I murmured to myself, what was the point? After all, I had received similar acts of kindness myself, so this was me now paying my dues.
When we left the hire place he was disappointed, I was quietly glad, I was just a week short of having my licence for a year and that meant I couldn't drive the dreaded Transit, thank God for that. But now we had a whole other situation on our hands, how was this guy going to move? Where could he get a van?
Questions we discussed on Edinburgh Road, it was getting nearer to five o'clock and he had to move...today. It was a Friday and hire places aren't open all night. And I thought my problems were bad..
Eventually, to the boys relief, the guy he was staying with decided to hire the van and drive, why he never did this in the first place was beyond me but the main thing was that we were now moving.It took a few hours to load the van and I will never tire of being amazed at how one can cram their whole life into the back of a white Transit!
Sitting uncomfortably between two guys holding a cardboard box with a cat inside it (don't ask) we made our way to his new house in Govan and unloaded the van. I was quite amused at how me and the other guy where doing most of the work but we both wanted to get out of their really quick.
My night ended around 11pm, in my living room watching Coach Carter with the guy I helped move, he needed a place to stay and I was happy to help. I never done any of it for Karma purposes but if I did, the scales on the good side would surely be weighed down by everything I had done that night.
***
It's April and the same friend I helped moved was talking to me again on MSN, I had been used to him asking me for favours but this was different, he claimed he was depressed, it was 9pm and he needed someone to talk too. Man, if he only knew I wasn't feeling too great myself and I hardly viewed myself as one for good advice. I wanted to go though, if things were as bad as he said the least I could do as a friend was to hear him out. Most of the time, in my life experience, people aren't looking for advice, sometimes it's just an ear, another human that will listen, so they can get things off their chest.
I never made the trip to his house that night, if I had bus fare I would have been there for him and I felt quite bad that I wasn't.
This is Michael Dott, a concerned friend who always has his door open, even when the sign says 'closed.'
I never made the trip to his house that night, if I had bus fare I would have been there for him and I felt quite bad that I wasn't.
This is Michael Dott, a concerned friend who always has his door open, even when the sign says 'closed.'
If you don't believe that...try me.
***
Not in the sense of a martyr but in the sense that it started with me and it had to end with me. I was annoying other people no doubt, causing them pain, anxiety and anger but if only I knew when to stop.
Later on that night, it stopped, I stopped it. I had too. I could no longer cripple myself and others with my bullshit.
This wasn't Michael Dott. This wasn't the person who helped others, who was generous, who gave his time to help other people, at least, that's what I kept telling myself.
Of course, and I am ashamed to admit, it was me. It was Michael Dott but it was someone who I had hoped I wouldn't be, someone who I never want to be again because I know deep, deep down that that person is seriously not who I am.
***
The real Michael Dott is the guy who helped that boy and who was also willing to be there to listen to his problems, that's who I can be, the friend, the person I know I am and will continue be, that other guy, that negative person, that person is gone. Forever. Banished, like Romeo to Mantua.
It's the Daily....Just don't ask me to drive a Transit
-Bookmarks
-The Treveller
-My Wi-Fi
-Bookmarks
I don't think I have ever used a proper bookmark when reading a book, I tend to use obscure items such as bus tickets, coasters and sometimes chewing gum. Okay, so I made the last one up but at least you could say you where 'sticking' with the book and not giving up on it if you did use gum. My latest strange object is actually a black comb.
I have found this rather cool because it means that I will always know where the comb is as opposed to constantly finding it lying on my floor and it is sturdy enough to not fall out of the book whenever it is in my bag.
I guess you could say I am 'combing' through the pages :D Tell me your odd bookmark objects, I'd love to hear them.
- The Traveller
It flew all the way from the East, propelled by the aroma of coffee at the Waverly station, dodging deathly swipes of newspapers by those pesky commuters, it followed the train line as it fluttered through the warm air. However it was not free from danger as it was almost annihilated further on by the turning of the Falkirk Wheel, then it gently passed the canal, through the fields, stopping only to drink some water by the Clyde. With not too much time to rest it took to the air again, soaring over Gartnavel hospital, weaving in and out of the tees, just brushing over a fisherman's head as it made it's way into the quiet fields of Easterhouse. And there it landied smoothly on the hairy arms of a certain God's Favourite... it then sank it's teeth into me.
I was bitten by the travel bug.
A sudden shot of adrenalin hit me, coupled with the hypnotic rays of the sun I decided I just had to go to Edinburgh. Not just because the basketball All Star Game was there but I really wanted to do something with this glorious day the sun had given us.
With not too much of a clue of where exactly I was going I found myself walking the cultured City of Edinburgh, a place I view as one big version of Glasgow's West End – both just have that remarkable vibe and awe about them.
Soon I found myself at my destination, Portobello high school, thanks to an Edinburgh student, a hot dog vendor and a chirpy Policewoman. And all the time I maintained I never listen to directions.
My adventure found me not trusting my own instincts but those of the people who knew the City, when in Rome....ask the Romans for directions!
The next day the travel bug bit me and again I was walking the streets of Edinburgh, this time with my Brother and we both had a good wander around the cobbled streets, pubs, parks and other places of interest that the city had to offer.
When we arrived at the castle we where a bit dismayed to see that the entrance fee was £12, my Brother said that since we where Scottish we shouldn't have to pay, that got me thinking...even though we are from Scotland, where we tourists? I would say yes because a tourist is just another name for a visitor, I don't think you need to come from foreign territory and even then, if you have ever been to Edinburgh you would agree that Glasgow practically is foreign territory – it is that different.
So that was me on back to back trips to Edinburgh. One day I will return with a notepad to jot down my observations of the place and hopefully do an article on that and it's differences to Glasgow.
I hope that the constant visiting will not make me so accustomed to the place that I lose my awe of it but maybe that is what has happened with me and Glasgow. Who knows! At least the hot dogs are nicer and you can never tire of hot dogs!
Edinburgh is a place that is not steeped in history...it is deep fat fried in history.
- My Wi Fi
My vision for Wi-Fi for every home in the World is probably one that has been discussed and may very well be in the planning stages amongst the worlds leading telecommunications companies. Still, it was an entrepreneur type thought which was brought upon by the fact the City Link bus has Wi Fi on it.
If a bus and Mcdonalds restaurants can have it, why can't our homes? And I don't mean purchasing a wireless reuter, my vision means that every home is simply equipped with Wi fi as standard.
I need to get to the Dragons Den.
:D
Only Mohammed Knows
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