Diary of a Separation

Tuesday 13th March 2018

I’m weeing while seated on the toilet. Just one of the many compromises I’ve had to make in order to “fit in”. The thought of leaving urine marks (even after wiping both seat and lid) s too much to bear. Moving into a new place and sharing it with two other people brings the paranoid out in me. I still remember the first two nights here were constipation-driven.

In the midst of this — still mist-covered — existential conundrum, I spot the unmistakable sign of spring’s upwelling of life through the half-opened bathroom window. The sight of blossoms, mixed with the warmth generated by the heated bathroom floor, makes me forget for a second the destabilising, late-winter cold snap we’ve just had.

I put the weekend newspapers and my subscription-only magazines in the blue-lidded recycling bin before going to work. That’s another change I wasn’t prepared for: no newspaper/magazine hoarding anymore.

Friday 16th March 2018

D and I went to see Phantom Thread at the ICA tonight. It was my second time watching the film. I had already seen it with M before. It’s a magnificent movie with remarkable performances but unfortunately the week’s slog caught up with me and I dozed a bit. Strange that in those moments when I nodded off, I had a recurring image flashing…