It’s Often About The Steps You Don’t Take

Bonus wee story for all. The path not taken, etc…

The only thing between me and a journalism degree was the Allenby Terrace steps. Well, there was at least one other hurdle — but those steps started to bite. And rather quickly. So it’s best to blame them, since the real reason escapes me still (a good reason to keep writing, funnily enough).

Every time I head down that hill I think, still, of being sat right outside the journalism class, my phoney — but all too real — Lucky Strikes. (Just take a deep breath. Exhale. Alright. Light another…)

Then it was straight around the corner to play pool and have a beer. As soon as the bar was open, right after the class had started. There I was taking the easy road that got a lot harder. (That alone would must have really upset my dad).

Those early years straight after, ensuring the ‘free’ stayed in freelancing…never advancing up the pay-scale but getting recognised for a name or face in the paper. And then speaking to uni students, Media Studies, tutoring, guest-lecturing, out at Avalon, up at the radio station…The question that was always hardest to answer at the end of any talk: (how to chart my mistake)

“So, was it an easy road to becoming a freelance writer? And what steps did you take?”