Tuesday, October 03, 2006

good news

we won
on every single thing we won
they upped the award
it took four hours and a lot of ... well let's just call it debate shall we
but eventually they agreed they were wrong and we were right

after a debrief i drove to Regent Street to visit the Apple store
where i purchased a brand new 80gb ipod ... it was my reward for having been so good

i returned home where i had a very large vodka ... and played with my new toy

i can't believe it is over finally
one thing before i close this chapter ...

over the last five years ... and in particular this morning you have all been so supportive and so caring ... thanks for all the emails and txts and prayers ... the phone calls this morning

the feeling that i wasn't walking this road alone has helped me to face it and take it on
many thanks for all the late night conversations ... the endless coffees ... the listening when you probably had far better things to do ... the people who helped me to process stuff ... the people who told me when i was way off track and talking crap ... the people who have taken the time to teach me what normal is ... the way i have gradually learnt what love is

i was just about to write something along the lines of 'you know who you are' ... but you know what ... while my shiny new ipod loads itself with stuff why don't we just for once ... do this properly ...

The credits ....
my thanks and love and appreciation go to the following ... in no particular order ...

God - my true father without whom i am nothing
Laura - you rock my world and always will
Dave (and Emily who joined in half way through) - thank you for all the time/late nights/caring/friendship
Charlie - for the carrot cake and the bitchin' and the laughter and being the best friend a married man can have - you do know you are going to die?
Mandy & John - for the friendship and the shopping and the food and the drink and the good times and the hard work and the endless support
Sykes - for those early days when i lost myself and you held on to me and kept me safe
Ollie - for being the best little brother/those drives home from GB/for being so wise/and for distance or time never ever shifting this relationship no matter what country we find ourselves in
Jo & Leon - for friendship that endures and meals and giggling and weird ideas and love
Maggi - for the years of friendship and support and for never losing sight of the inner rock chick
Keith & Clive - for the listening while laughing at me never with me/for the sharing of pain and understanding
Liz - for the endless laughter and the endless laughter and the laughter and did i mention the laughter
Roger - for taking me under your wing and being relentless in your pursuit of loving me unconditionally and listening for hours
Kathryn - for stumbling across me and always showing love and support even though you have no idea of the importance of albums such as 'Songs In The Key Of Life' or 'Sign The Times'
Richard - for those moments when our paths cross and you pick up where we left off and resume the loving and the caring
Marion & Mike - for all the support and the way you stood by me and talked me down from some scary places and the music
Mike & Carey for the talking and the caring and the friendship
Graham - for loving me and shopping with me and being the best gay friend a straight man can have
Kelvin - for those late night conversations in cars watching the sun come up again
Hazel - for going the extra mile and teaching me about love and God
Adrian - for starting the whole process by being the first friend
Mark - for being Jonathan to my David and teaching me so much about love and relationships and for the years of silence when you were never far away
Holy Joes - a myriad of people who have explored/debated/disagreed/honed/loved without fear or favour and stood by me through everything
Greenbelt - a family i am proud to be part of ... who have helped me to grow up and learn to be the man i could maybe one day be

these are but a few of the people who spring to mind and i mean no offence if i have not mentioned you here ... but know this ... when i stepped forward five years or so ago to start this journey i was a different man ... you changed me ... every single one of you ... your love and support and friendship has comforted me and taught me and shown me the way ... i am better for knowing you and for counting you as friends

thanks you did a good job
anyone for coffee?

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Aaaaah! That's a good resolution to a looooong battle. I'm very pleased for you.

I didn't get a chance to read the previous post unfortunately, otherwise I would have commented and offered prayers and support. Actually, I wonder if you can pray backwards? Like pray for something that already happened?

Anyway - irrelevant - where was I?

Oh yes - I'm very very happy for you. It must be a huge relief. I'll tell the missus when she's up.

hugger steward said...

A massive stupid-looking grin spreads across my face, which in a horribly gloomy and rather lethargic afternoon is quite an achievement. It looks a little like this:

:-D

(Next time I promise I'll post some words rather than descriptions of body language...)

Much love
Giles

Sally said...

I'm so so so so pleased. Vindication!!!Best news possible and it makes me feel more positive about the legal profession and justice again. I'm so proud of you for fighting this where others haven't the strength. Maybe they won't do this to someone else now because of your bravery and tenacity. You're amazing. Bert agrees.

Sal x

GBug said...

Hooray! that's great. here's to the party

xx

Rainbow dreams said...

excellent news - I was thinking of you after I read your last post

I also echo Sally's sentiments and hope and pray that your courage in fighting this, where others haven't had the strength, might mean that just maybe they won't do this to someone else.