I’m In, I’m IN!!!!!

You know, it really is getting rather fun, seeing my name in print! It is!

But having the email I sent, last week, was rather good!

But I’m also very aware that I’ve read an article on p9 of this week’s and recognised a name I knew: of someone I knew, back when I lived in a council bed-sit, in a set of them, called Fouroaks: what used to be Brentwood’s maternal hospital, in you don’t know anything about my home-town’s history.

It seems one of the resident’s — one I’d known, when I lived there — is complaining about the smell from the flat opposite his.

I moved into Rollason Way in late 2006.

The guy concerned was complaining about the flat opposite his, back then, too; and the previous occupant, who’s obviously been moved, since I have.

Quite what that tell’s you, I really don’t know.

Which is near enough what I said to the Gazette.

Here …

Dear Editor,

I’ve got admit, I read the Gazette’s article about the chronic alcoholic living at the flats at Fouroaks with a certain amount of mixed feelings.

You see, I used to live there …

And I read Mr Howard’s complaints with a certain amount of wry humour. He’s been making the same sort of complaints about whoever had been in the flat opposite his, since I moved into Fouroaks — in 2002 — right up until when I moved out, in late 2006. Granted, that flat’s previous occupant had pretty much the same issues — with both hygiene and alcohol — but Stuart has been complaining for a long time.

Long enough for the Council to develop something of a thick skin about anything he has to say.

Is that saying anything? I don’t know. And I don’t know if I should: ‘Least said, soonest mended’, and all that …

But I must confess, I’m not entirely unsympathetic to Stuart’s situation.

Nor to Mr Cronin’s.

I know how nasty alcoholism can be, from direct, personal experience. And not just from the many year’s I’ve spent working as a barman, either. It — as any addiction — can have devastating effects on us alcoholic; our family, friends, job … All parts of our lives, in fact.

But I’m also very aware that — for those of us in Mr Cronin’s shoes — getting help is a case, not of wanting it, or needing it, or telling people we need it.

But getting to rock bottom, and forcing ourselves to go and get it.

Paul Downie.

Now, whether they’ll print it, I don’t know.

But I’m fairly sure that it’s telling that not a lot’s changed at Fouroaks.