Barry Deeks The Bizarre and Enchanting Life

Chapter 16

4 Dudley road, 365 Support, New Brighton

I had freedom again in a building of five flats, I was in one of two flats on the ground floor. Two of the guys were professional piss-heads, the other two liked to box together.

One of the piss-heads threw me a punch, he took so long to throw the punch I was thinking about making myself a cup of tea. I promptly ducked and his friend took him to one side.

I had one to one support where ever I went, whether it be to the gym, church, pubs or clubs. I took three trains and a bus to the local scrabble club in Heswall library, which only ran every fortnight on Mondays except of course for bank holidays. I joined a professional chess club which was held on a Monday and Thursday, I joined a head injury club, the first one I went to was held on Tuesday facilitated by the former head of Merseyside police. In the fountains club near Birkenhead docks, along Chester road it was ran for people with mental health problems. Here is where I also joined a poetry group at the other end of the corridor from where the head injury group was, though on different days.

I went to the gym five hours a day two days on the run at one stage.

I discovered one of my friends from Bowmere lived ten minutes up the road from my flat in a flat of his own. I am so confident I generally assume everyone wants to be my friend where ever I go.

I went out to eat out more often than in, breakfast, dinner and tea at first until my finances dwindled. I travelled down to London to go sight seeing on two occasions.

I learnt so much off the internet and discovered a man in the visitor centre of Birkenhead park, near where I ended up living. The man would come to be my chess coach, he later introduced me to internet chess.

I went to visit a new block of flats that would later become my home.