Open Writing

'You will meet lots of interesting people here, Bill,' said the warden.

I looked around.

'Here's Mabel,' said the warden, 'she's a conchologist, aren't you, Mabel?'

'Only an amateur, I'm afraid,' said Mabel, holding a shell to her ear.

'And this is Teddy,' said the warden, 'he's a carpenter, aren't you, Teddy?'

'I do my best,' said Teddy, hacking at a piece of wood.

As we strolled in the grounds the warden said, 'It's all a matter of identity, Bill. Our identities are defined by what we do, not by what we are. If I may put it another way, we are what we do and we are not what we are. Simple, really.'

'Yes,' I said, 'I used to study psychology - that's why I'm here.'

The warden stopped and stared.

'Are you sure that's why you're here?'

'No, I'm never sure about anything.'

'Except being sure that you're never sure about anything?'

‘???’

We turned and headed back towards the main door.

'Now, Bill,' said the warden, 'how would you like to be defined?'

'Do I have a choice?' I asked.

'No, not really," he said. The next vacancy is for a -'

'I'd like to be a warden,' I cut in.

He was right, I didn't have a choice - which is why, each time he brings a newcomer, he says, 'Here's Bill, he's a patient, aren't you Bill?'

Of course I would dearly love to say 'Bugger off' but all I come out with is, 'Not a very good one, I'm afraid.'

Anyway, I now spend most of my time watching Mabel and Teddy and the others doing what it is that they have to do to keep themselves intact.

(The warden, too, I watch.)

Identities

'You will meet lots of interesting people here, Bill,' said the warden.

I looked around.

'Here's Mabel,' said the warden, 'she's a conchologist, aren't you, Mabel?'

'Only an amateur, I'm afraid,' said Mabel, holding a shell to her ear.

'And this is Teddy,' said the warden, 'he's a carpenter, aren't you, Teddy?'

'I do my best,' said Teddy, hacking at a piece of wood.

As we strolled in the grounds the warden said, 'It's all a matter of identity, Bill. Our identities are defined by what we do, not by what we are. If I may put it another way, we are what we do and we are not what we are. Simple, really.'

'Yes,' I said, 'I used to study psychology - that's why I'm here.'

The warden stopped and stared.

'Are you sure that's why you're here?'

'No, I'm never sure about anything.'

'Except being sure that you're never sure about anything?'

‘???’

We turned and headed back towards the main door.

'Now, Bill,' said the warden, 'how would you like to be defined?'

'Do I have a choice?' I asked.

'No, not really," he said. The next vacancy is for a -'

'I'd like to be a warden,' I cut in.

He was right, I didn't have a choice - which is why, each time he brings a newcomer, he says, 'Here's Bill, he's a patient, aren't you Bill?'

Of course I would dearly love to say 'Bugger off' but all I come out with is, 'Not a very good one, I'm afraid.'

Anyway, I now spend most of my time watching Mabel and Teddy and the others doing what it is that they have to do to keep themselves intact.

(The warden, too, I watch.)