Wednesday, September 07, 2005

POD THREE

POD 3
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Back cover

I went back to the flat the next day and Kerry/ Ceri was gone. I didn’t do anything foolish like destroy all her things, smash the place up etc. No, I just stopped going to work and started getting drunk a lot. I thought this was the worst thing ever (a year later I found out the worst thing ever is watching your father die painfully of a cerebral tumour).

After a week of wallowing in self pity (and having some fun nights out with Ralphie when drunk) a work colleague called Kev whom I’d really only just met, suggested I move into the bedsit house he was currently living in. It was cheap and the landlord’s rep in the house was his friend Alison, who really didn’t care if/when I paid rent.

It seemed like the perfect solution so I moved there. It was an utter shit hole. Brighton has a very seedy side and this place represented this perfectly. I spent six months there during which time Kev and I got drunk every single night and ate nothing but Grubbs burgers (the best burgers known to man).

I became very prolific with my comic creations during this period, both writing and drawing. I loved it. I would not eat or drink for days whilst I created my mini masterpieces – resulting in the time I started to piss blood. I was getting good reviews in the comic review mags and I felt like I was part of something (no matter how pathetic).

It was during this time that I wrote this comic. It is probably about 80% true. The 20% that wasn’t so true was that I adored Ceri/Kerry. You know what it’s like as a relationship dies, you start to hate one another. She just met someone before me, that was all. I just wasn’t grown up enough to properly understand. Ten years on practically the same thing happened again with another woman, only this time we were both a more grown up and we split reasonably amicably.

I stopped writing comics after my father got ill. Nothing seemed important enough to write about. I didn’t start writing again for about five years.

What happened to the players? John is still my best mate (along with edwaado). Ralph I hear from on occasion, mostly when he sends his comics to me, typically addressed to ‘The very gay Hergé smith’. He’s really matured.

Naz and Yvonne I sadly lost contact with. They'd move to Brighton primarily because of the gay scene, especially in Naz's case. She was on the run from her family, strick Muslims who due to her sexual orientation, wanted to kill her. Charming. I spent most of the summer in '93 with them, going on picnics, clubbing and going to gay bars/ pubs. They were utterly brilliant and really helped me sort myself out. I dunno why I lost contact... I think because after a few months I did start to see the Sam in the story, and you know how it is when you meet someone new...

As for Ceri… now a good friend, and ironically the only ex I am friends with. She is a really good writer/ editor and works for those trashy magazines that I often slate/ take the piss out of.

Funny how things work out.

13 comments:

MoMo said...

Hey, why not use this as an opportunity to find out where Naz, Yvonne are and get in contact with them? "I just posted this blog post and you were in it, which reminded me......" None of my business of course, just a suggestion in the absence of anything delightfully witty or insightful to say.

Perdita said...

Okay you've gotten deep on me.
I'm starting to feel I know you.
Now, one of us must die!

garfer said...

Funny old world.

thordora said...

I'm trying to think of some deep understanding response, but all I can think of is "Thanks". Thanks for sharing this. It's personal and touching without being cloying-I really dig it.

M said...

Sharing your soul hasn't been too painful now has it. I like your soul. It's a beautiful one.

Karen said...

Yikes. I avoid all ex-lovers like the plague. Maybe because I'll always be part emotionally-overwrought, hyper pain-sensitive teenager.

Thanks for sharing. It's funny how post-break up pain can vault you into high levels of activity, creativeness... And all-around doing stuff.

Anonymous said...

Long live POD. I liked the panda motif. I am touched that you could share this. Cheers

Anonymous said...

Dude, do you think Ceri will ever thank me for the cake I got her after her driving test? Not that I'm still bitter or anything. Just posting me a cake in return would suffice, you know the address.

Ship Creak said...

Cool of you to share, Hergé. Makes me realise how little I actually know you. I mean, I know you're a miserable, cantankerous old git sometimes, and that you're outrageously funny other times, but this is summat else...

Nice work, POD. Please, Sir, can I have some more?

Rowan said...

WOW!!!!
This is the most amazing piece of work you've done, something that seems more difficult for you ironically than your uber-creative posts of hillarity.

You've taken my breath away. What can one say??? The mystery of Herge has only started to become more mysterious, all the while showing us more of who you are. Are you in a bit of a funk? I sensed a little bit of ... sadness mixed with reflection.

How do you get on? Do you have casual dates? Are you seeing someone now? Maybe that's what you need at this time...I don't know really, just guessing. You are a very attractive man, I guess I'd know, you look like Mr. Mayfaire a lot (except looks like you can be bothered to shave on your days off ;)) who I am sure has a lot of offer anyone you'd be interested in, Gawd knows M. is constantly being hit on, how do you avoid it????

pissoff said...

I have to agree with Garfer wholeheartedly on this one. Funny old world.

Faltanus said...

as if showing us POD wasn't enough, you share with us your reflections on the content and details about the time of your life at the time of its creation. thanks Herge....very, very cool stuff.

MoMo said...

Wow! This honesty thing is pretty fucking popular! I should try it on my blog.