When I was about 15, there was a door at school I would always avoid.
Although it was the nearest entrance to my form room, I’d always insist on taking the longest route via another door.
That was because I knew to expect harassment at the near door, my path forever blocked by other boys. That wasn’t an unfounded fear.
The one time a friend convinced me to follow him through, I ended up pinned to the wall by my neck at the hands of a sixth-form prefect.
I realise now that I’ve lived my life that way.
Always avoiding gateways lest I be stopped in my tracks.
Always taking a circuitous route to avoid confronting reality.
In truth, I’ve been stopped in my tracks for years.
Last modified: 6 June 2024
