Part 14 (1/2)

'Not arthritis, but I get headaches quite a lot. I used to suffer from migraines. I got one every Friday after dinner for years. Unless we were going out somewhere. Then it would come on Sat.u.r.day night instead.'

'Have you ever avoided looking in mirrors?'

'Yes, well see answer given above on subject of body.'

'Have you ever wanted to change your name?'

'Are you serious? I did did change it. I've recently toyed with the idea of changing it back, but it's a bit late now. All those labels and standing orders that would need alteration.' change it. I've recently toyed with the idea of changing it back, but it's a bit late now. All those labels and standing orders that would need alteration.'

'Do you ever wear what might seem like an inappropriate amount of clothing?'

'I suffer from quite bad circulation so I do sometimes feel cold even when it's sunny. So, yes, I suppose I do. Is that a crime?'

'Do you have any phobias?'

'No. I don't mind heights, I rather like spiders. Confined s.p.a.ces are cosy. Now you mention it, I do have an irrational hatred of breakfast cereal and spent much of my boys' childhood trying to keep it out of the house. And I don't like Mother's Day or ploughman's lunches or anything else that was invented by advertising people.'

'Any eating disorders?'

'No.'

'Ever had a problem with drink or drugs?'

'No problem at all.'

'Have you ever obsessively stayed away from them?'

'Not really. I cut down a bit on drinking in the days before I took finals and that sort of thing. I could never really be bothered with drugs. It was the paraphernalia and the culture that went with them. And I was a bit scared of being arrested. I don't think I was puritanical about it.'

'Any examples of compulsive behaviour?'

'Oh, loads.'

'Have you ever had a wish to be invisible?'

'If I did, it was granted for large parts of my marriage. Sorry. The honest answer is that the temptation has never presented itself even as a fantasy.'

'Have you ever suffered from depression?'

'Yes.'

'Low self-esteem?'

'Oh yes.'

'Do you ever cry for no reason at all?'

'That's almost a philosophical question, but roughly speaking I would say yes to that.'

'Any suicidal impulses or thoughts?'

'Not seriously.'

'Did you ever feel a need to be spotlessly good, or to be the opposite, terribly bad?'

'I know what you mean. I recognise the feeling.'

'Have you ever felt that you're a victim?'

'Only in my weaker moments. I hope that I've never seriously thought of myself as a victim.'

'Have you ever had a feeling of having possession of a secret? Perhaps with an urge to tell it and a feeling that n.o.body would believe it if you did?'

'I'm not sure I understand the question. I don't think so.'

'Have you ever taken dangerous risks?'

'No. I sometimes wish I had.'

'Have you ever felt an incapacity for taking risks?'

'Yes.'

'Do you ever daydream?'

'What did you say? I was miles away. Sorry. Joking. Sometimes, maybe.'

'Do you feel you've ever blocked out a period of your life, especially when you were young?'

'I don't know. It's hard to say. Obviously there are lots of things I don't remember.'

'Do you ever worry about being noisy? I mean in experiences such as s.e.x or in social situations or even in the lavatory.'

'This is is getting personal, isn't it? All right, I'm not embarra.s.sed, I'll answer. To take them in order. I think I'm quite s.e.xually uninhibited, so I suppose I groan and scream. I'm irritated by people who bray and guffaw at dinner parties and I probably come across as quite restrained in public. I probably attempt to be fairly quiet on the lavatory when there are other people in the vicinity. Don't most people?' getting personal, isn't it? All right, I'm not embarra.s.sed, I'll answer. To take them in order. I think I'm quite s.e.xually uninhibited, so I suppose I groan and scream. I'm irritated by people who bray and guffaw at dinner parties and I probably come across as quite restrained in public. I probably attempt to be fairly quiet on the lavatory when there are other people in the vicinity. Don't most people?'

'Have you ever felt that s.e.x is dirty?'

'No, not intrinsically.'

'Have you ever disliked being touched?'

'Do you mean s.e.xually?'

'Not necessarily.'

'I sometimes dislike it when men paw me but in an unfair sort of way it all depends on the man. There have been occasions when I haven't wanted s.e.x, and then I've said so.'

'What about by a gynaecologist?'

'I used to dislike being examined by a male gynaecologist. When I was, oh, in my latish twenties, Claud found me a wonderful woman and I've been with her ever since. I've no problem at all with Sylvia.'