There was a short and sharp thunderstorm that has just gone overhead here in Heavenly Beverley. The rumblings of thunder and patter of rain have gone and the spring sky is lightening once more. Michael was responsible for calming our Brave Sir Robin Stella (see "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" for that reference) in our bedroom, Chop the cat couldn't have cared less and Lexi was completely unaffected. This situation was rather akin to my life over the last couple of weeks...
Those of you who know me well have been aware of the total farce of my compulsory attendance at the Western Australian Magistrates Court for a matter I can't discuss. I was assigned a "Duty Lawyer" who conversed in an obtuse mix of Legal and English and a Registrar (who went by the name of Registrar), who spoke the same language. Their triumph was to bamboozle me with gobbledegook and not achieve any of my stated goals. The Department of Stealth and Total Obscurity was alive and well.
This process left me both bereft and traumatised. I was also required to censor my own blog; an undertaking that I had sworn I would not ever do. My writing is and has been all about my views, my emotions, my experiences. This directive to remove certain posts was all about coercive control and absolutely nothing else.
Anyway, I complied with this task to the best of my ability. Except I was stymied twice by contradictory information. So, I attempted to contact the Duty Lawyer for clarification. The same young woman who had been less than helpful at the Magistrates Court. I received a stock standard email in response that she could not assist me away from the Court and I would have to apply for any more help, meet their criteria and then, if I was successful, make an appointment at some stage in the next century or so. Fabulous!
My self esteem had already taken a hit from those issues when I received another blow from Stage Left. I have worked quite successfully with Beverley's Tourism Officer in the past. I was delighted at her revision of the "Table of Contents" that essentially categorised Beverley's attractions in a more straightforward manner. However, given that there was now a dedicated space for "Galleries", I expected to see our dinky little advertisement (for which we had paid) in that section. Not so. I was quite upset to find our advertisement had been relegated to the "Shopping in Beverley" page towards the back of the Guide, directly above Beverley Earthmoving. Such was my distress that another of our local artists suggest I ask for a refund from the Shire. I duly attended the Shire and one of the Shire officers advised me to write a letter explaining my rationale for seeking our monies back. Which I did...
Into the East End Gallery swept the "offended" Tourism Officer. She had been privy to my letter, which had included other information that was totally unrelated to her role. She reprimanded me for my dissatisfaction with the new edition, waved old editions in my face and was unwilling to even countenance my point of view. Her reasoning was flawed, which she was unable to recognise, due to her bitterness and anger that I would not be thrilled at her treatment of our Gallery in a Guide she produced. Even worse, her position does not allow her to authorise refunds, which had been the point of my original letter to the Councillors and the Shire. She upset me so much that, against my better judgement, I apologised to her...
Did I feel ambushed by this chain of events? You bet your sweet bippy I did! Have I received a written reply from the Shire or Council? Not a word. What I have received has been unconditional support and affection from artists near and far, acquaintances, friends, my amazing sons Callum and Alex, my beautiful and compassionate daughter-in-law Bronwyn and my beloved Michael. Our Number 1 Fan helped me pen a second letter to the Shire, the CEO, the Town Planner and the Tourism officer. Having hit rock bottom in the wake of these episodes, I have been sustained through both these uncomfortable sagas by so many who have wrapped me in love and light. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
And of course the ongoing bonus has been the comedy routines provided by Stella, Lexi, Chop and Red the mad parrot. To that bloke on "WTFAQ" the other night who claimed our animals don't adore us, that is pure and unadulterated bullshit.
I have never made a secret of my Major Depressive Disorder and how this condition affects my life. I understand that I "should" be able to take the rough with the smooth. Except that is not my reality. Nobody can ever walk in my shoes. If those who care enough about me can walk with me, that I all I need to feel like an equal human being.
And to my scribe and mentor...
Our Autistic Superstar, Alex...
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