Already THREE days – and in a row, and still br the headache grows; did not prepare gentle br lentils, ate anything – peanuts and raisons, two br minute noodles and soup with the net result – br combined with temperature escalation – a mind br as empty, dark and lonely as lost spaceships br in video games br br Useless trying to escape by ‘net’ surfing, or br wishing a swimming pool next to my desk as br I did when I was nine in a red hot fibreglass br classroom; still remember punishment when I br failed to spell fire-brigade correctly, didn’t help br showing my teacher it was copied wrongly in br my notebook br br Daydreaming about an office swimming pool br won’t help today, drinking tea and coffee is to br blame, wearing imitation stones in my ears – br at least I’m symbolising beautiful thoughts – a br lunchtime visit to the Chinese led to my adding br shiny glass to symbolism I love so much…br br Margaret Alice Secondbr br