Cornered

I suppose I'd known it would have to come, the moment when I'd have to talk about it. I hadn't imagined it would be like this, explaining to my boss - my boss's boss, in fact - in the kitchen, while making tea.

In one sense it was better this way: no time to agonise about getting the words right, no time to prepare a story. But, at the same time, no sympathetic friends listening over a pint. Just the friendly-but-slightly-superior Sarah.

Right. No pressure then.

"They found me on Leith Links, out cold. Early morning Monday, two weeks ago - two weeks today, in fact. Unconscious. Breathing, but only just."

"Wow. So this is - where? That park along from the foot of Leith Walk? Not a great place to be after dark. How'd you get there?"

"That's the thing. I've no idea. Last thing I remember is ... is saying goodbye to my girlfriend the Friday before that." I didn't mention that I'd had a big fight with Jenny and had ended up storming out of the flat on Friday.

"And the next you know, you're in the park? " Sarah chuckled. "I've had some wild nights, Alan - but that takes some beating! So you'd been out all weekend?"

"As I say, I have no idea. But one thing I do know, there was no trace of alcohol in my system when they examined me at the Royal Infirmary."

I noted the slight raising of her eyebrows.

"No drugs, either."

"Sorry, Alan - I wasn't suggesting... it's just that, well, you don't remember anything at all? You just woke up on Leith Links, with no idea of why or how?"

"Well, I didn't wake up there - I came round in the hospital. But yeah, for the memory part of it, not a thing."



Story begins here.