Twitch. Itch. Perhaps. Even a glitch. I am no shrinking violet. 3’10. No arms and short legs. It would be difficult to be so. But I am not a robot. And therefore prone to the odd malfunction. It is healthy to be that way.

A month since Halloween. As a family we really celebrate. You might have seen the photo. But something else happened that day. It continues to haunt. Inhabit.

Trick or treat. I retreated. Young kids knocking on the door. Instead of meeting them with sweets I hid in the shadows. Let others take over. It was conscious. Why? I take my children to school. Shops. Fast food junkets. Don’t give it a thought. I am Dad. I do what I do.

I have gone through the process. Dressed as a vampire. Worried I would scare them. Spoil their fun. Be the cause of a Halloween horror. It doesn’t add up. Excuses. Nonsense. I have an Achilles heel. In certain situations I just feel vulnerable. Full stop. Reassuringly, I also feel human.

We all live our lives at 100 miles an hour. Exposed. Every day. Easy to believe a level of inoculation exists. Great to be grounded from time to time. Remain rooted. But not consumed. A salutary reminder. But that’s all. Good. As there is still so much to be done. Not being part of changing the conversation is what haunts.

Onwards and upwards Friday.