Hi, you are “face to face with Shell”.
By now, you will probably know that I was severely burned when I was 13 years old in a gas explosion, while I was on my first holiday abroad to Lloret de Mar, Spain.
Please watch the video below and read on:
I was dancing in one of our favourite rock clubs a few years ago (The Cathouse in Glasgow) Chris was at the bar. I don’t mind dancing myself. There was a younger guy dancing near me; he came over towards me and we started to dance together; he had been dancing on his own as well. He looked different too. He didn’t have scars but there was something different with his spine, I would say…I don’t want to be disrespectful but it is the best way that I can describe what I saw. Can I say, basically, he looked different, like me but in another way.
I was wearing a vest top, which showed my arms and he asked me: “Don’t you mind people looking at you”? I told him that I didn’t, that it was their problem if they were looking, I was having fun, and that was the main thing.
Who cared what people were saying, who cared if they were looking, we were having loads of fun.
We continued to dance and had a great time. He is a lovely guy and I have met him quite a few times since that night. We never mention our “differences”, we just have fun.
I didn’t get to this position overnight, it took years for me to show my arms.
I am just trying to show you that it doesn’t matter how long it takes for you to feel comfortable with your scars, it all takes time.
I feel that I had gotten to a stage where I thought: “Who cares; I have spent long enough in a hospital bed and I am going to enjoy my life”.
No one knows what anyone else has been through; the difference with having scars or looking different, is that we “wear” a bit of what has gone on in our lives.
I hope that in some way we helped each other that night.
I am writing this as of October 2021 and I am very sadden to say that this young, amazing man passed away a few weeks ago. He was truly one in a million and shall be sorely missed by all those that knew him. Rest In Peace my friend.