Saturday 23 April 2011
10:25
I got up as early as I could this morning. I'm still a little tired after downing the best part of a bottle of wine last night. When there's no-one to share it with, you get greedy, I do anyway. I'm sitting in the car calling it everything under the sun. It's playing silly buggers with me and not wanting to start. I may have to bump start it, you know, roll the bastard down the hill in second gear. If it doesn't start, I'll be rolling it down the hill straight into the River Clyde.
11:50
I'm parked at TESCO in Port Glasgow. Forgot to charge my phone battery last night, so I'll have to be prudent with the journal writing. Will pop and get petrol before the journey up to Glasgow. Fifteen pounds should do it, enough to get me up and back so long as there are no traffic jams. It's very quiet here. I don't know if it's just the increase in petrol prices or, well, best not think about it too much. Try and stay as rational as possible.
12:15
I've had to stop at the side of the road, near Langbank, the car is over-heating. I'm sure I put enough water and oil in it and whatever else it needs. Who am I kidding, I don't pay the car any attention, mechanically, unless something goes wrong and it tells me by way of a flashing light on the dashboard. I've seriously neglected it.
12:25
Just watched as six army trucks passed by, heading towards Greenock. My priority is to get to Glasgow.
13:00
The traffic is exceptionally busy, even for a Saturday. I've stopped in a car park, it'll probably cost me an arm and a leg (not literally). It's impossible to drive anywhere near Ruchill Hospital, there are roadworks and streets blocked off at virtually every turn. I'll have to walk to the hospital.
13:10
Just got off the phone to the hospital and they said I'd missed visiting hours and that I should come back around seven tonight. Bastard! After driving all the way up here. No sense in walking there if I'm not going to be allowed in. I'm totally disorganised. What was I thinking. Right, have decided to return home and get a change of clothes for Connie, they'll be the wrong ones and she'll moan, and I'll return for seven. That'll get me in the good books, maybe.
Need to charge phone battery when I get home. Should have brought the USB connector and plugged it into the stereo to charge.
14:00
That's me back home. Not much time to say anything because traffic was hellish on the way in to Greenock too. Everyone's busy rushing about, queues of cars trying to get into TESCO. I don't remember it being billed as a holiday. That's usually what happens when a holiday approaches, people panic buy in case milk and bread run out the day before Armageddon.
Anyway, got to rush. I've grabbed clothes for Connie: t-shirt, jeans, training shoes and socks. That should do her, I hope.
14:30
I've had to pull over to the side of the road. The army trucks, I'm sure it's the same ones, have blocked the motorway. It must have only been within the last half hour as there aren't many cars in front of mine, maybe about twenty or so. If I'm very careful, I can slowly reverse down the hard shoulder to the Langbank roundabout and take a different route through Bishopton. Over and out as they say.
14:40
Shit. I'm stuck on Old Greenock Road. Looks like everyone else had the same idea as me. I hate that. A few people got out their cars to see what was happening. I got out and had a look for myself. The army and police have set up a road block here as well. Jesus, how am I supposed to get to Connie now.
15:00
Everyone has been told to turn back and go home. Mostly everyone complied, although the odd nutter did put up a small amount of protest, some futile gesture, I guess, to say we're not putting up with this. Connie will just have to wait. She has her pals with her anyway, I think, I can't seem to get a signal on these back-roads.
Heading home.
Sunday 24 April 2011
22:25
Tried a dozen times to get through to Ruchill yesterday. Switched the radio on seeing as the news told me just about fuck all. There have been road blocks set up at various points, all points in fact, leaving Greenock. It hasn't been mentioned that the town has been put under quarantine, as such, but I know it's going to be bloody difficult to leave without a some soldier staring at you, down the barrel of his gun.
22:35
I'm starting to feel guilty that I'm not making more of an effort to get to Connie. I'm not the big hero that's willing to take the risk, I'd rather wait and let someone else get killed, well maybe not killed but let them do all the ground work and I can learn from their mistakes. I can't think straight, and it doesn't help that I'm a scatter brain at the best of times. I have to sit down and try to figure out how to get to Connie.
22:55
Just got off the phone to my mum. It was a bit late, so I apologised for call her at such a late hour, then went on to babble on for about fifteen to twenty minutes. They're staying in Aberdeen with my Uncle Rex. I filled them in on the situation and told them not to hurry back. My mum worries about everything. I tell her about the virus that's been on the news and how it's spreading through West Scotland, she asks if I'm eating enough, or she'll ask if I've got the cold if I cough once on the phone because of a dry throat. Twenty minutes is the max I can take.
I told her about Connie and her friend, mum said that everything will be fine. I don't believe her. I think it's a mum's duty to lie to us to protect us from the horrible truth.
I don't remember the last time I told any of my parents I love them.
I'm going to bed now. I hope I have nice dreams.
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