The Call Centre

By Brian Robinson. "Hello, Blue Zone Transfers, my name is Susan, how can I help? The caller sobs uncontrollably. "You're obviously quite upset. Why don't you take a minute. There's no hurry." As the sobbing subsides, the caller is finally able to speak. "I've just found out that I'm going to die. Please help me. … Continue reading The Call Centre →

Curtains

A flash fiction story by Brian Robinson. The curtains open. "Shit! I can't remember if I've shut the bedroom door. "I bet you haven't. How many times have I told you to check the blessed latch? The dog will kill the cat if she gets out. He's a greyhound, that's how they're wired, that's what … Continue reading Curtains →

The Private Sale

By Brian Robinson. The test drive. As a rule, I never go to a main dealer when I want to buy a car. I prefer to search for them privately, not only to get a better deal, but to know the history; the service history; the personal history. But the trade ad in the paper … Continue reading The Private Sale →

The Hole

By Brian Robinson. A Worm Hole. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." "I've always been fascinated by holes; but I struggled to understand why?" "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters." "When I was a child I would watch men working down them, … Continue reading The Hole →

Anxiety Symptoms: Depersonalisation: Derealisation

By Brian Robinson. Blurred vision Anxiety sufferers can experience a host of troublesome symptoms. This is a characteristic which often makes it a difficult condition to manage. Generally speaking, however, symptoms only arise due to high levels of stress or the fight or flight response having been activated. However, as anxiety sufferers we may believe … Continue reading Anxiety Symptoms: Depersonalisation: Derealisation →

Friends

By Brian Robinson. Souk-Marrakesh-Morocco. Susie couldn't wait to see her friend Emma. Emma loves a good story, and boy did she have a story to tell. Five days earlier, Susie had returned from her holiday in Morocco. Her head was full of colours, spices and flavours. She had brought her holiday back with her. Morocco … Continue reading Friends →

A Room With a View

By Brian Robinson. My husband has been dead for six months but I still haven't picked up the pieces. I haven't even started. Logic tells me I should be adjusting by now. Logic needs to have a conversation with the pit of my stomach. I have to get away; away from this house; away from … Continue reading A Room With a View →

OCD: The Power of Pictures

By Brian Robinson. The power of pictures If there was no such thing as language, would there be such a thing as OCD? I ask this question, because apart from a few cases where the the intrusive thoughts take the form of images, the vast majority of OCD intrusions come in the form of words … Continue reading OCD: The Power of Pictures →

Understanding OCD

By Brian Robinson. Almost always OCD has two main characteristics i.e. compulsions and intrusive thoughts. Compulsions are what they say on the tin: you have to do them. Intrusive thoughts are difficult too, not only because they are troublesome and uncompromising, but because the sufferer may believe the thoughts represent the absolute truth. The absolute … Continue reading Understanding OCD →

The Bird Feeder

By Brian Robinson. Our back garden is a haven for birds. We even have a few chickens. Nothing gives me more pleasure than to sit at my window and watch them pecking away at the feeders. Some days I do this for hours on end. I noticed that the sparrows seem to drop far more … Continue reading The Bird Feeder →