Saturday, October 24

The shower dial

When I moved into a new flat in January this year, I didn't just have to adjust to a new room, a new locality, a new supermarket, a new flatmate. I had to adjust to a new shower temperature.

The personal discipline of a computer science student who was also in the army reserves was something I could learn from. He'd already been in the flat four months, and the shower dial was kept at lukewarm. I knew it had stayed that way for a while because limescale had formed around its position. That first morning, standing under what felt to me like an icy torrent, my hand automatically stretched towards the dial to twist it hotwards. Then I hesitated. I could stand under a hot, comforting shower for a long time. I could sleep in every day. I could eat chocolate for dinner. I could skip lectures. I could smoke. I could quit running. The world was my oyster.

And I did end up doing some of those things. But I never turned that dial.





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