I'm a fan, now.

Do you ever have those moments where the importance of what happened at the time didn't really become apparent til ages after? Turns out I have.

Months ago at school one of my everso-exciting PSE classes was covered. (I know, I know, I've not hooked you in on this one yet but bear with me.) It must have been quite a few months ago as it was a horrible, grey morning, (admittedly, that could apply to June...) the schools power had been flickering on and off for most of periods 1 & 2 and the building itself was shaking due to the wind battering against it's glass walls outside.

So, sitting in a dimly lit Admin class at one end of the street, the class was allowed free reign of the computers to look up medical facts a figures - which actually meant seeing who could be the first one on Bebo after getting around the school's banned site block.

However, typing with freezing fingers soon grew too much for many and we resorted to just sitting talking. Our cover teacher was milling around the tables that we were huddled round, engaging in various conversations as he did so. I remember wondering how on earth he hadn't caught hypothermia (he was only wearing a shirt) and trying to place his name - he was new, you see, but I'd seen him around the school in his distinctive white shirt.

The conversation moved on and so did the teacher. Sitting down on the edge of my desk he joined in the conversation about my epileptic Boxer dog - turned out that since moving here, he had a dog with Epilepsy too! We chatted up to the bell about it, he mentioned that he read on a Chinese website somewhere that feeding them chicken and fish helped, so he tried it and it actually was easing his dog's fits.

I left the room still mentally chuckling at the way he had of saying things, his accent and delivery amused me, but I still didn't know his name - something which I didn't find out until last week.

Turns out the teacher whom I'd sat and discussed my dog with was none other than Des Dillon. Yep, the very same Des Dillon who wrote the likes of 'Me and Ma Gal' and 'Picking Brambles', and who writes for BBC Scotland's River City.

As he was teaching at our school, the English Department and their powers of persuasion managed to get Mr Dillon to agree to bringing his new production "Singing I'm No a Billy, He's a Tim" to the town. Us lucky seniors got to go along and watch it this afternoon and to be honest, I'm not sure what I was thinking before it. Here's the description:


What happens when you lock up a Celtic fan?
What happens when you lock up a Celtic fan with a Rangers fan?
What happens when you lock up a Celtic fan with a Rangers fan on the day of the Old Firm match?

Fireworks! That's what!

Follow Billy and Tim, on their journey of discovery. Both have been steeped in bigotry since birth: is it possible for them to change their views? Des Dillon creates the situation, you watch the sparks fly as Billy and Tim clash in a rage of deep-seated sectarianism and hatred. Are you singing their tune?


Now, I'm not a football fan. I don't support Rangers or Celtic and I'm not totally 'clued up' on all of the songs or history of the teams, but the dialogue and story doesn't need you to; I totally enjoyed it. Dillon's writing and story comes across effortlessly to both the football-mad and the football-inept, and the actors involved are excellent. I wont bore you by mincing my words, so read about the play here, and an extract from it here.

So, all you out there, I highly recommend you all go see it if you get the chance! It makes a really good night out, but various places its going are already sold out, so I'm not sure about the avaiablity.

Oh and before I forget, back to my discussion with Mr Dillon about his epileptic dog. His newest book out [that I've ordered] is entitled "My Epileptic Lurcher" for which the synopsis is:

"Manny Riley is a recovering alcoholic and struggling scriptwriter with a serious anger management problem. Lately, though, things have started to change for the better. A happy marriage, a move away from Glasgow to an idyllic seaside village and the adoption of Bailey, a lurcher with epilepsy. He'll soon find that these things only open up a whole new world of problems he'll have to face up to. And he has to do it all without losing his temper."

Anyone else seeing any paralellisms? ;)