The following was inspired by Laura's blog posting Parallel Worlds.
Somewhere there's a David who never left New Zealand. He did get that features job he always craved at the New Zealand Herald, slowly ascending through the ranks. Maybe he resisted the move into management, maybe he didn't. But he always felt creatively frustrated, wishing he was inviting stories of his own instead of writing about other people's stories.
Somewhere there's a David who never left 2000 AD. He stayed in comics, helping new creators fulfill their dreams of making a living from doing what they love. But he couldn't help envying their success or wishing he'd made the leap to freelance writing, like his former assistant Andy. Still, he's looking forward to the new Dredd film.
Somewhere there's a David who wrote an original novel as his first published tome. Maybe it was a great success, maybe it wasn't. Maybe he now lives in New York, laden with awards and paying alimony to his ex-wives. Maybe his first novel was his best and it's been downhill ever since. Maybe he should stop wearing sunglasses indoors.
Somewhere there's a David who took up smoking at school and died of lung cancer. Or who didn't swerve that time and spends his days in a wheelchair. Or who went under the wheels of that Holden Kingswood instead of over the bonnet, and his head burst like a ripe blood orange. Wonder what his last thoughts were?
But I'm this David - former reporter, ex-patriate Kiwi, past editor of 2000 AD, non-smoker, careful driver and frequently jammy. With a bit of luck I'm halfway with my life, still learning, still earning and still pushing myself to try new things. Not sure what the future brings, but - fingers crossed - the best is yet to come. Onwards!
8 comments:
You have a large streak of darkness in you Mr Bishop - no doubt it serves you well in your writing.
I feel a certain resonance with the first of your infinite Davids. When we first met, you were still at the New Zealand Herald but already brimming over with ambition, plotting and planning what eventuated in your relocation to the far side of the world.
You were inspirational to me then and since, though it's only in the last couple of years that I've finally gotten around to realising my own long-held ambition to become a professionally published author. Perhaps there's an infinite Paul version where I got my act together a darn sight sooner!
Nice post! However, I wonder if your parallel selves have goaties, normally associated with evil others (well, in Star Trek and Futurama), or just you...
You mean this is the Mirror Universe, and I am the Evil Counterpart David? Cool.
Yes yes.
great post David. I'm moved by your other selves ;)
Sounds like you dodged a few bullets. Well done!
My pick for an alternate-world Tim would be one who does the same things as me, but just does them that little bit better. That Tim would already have changed his socks. That Tim would have got the final poem for the poetry anthology typed up by now. That Tim wouldn't spend so long watching cricket, or if he did, he'd do something improving at the same time.
Actually, that Tim might be a bit of a pain in the butt.
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