Part 1
Beautiful, sexy, desirable. Never in my life have I been called these things, I've certainly never felt them inside. As an only child and growing up I was lonely, for as long as I can remember I have been overweight and deeply affected by this, even from a young age.
At school I was teased because of my weight, I felt low. I ate. I ate crappy foods, ate them too much and too often. My natural shape was heavy, a wide arse and big thighs, mix in a dose of bullying, take away a two cup fulls of self confidence and the result was an ugly and tough childhood into an isolated adolescence.
I knew people in the community and tried to be friendly when I could but this took work, it wasn't natural and those around me could sense it. My parents were older than other parents, years older than the other mums and dads and old fashioned too, routine was order, familiarity was safety.
My parents could see I was struggling and in pain, they tried to encourage me to make friends, inviting other children round to play or for a picnic on warm Saturday afternoon, but I was painfully shy and struggled to make any friendships last.
After I finished school I stayed home alone for a few years helping take of mum through poor health. Later I took a local job in one of the bigger department stores, working in the homewares section, here I met Stacey, she was bright and chatty, a little older by a couple of years and someone who had lived differently to me. I sort of looked up to her a little, she was confident but not bitchy and was the first person in my adult life that didn't seem to either want to quietly ridicule me or pity me. So, when she asked me to go to the 1986 Cheshire branch of Grahams Department Store Christmas Party, nervously I said "yes".
Saying no thank you had been my default for as long as I can remember, stay home, stay quiet, stay safe was my inner mantra. "Yes" I actually said fucking "yes" to this and the moment the word left my lips I was terrified.
Fashion and style don't come in my size. Nothing flattered me. I felt bulky, lumpy and wildly self conscious in this pink blouse and pleated skirt. I just wanted to curl up in a ball under my covers and hibernate, going to the works party at the conference rooms was not where I wanted to be. It was too late now, Stacey was here and the taxi beeped its horn outside, my mum was stood in the hallway and gave me some money to put in my purse "try and have a nice time love", her words didn't help, I know she meant well but the word "try" implied effort, like I wasn't aware of who I was.
Stacey looked so happy, her face was beaming, she slipped me a bottle of MD 20/20 under her coat in the back of the mini cab and I took a swig, totally against my nature, but I convinced myself that a swig would be fine as it would bolster my nerves and I would be in complete control with one swig. This mini cab stank. The smell of the sweet sickly rich strawberry drink could hardly compete with the odour, I took a big swig and handed it back. "Someones thirsty" Stacey chuckled to me as she leaned in close to retrieve the bottle.
"This is the first party I've been to, I'm not sure I'll fit in"
"Don't be daft V, you'll be fine, stay close to me, I'll take care of you tonight, lets let our hair down and have a boogie"
Now all I could think of is bloody dancing, I could hardly walk down a tight aisle at work now I was on trial to be judged for dancing. This was a bad idea, I shouldn't be here, I don't fit in, avoid, avoid, avoid was the voice in my head that I couldn't silence.