My Life

“After all, I had been getting away with it for ages”

You may wonder how I got here, ended up in this place. I know I often do, I mean I know of course but I still look back and wonder. To be honest this place isn’t that bad, in fact if you tow the line and play by the rules it's pretty comfortable. We get clothed, 3 meals a day (all hot) and a bed. Television, well DVD’s, we even have an X-Box.

I used to work in a supermarket, started out on the trolleys at 16, moved on to produce and then finally the tills, there was talk if management training programme. But it was being on the tills that was the beginning of the end, what got me into all this. I know what your thinking, people always do.

Life went on, I dropped into a routine, I suppose you do. I went to work, went to my mums every Sunday for lunch (taking my washing of course). I even had a girlfriend, Shelly, it was a proper grown up relationship, we even talked about marriage, well looking back she did. Life was good, well okay, could have carried on like this forever I guess. After all, I had been getting away with it for ages. But you can only live a lie for so long, I should know, eventually temptation gets the better of you.

I was on the till one day when I guy came in wearing uniform. Standing at my till he smiled at me, I didn’t recognise him at first, but then I realised we had been classmates, what now seemed like many years before. Simon was tanned and muscular, absolutely glowing with health. I on the other hand was pale, pasty, developing a beer belly and generally aging quickly. We arranged to meet at my local for a beer.

That night as we sat in the Red Lion, telling each other about our lives, it got my thinking. I told Simon about my work, my flat and Shelley of course. Simon regaled me, and half the pub with his tales of distant lands and adventures, far more interesting than my own sotty stories. Simon has joined the Royal Marines at 16 after completing his training he had down tors of Iraq, Afghanistan and more. He had his own house, drove a nice car, and hadn’t got himself tied down with a girlfriend, life's too short for that at the moment. To me he had the dream life, something clicked, I know I needed more from life, needed to travel, needed more.

Next day I stood outside the simple shop front in town in a suit and tie, no going back now. After ringing the bell, I waited before being greeted by a young lad in  uniform. That was it my new life had started.

The next few months flew by, tests, medicals and fitness assessments, all before a week in Scotland a taste of what was to come. But I didn’t need to wait long, 6 months after that first visit I walked through the main gates of HMS Raleigh. My mobile peeped “Good Luck Mate, see you in 10 weeks” it read, I texted back “Cheers Simon, thanks for everything.” Simon had been a huge support really couldn’t have done it without him, helping me with my fitness.

Shelly and I split up two weeks later, as I read her message I was thrilled free to enjoy my new life. Training was a breeze thanks to all the advice from Simon. 10 weeks after walking through the gates I stood proudly in uniform, as my mum wept, and Simon clapped.

A year later here I am halfway through my first deployment, reading a 60 word message from my mum, Shelley has just got married, poor sod. Where am I, who knows, I don’t. All I know is I am somewhere under the ocean, sat in a submarine.