December 2019
Messages
Text from Martin
What time are you going to be home?
Martin
Read 3.24pm
Not until around 7, work is so busy today xx
Sam
Read 3.25pm
Look we need to talk. This isn’t working out.
Martin
Read 3.25pm
What isn’t working? The flat? Yeah, it’s way too small! Maybe I can look into properties tonight xx
Sam
Read 3.27pm
No Sam. Us. I’m moving my stuff out tonight.
Martin
Read 3.27pm
Wait, what the fuck!
Sam
Read 3.28pm
*Martin is Typing*
I’ve met someone. Someone who loves my poetry and really gets it. You know.
Martin
Read 3.28pm
The University of London
Louise Thorn-bough
Personal Representative
Human Resources
The University of London
Senate House,
Bloomsbury,
London WC1E 7HU
Samantha Duffy
Data Administration
The University of London
Senate House,
Bloomsbury,
London WC1E 7HU
Dear Ms Duffy,
Late this afternoon we received quite a few complaints from your colleges about your recent behaviour. People have reported disruption of the workplace environment, damage to University property and a few members of staff have expressed concern for their own physical safety.
We are aware that this is not typical behaviour on your behalf and have taken this into account. We are also mindful that mental health is a serious and important matter. Therefore we have decided against taking any legal action and will not be pressing charges for damage of property. Instead, we ask that you see our in-house psychologist.
The health and safety of our employees are our top priority and will be terminating your contract with us immediately.
Please clear out your desk by the end of the day, and give your key card and ID to the front desk.
Louise Thorn-bough
Personal Representative
Human Resources
To: Sam.Duffy@aol.com
From: Richards.Sally@London.ac.uk
Subject: Recap on First Session
Hi Samantha,
It was lovely meeting with you this afternoon.
I am just emailing you a recap of our first therapy session to remind you of what was discussed and what is being required of you going forward.
I have let the University know of your compliance and our arrangement of this matter. They have agreed that this is the best way to go about things.
Don’t forget that the daily diary entries are mandatory and will have to be sent through to me every week. Any evidence that you have not been complying with this will be informed to legal where further action will be taken.
Kind Regards,
Dr Sally Richards.
Journal of Sam Duffy
Day 1
How do I even fucking start!
First, my boyfriend of two years breaks up with me through text! TEXT! He was the one who wanted us to move halfway around the world to live in London. “Oh, Sam, it will be great! It will make us even stronger blah blah blah” - that mother fucker. All because he thinks he’s an artist because he writes shitty poems, and New Zealand isn’t the place where his artistic talents can truly be expressed. What a load of bull shit.
So what do I get for being a supportive girlfriend?? None existent savings, dumped and left for some random girl from his temp job and THEN I GET FIRED! FIRED!
I have never ever been fired. I am a polite and hardworking employee, only to be fired because..yeah I had a little yell, and yeah I might have broken my work computer and thrown some shit. But my god, can you blame me?!
This day could not get any worse. I am on an hour-long train ride to get to my shitty studio apartment (that can barely fit a bed it’s that tiny), with my eyes so red and puffy from crying all day that I can barely see. I WISH I COULDN’T SEE! The little I can see out of my pufferfish eyes are 20 people starring at me with pity and whispering to each other. Oh god…
I can’t even pay for my shitty rent by myself.
I thought he loved me.
OMG, I thought those damn poems - the ones that actually weren’t half bad and fucking romantic were about me. But of course not! It was that office bitch.
…she’s probably not a bitch. It’s not like she was the one who cheated. HE’s THE BITCH.
Now I’m here penniless, loveless, jobless and stuck writing this damn journal to help manage my ‘anger’ and ‘improve my mental health’. I DON’T HAVE ANGER PROBLEMS. I just got angry once! ONCE.