He was destroying himself, drowning in self-pity and letting the system win. He decided to do whatever he could to improve his life. He signed on for anger-management therapy. Perhaps with expert help, he could control his stammer, and find a better way to deal with all of his unruly feelings. He was also accepted onto a writing course, which gave him a chance to express himself and something new to think about. Colin’s stammer didn’t go away, but he found that nothing halted the flow of words when he wrote things down. Writing helped him communicate and feel better about himself. His rehabilitation was not immediate, but what drastically raised his spirits was the news that Karen was going to come and visit him. Barry was as good as his word. When Karen wanted a visit, he collected her and waited in the car park for her to come out again. He never asked to see his old friend then, because he felt they needed the time to be together as a family.
