An Actor's life My life as an artist lasted long although no one saw me acting only that my behaviour changed if I had read a book and liked the hero in it, or seen a western movie; became that person. I could remember pages of lines from a book and the dialogue in a movie spitting words our, whispering them or roaring like a wounded gladiator, I had many friends, but they lived in my head and when at sea lived like a frugal monk who had taken the vow of silence spending time reading and dreaming. Walking down the gangplank going ashore I was an FBI agent on a secret mission and if there was a loud noise I reached inside my coat-jacket like a had a gun there and looked where the din came from; people noticed this and moved away from this odd person at the bar. My favourite act was the as a man with a writer's block, walked around with paper and pen, what I hoped was a soulful look women liked that, but less so when a boozing loudmouthed cowboy. These days when reading poetry my wish is to be a good poet that doesn't slam doors when leaving; you see I find myself so tedious I have invented a character interesting and full of life.