Shut Up Keith - Work

My morning routine began as normal – I’m awoken by my flatmate’s alarm (he sets several alarms of a different tone that build to a crescendo and me crashing through his door to stop this endless ringing and wake him up with a violent shake). For my troubles I get to use the bathroom first where I look into my eyes and think that these used to be atoms of something else, sometime, somewhere.

A nod to my flatmate as I left began my journey into silence and metaphors. I thought about this and then stopped. It was just me versus my mind until I can cancel out thoughts with mindless talking.

The bus journey to work was covered as I own a Ridacard and so another nod was appropriate recognition for the driver. Thumbs up as I alighted and no suspicions were aroused so far. Thumbs up began to set the tone of my day.


I had decided that I would try not to alter my routine and so there was no covert tactic of heading to my desk through the laboratory as if I were some sort of Batman villain. My first encounters with colleagues were a mixture of more nods, thumbs up and people acting strangely. It became apparent that everyone was more uncomfortable than me as they had to conduct a one-way conversation with a nodding Norn Irishman, or citizen of Earth as I prefer.

I had a 09:30 meeting via Lync that I decided to attend such is my duty. I think this picture pretty much sums it up as I explained to a colleague in Toulouse that I did not have duck-tape over my mouth as in picture on my charity page.

Just Giving - Keith Harland

At the Deli was where I got to make the first practical use of signs, with one as a serious aside about the reasons for all of this – to raise awareness of mental health issues – and the other that juxtaposed perfectly – ‘Special please’. I also discovered that a few select phrases could get a man by – ‘Thank you’ and ‘I don’t know’. I find not knowing makes me want to find out and combined with manners will get you far in life.

Now it was time for a walk. So I walk through Saughten Park where there is a surreal tree of hanging shoes. There are a lot of missing kids somewhere.

The afternoon shift was much easier. It is amazing what can be achieved when you stop talking in circles and shut up. I was more inclined to agree and so force myself into completing tasks I never would have otherwise (thumbs up is easier and feels better than thumbs down – try it).

Thumbs up and the ‘Careful Now’ sign at my desk had done its job –

– I’d stayed silent and I was on my way home.

Silence in Motion
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Get on bus,

Ridacard – “Beep”,

Nod,

Get off bus,

Thumbs up.
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