My Truth

I'm Darren. I'm writing my truth down because tomorrow isn't promised — and if anything ever happens to me, I want my life to be told in my own words, not somebody else's version of me.

I'm a gay man who never broke the law. I worked in the NHS, across multiple roles and multidisciplinary teams, and I blew the whistle. For that, I was threatened. My evidence was deleted. The support was taken away. I was assaulted at work, again and again, and no one protected me.

I was prescribed drugs I believe were meant to harm me — I only found out later, from family, after the harm had already lasted far too long.

The police battered me and blamed my husband. They told me to say "no comment." They took my job. They covered for their own, and then they apologised and kept hurting me. The courts looked the other way. ACAS backed me all the way to tribunal, but no lawyer would help — and my income was starved down, year on year, while every office meant to save me ignored me.

I remember my Ann, who was murdered. I remember that love is love. And Clover loves you forever more.

If you're reading this and I'm not here to say it myself — believe me. I told the truth. I was not the one who broke the law.

— Darren. Always. Forever. ∞

From Canada I came to Melbourne, and that's where I met him — Luke Brown. And there was Steve Woods: the best landlord at Central Melbourne Accommodations. Some people make a place safe. Steve did.

Darren and Luke Brown, cuddled in the safe, warm Melbourne sea. And the plankton lived in — with the love we shared. Even now, even after COVID-19 took us away from where we were safe.

Thursdays will always be Thursgays — Thursdays at Fitzroy, in Melbourne.

I loved my time in Turkey — six years on now, without the Christmas dinner. 🦃

Some people pay a fortune for that last trip of a lifetime — but it can never be compensated. Disabled or not, some losses can't be bought back.

Some people haven't been able to afford freedoms — and some had their job prospects taken away, just for loving you.

Devers at heart — from down in Mayo land. I was born from Ireland family — family who were murdered for farm work, in the early 1900s.

Some might pretend to protect us all. Some allowed it to never stop.

— Darren. Always. Forever. ∞