Introduction Foreword Writing Together Coping Within The System Coping On My Own Coping With Teenagers Coping With Relationships Live Performance

Hans Denndorf

Sunrise Day Centre

Hans saunters into Sunrise
And spies the staff gathered around the kettle
Sobbing their eyes out.
“Oh Hans” they say, eyelids fluttering
“Can you get the kettle to work?”
Hans fixes the kettle with a steely expression
Black Russian cigarette dangling from his lips
He checks the safety catch on his Walther PPK
(remembers he doesn’t have one)
Gently stubs his cigarette out on the carpet
(There’s no ashtray)
And with a smouldering gaze and a touch of fagash his eye
Says in a soft commanding tone
“Rosa, Laura, Julia, Joshua..
It helps if you plug it in.”

 

Comedy and laughter are an important part of Hans’ life. When we said that the performance event at South Street would cost £6, but those from the group such as himself could get in free, he said ‘Yeah, it’s free to get in, but it’s a tenner to get out.’ He explains:
‘Humour helps take your mind off the troubles…you know the saying, ‘If you don’t laugh, you cry.”