I invited my friend lee over today – I think I needed a break. We went out, first to see if our friend Ian was in, which he wasn’t, then to the caf in the park. It’s pretty much the nicest place in town, and the only decent place to take a friend for coffee. As usual, Lee did most of the talking; I’m more of a listener.

I must admit, however, at becoming more than a little depressed at what he was saying. He seems to have the kind of pessimistic lethargy that so many of our generation have. He was failed by school, far moreso than me. After school, he did some kind of bookkeeping course, which frankly seems totally unsuited for him, but hasn’t gone ay further. It isn’t as if Lee isn’t bright – I believe him to be as bright as I am – just that he lacks direction and confidence. The problem is, he doesn’t know what truly interests him; nothing seems to excite him, like film excites me. There must be something, of course, but the problem is he has given up looking. This is, in my opinion, one of the biggest failings of the special school system: they teach kids not to dream, not to push themselves, and to accept second best.