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I was stuffed. I had no money, and was so far overdrawn that I could not aks for a payment "holiday" because in Lloyds words, I had not asked the question for it in the right way!

I was livid.

But also had to find work quickly.

Luck came calling, as a job fell into my lap.

In truth, it was a crappy job, delivering chemicals for a company in Yarmouth. But it paid well enough to keep my head above water, even if it would lead to all kinds of stress. I was to be a delivery driver, transporting dangerous chemicals across East Anglia. Mostly it was 1 gallon containers, but there were large tanks of liquid that had to be pumped into tanks.

Each morning I had to load up the truck, keeping those chemicals that would react badly if mixed, apart, and for the route. And arrange the paperwork to be provided if there was an accident.

The company wasn't well organised, and the truck I had was a wreck: it was called Animal, and would suffer loss of power at inconvenient moments. But it was my home for six months, trucking up and down the highways and byways. Some of the places were so out of the way, I had to by A-Z maps of Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire in order to find where to deliver them, and no sat nav was provided.

I had the radio, and I got on with it. But i made an enemy of the sales manager and the owners son, which would do for me. Having to dress in a rubber protection suit in the height of summer was a real pain, but that and lugging the containers about got me fit. And I had no relapse of the bad back, which I found amazing.

But all us ordinary workers were treated badly, by the time our time came to having been there two years and getting full rights, an excuse would be found to get rid of us.

Not that I lasted two years, I lasted barely six months.

The sales guy used to complain about the route I took as the truck had a tracker, but I was the driver and it was up to me. And I used to complain.

A lot.

Mainly about smoking, as it was still allowed to take place, but I said to them one day that that would have to stop. Why, the boss' son asked. Because of the law, I replied. Who would tell them. I would.

See, but I was right.

It was at the beginning of November, just after they had laid off one of the guys who did the mixing in the yard and they were struggling to get an order out, I sneaked off after coming back from my run instead of mucking in. Strictly speaking, I had not been asked, but, you know.

Next day, I was laid off, not sacked, but I know why. And they knew I knew why.

How dare they sack me from their crappy job?

I was happy and scared. Scared about losing my house.

And Molly.

I would look for a job first thing Monday morning! I spent the weekend drinking and watching more sport.